Contact NCTE Reading Initiative staff with your specific questions and needs
A conversation with NCTE staff or a Reading Initiative leader is the most direct and efficient way to make certain that the school needs and the program benefits are a good match.

After establishing the potential value of the partnership, the site qualification (see criteria that follow) and funding capability, a potential site leader is identified from within or outside of the school district.  (Reading Initiative sites are led by leaders who play many other roles: reading teachers, curriculum leaders, principals, teachers on special assignment, department chairs, or local university faculty.)  The site leader is invited to submit an application. After a review of your school or district needs, NCTE staff will prepare an "Agreement of Participation" outlining the agreed upon resources and services.  If 2007-08 funding is not yet identified, funds from this year (2006-07) could be directed to cover partial costs.  Links to support materials for each of these steps are available below.

The program begins with an introduction to the program for the site leader
The full Reading Initiative contract includes $3,000 to support the preparation of the site leader.  Attendance at summer institutes or conferences, a site visit from an NCTE consultant, or remote support via email/phone from an experienced consultant are all possibilities. Site leaders, together with their school administrators, select the most useful options.  These experiences help the site leader become familiar with the written curriculum materials and make plans for their use based on school needs and interests.

Summer 2007 Option:  Attend the Literacies for All Summer Institute July 12-15 in Louisville, KY!

And continues during the school year
Schools launch the program with a school or district-based kick-off early in the school year and then establish a calendar of regularly scheduled study group meetings. Typical groups consist of teachers and a key administrator who meet monthly or semi-monthly, facilitated by the site leader. NCTE journal subscriptions are an additional benefit.

Online: NCTE’s online community, CoLEARN, provides access to electronic discussion boards, a searchable library of professional reading, and a professional development model that invites teachers to think about themselves as writers, their students as writers, and their teaching of writing. 

Mentoring: Your school may elect to direct part of the $3,000 support funds (mentioned above) toward an off-site Reading Initiative "consultant."  Experienced Reading Initiative site leaders serve in this capacity, providing expertise throughout the year via email, phone, and in person at the annual NCTE convention.  Stipends are negotiated with the consultant and typically range from $1,000-$1,500 per year.

Convention attendance:  Attendance and presentations at NCTE conventions are key experiences for most Reading Initiative groups. Three convention registrations are included with a full year contract; other funds can be directed to cover other attendance costs.