Muriel Krell saw President Clinton’s call to enlist volunteers and help children learn to read as a personal challenge. Inspired by his "America Reads Challenge" initiative, Krell believed she could make a contribution. She had a history of involvement in community service and felt compelled to start something in her own community.

Krell met with education officials, teachers, and parents, recruiting volunteers and matching them with children who struggled with reading. Today, she has over 150 volunteers, ranging from fifth graders to senior citizens, who dedicate an hour each week to sit down with students in schools or libraries, listening to them read. They assist with sounding out difficult words and ask questions about the material. Remarkably, they don’t receive any public funding, relying solely on their own ingenuity and generosity.

Krell is not alone in her efforts. Despite Congress’ lack of support for Clinton’s proposal, communities and schools across the nation are breathing life into it. Literacy agencies have long been connecting community members with those in need of literacy support, but there has been a noticeable increase in the number of reading tutors. Philadelphia, for example, initiated its own version of America Reads, which has already attracted more books and volunteers through private donations and city funds. Other cities have followed suit, with literacy organizations and education agencies offering additional resources for communities and schools wanting to implement or expand tutoring programs. As a result, awareness about the importance of literacy is heightened.

Recently, program coordinators from around the country gathered to learn about training participants and forming partnerships with other community groups. Many of them now consider literacy their top priority. For instance, the Volunteer Center in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is using a $10,000 grant to train more senior citizens who donate their time to help children improve their reading skills. New York University has assigned over 700 work-study students to support teachers in public schools, and numerous other colleges and universities are utilizing federal work-study funding to assign student tutors. America Reads has played a significant role in raising public awareness about the literacy crisis, with many Americans eager to help but previously unaware of the need.

Despite the impressive efforts being made, the future of America Reads, as originally proposed, remains uncertain. Republican lawmakers and reading experts question the necessity of the initiative, arguing that the $2.7 billion initially budgeted for volunteer recruitment and training could be better allocated to improving classroom instruction.

Is It Asking for Too Much?

However, critics argue that simply assigning students a tutor, who may not possess much knowledge or training in how children learn to read, will be ineffective. "Volunteering is a suitable role for parents and others who wish to assist children," stated Robert W. Sweet Jr., a member of the staff for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Mr. Goodling. "If I were convinced that untrained or minimally trained volunteers could complete the task, I would be in support," Mr. Sweet added. Before joining the committee staff, he founded the National Right to Read Foundation, a non-profit organization in The Plains, Virginia, that advocates for phonics education. "However, if professional teachers cannot achieve this, how can we expect an untrained individual to succeed?"

Mr. Sweet welcomed the increase in volunteer efforts but believed that they alone would not solve children’s reading problems. Ms. Rasco from the Education Department expressed that without additional federal funding, the training of the tutors might not be sufficient. "The legislation would be the necessary nourishment and care for the program to thrive." Some researchers who initially questioned the wisdom of investing billions of dollars into tutoring programs without addressing teacher training mentioned that the public response could be a positive step towards resolving children’s reading issues. However, they noted that measuring the impact of tutors would be challenging. "Any resources in schools are generally seen as positive, but it would be beneficial to determine if the tutors are being utilized effectively and if the students are truly benefiting from them," stated Barbara A. Wasik, a reading researcher at Johns Hopkins University.

Despite the need for formal evaluations, Ms. Krell, a reading volunteer, confidently asserts that she witnesses the results of her program in New Jersey without requiring any official assessment. Numerous volunteers frequently inform her about the progress of the students. She receives numerous calls from potential tutors and receives feedback from parents and teachers regarding the improvement in students’ reading abilities. Ms. Krell has even struck a deal with local recreation officials to provide poolside tutoring during summer vacation for children who may otherwise fall behind.

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Amy Fox is a 28 year old school blogger, who has been writing for over 10 years. She has been a student at the University of Utah for three years and is now a graduate student.