America Reads

Book excerpt: This book examines President Clinton's America Reads Challenge, a proposed solution to the political, social, and economic inequality in the United States and explains how the goals of America Reads and the program's implementation were not as straightforward as President Clinton imagined. By looking at the origins of the America Reads policy and analyzing a case study of the program at one university, the book provides a glimpse into the values that are behind literacy education policies. It demonstrates how values have clashed concerning the policy's goals, organization, and implementation, resulting in a literacy initiative that has served some, but not all, U.S. children. Through political knowledge and participation, it seems educators can do much to effect change in schools. The book is a call for readers to consider the political aspects of policy, rather than buying into policy because of a belief of an individual or group far removed from the classroom. Appendixes contain an explanation of data collection and analysis, the time line of America Reads, English language arts standards, and DeFord's Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile. (Contains approximately 175 references.) (NKA)