McGREEVEY HOLDS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY &  "READING 
COACH" INITIATIVE AT LIVINGSTON SCHOOL

LIVINGSTON, NJ - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim McGreevey today 
highlighted the importance of literacy and the need for his "reading coach" 
initiative during a roundtable discussion with teachers and reading coaches 
at Harrison Elementary School in Livingston.

McGreevey visited the school because its reading coaching program has been 
successful and serves as a model for the program he wants to expand in the 
state to help make sure that every public school student can read at grade 
level or better by the end of third grade.

"There is no question that reading is the key to learning and opportunity 
for our children," McGreevey said. "This is the kind of program that I want 
to see in our elementary schools.  As governor, I will make it our top 
priority making sure every third grader can read at or above grade level, 
and we will focus our energy and our resources at addressing this goal."

A key component of McGreevey's education platform, this initiative would 
provide a reading coach to every school that needs one to work with children 
to ensure that each of their individual reading skills are being developed, 
and they will also coach teachers on more effective ways to teach reading.

Research has shown that students are far more likely to fall behind in every 
subject if they have not acquired the necessary reading skills by the end of 
the third grade.  But in New Jersey, more than 800 elementary schools out of 
1321 statewide have more than 30% of fourth graders who can't read at their 
grade level.  McGreevey wants to provide those 800 schools reading coaches 
to improve students' reading skills. "We cannot wait until the fourth grade 
to begin addressing the needs of children having difficulty with reading - 
by then it may be too late," McGreevey added.

McGreevey has made education the No. 1 priority in his campaign for 
Governor.  He earlier unveiled his education agenda to improve our public 
schools with a new set of the three "R's" - Reading, Reform, and 
Responsibility.  In addition to his reading coach plan, McGreevey's plan 
focuses on improving the quality of teaching, expediting the process of 
removing teachers who aren't performing more quickly, and holding teachers, 
administrators, government, students and parents more accountable.

McGreevey's education plan presents a sharp contrast between himself and his 
opponent, Republican Bret Schundler.  Schundler would use taxpayer money for 
private school vouchers that would take nearly $600 million out of public 
schools - helping about 80,000 students at most - or six percent of the 
student population.

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