Appropriations and Education

Legislative campaign develops a state reading initiative and funding for the implementation of this initiative.

Challenge:

Our client is a leading provider of extended-time reading intervention and adventure-based programs in America’s public schools. Our client has designed, developed, and implemented a comprehensive K-3 reading instruction system which has proven to effectively increase reading fluency for students participating in the program. This fully integrated system has incorporated all the components of the No Child Left Behind Act. Our client asked that we develop a legislative initiative to ensure that Texas school children will read successfully by the end of third grade and that state funds be applied toward the successful implementation of the initiative.

Strategy:

Working with the Governor’s Office, State Senators, State Representatives and the Texas Education Agency Eric Wright & Associates developed the Texas Leads Initiative. The Texas Leads Initiative is a program which focuses the resources of the state on schools identified as having reading scores below the state average. Over a three year period, this program would implement a comprehensive K-3 reading program that meets and exceeds recommendations for effective reading instruction. The end result of this initiative would be an astounding 100% of all reading capable students reading fluently at grade level.

Result:

In April of 2004 the Texas Education Agency informed our client that they had been selected as the sole provider of the intensive reading and instruction intervention program. Our client immediately began the process of working with the TEA and local school districts to implement this $12 million initiative