Family literacy program in jeopardy

Family literacy programs around the country have found their bottom lines snipped this year, leaving a vast competition for other funding. According to the U.S. Department of Education, funding for parent/child literacy programs—called Even Start—were at about $225 million in 2005, at $99 million in 2006 and about $82 million in 2007. For 2008, President Bush has recommended eliminating funding for Even Start. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has also recommended cutting funding, though that has not gone before the full Senate. Read more of this article, and see how the funding cuts are affecting local reading programs, in this article from The News-Gazette of east central Illinois.