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Just Read, Florida! Logo "Not every reader is a leader, but every leader is a reader" - Harry Truman

Governor Bush believes that reading is the most powerful skill a child can learn, as it influences success in school and improves the overall quality of life. The unequivocal goal is for all students in Florida to be able to read on grade level or higher throughout their school years by 2012.

Current Events

Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner John Winn today announced the fourth round of Reading First grant recipients. Eighteen school districts were awarded $27,323,335 to hire reading coaches, provide professional development, perform assessments and improve classroom libraries for grades K-3 in schools with low-performing students. Continuation grants, for districts currently implementing Reading First, were released in the amount of $37,690,450.

Press Release

Making Reading a Permanent Priority

In 2004, the majority of Florida students were reading on grade level or above for the first time ever. Among third and fourth graders, 68 percent were reading at or above grade level in 2004 compared to 55 percent in 2001. Florida is even receiving national recognition, as the only state showing progress in fourth grade reading on the most recent administration of the National Assessment for Educational Progress results. Also, Florida was the only state to show double digit gains in elementary reading on the Education Trust’s recent study. To continue making unprecedented gains in student achievement, Governor Bush has recommended making reading a permanent priority in Florida public schools.

Commissioner Jim Horne reading to a child

A Letter from the Governor

The opportunity to inspire the love of reading in a child is a great honor, and an extraordinary responsibility. My administration’s top priority is to ensure that all Florida students are able to read at or above grade level by the year 2012. With your help, we can make this goal a reality!

Florida’s students continue to make progress in acquiring necessary reading skills. Recent years have seen dramatic increases in reading scores as a result. I am proud of the effort our teachers and school districts have put forth to ensure that these gains continue. This year, Just Read, Florida! will provide more than 900 trained reading coaches for our schools, serving 15,300 teachers and more than half a million students.

Reading will always be my first priority, and we will continue to provide teachers with the latest research-based reading techniques. I encourage everyone to take full advantage of the resources available through Just Read, Florida! and the Florida Department of Education. Together we can make a difference in the life of every child.

Sincerely,
Jeb Bush

Reading to Children



Florida’s Fourth Grade Students Improve Reading Skills More Than Any Other State In the Country!

Graph of NAEP Scores

In a November 13th State of Education speech to Orlando business, community and education leaders, Governor Jeb Bush announced that Florida was the only state in the country to show significant improvement in fourth grade reading. Florida’s fourth grade students not only surpassed the national average in reading but also hit the national average in math for the first time.

According to results from the National Assessment for Education, fourth grade reading in Florida improved its score by 4 points while the national score dipped slightly. Florida’s African American students made progress where their national counterparts dipped. The same holds true for Florida’s Hispanic students as well - their scores increased where national scores remained about the same.

Florida’s eighth grade students reading scores dipped slightly as did the national average.

“We, along with the rest of the nation, clearly need to work with our eighth graders. Based on our experience in the lower grades there is no doubt that with the right focus, we can help our students achieve,” said Education Commissioner Jim Horne.

Read more about this year’s NAEP results

On September 7, 2001, Governor Jeb Bush signed Executive Order 01-260 designating Just Read, Florida! as a comprehensive and coordinated reading initiative.

 

Just Read, Florida!
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1548
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 245-0503
Fax: (850) 245-9530

 

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