School Board Adopts Broad Reading Plan
The Los Angeles Board of Education Tuesday adopted a districtwide reading plan that will require all elementary schools to spend at least two hours daily on reading and language instruction grounded in phonics and other basic skills.
The plan, unveiled by Supt. Ruben Zacarias late last month, is part of a broad initiative to get students reading at grade level by the end of the third grade and to end the promotion of students who are behind.
District officials next will select a maximum of three reading texts to replace the numerous reading programs now used in the district’s 421 elementary schools.
The plan also will include an intervention program for failing students and teacher training.
Board member Jeff Horton said he was concerned that a standardized program might be forced on some schools that are doing well on their own, but joined the 6-0 vote after being assured that successful programs would not be arbitrarily changed.
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