To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to States to establish statewide screening programs for children who are 5 to 7 years of age to prevent reading failure.

April 21, 2005

Mr. CUMMINGS (for himself, Mr. OWENS, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. CONYERS, and Mrs. MCCARTHY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to States to establish statewide screening programs for children who are 5 to 7 years of age to prevent reading failure.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Reading Failure Prevention Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR SCREENING TO PREVENT READING FAILURE.

(a) Grants- The Secretary of Education may make grants to States to establish statewide screening programs for children who are 5 to 7 years of age for the prevention of reading failure.

(b) Use of Funds- The Secretary may not make a grant to a State under this section unless the State agrees to use the grant for the following:

(1) Development and implementation of a statewide screening program for children who are 5 to 7 years of age to prevent reading failure by screening such children for traits that indicate the children have dyslexia or are otherwise at risk of reading failure.

(2) Providing adequate professional development for personnel who administer screening programs under this section.

(c) Determination of Traits- The Secretary, using reliable, replicated, and scientifically-based research, shall enumerate specific traits that may be screened under this section to determine whether a child has dyslexia or is otherwise at risk of reading failure.

(d) Application- To seek a grant under this section, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(e) Definitions- In this section:

(1) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Education.

(2) The term `State' includes the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

END