National Reading Improvement Act

National Reading Improvement Act - Declares, under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the purposes of this Act, including: to provide for the strengthening of reading instruction programs in the school systems in the Nation.

Directs the Commissioner of Education to contract with the States to encourage and assist elementary and secondary school systems in meeting specified objectives, including: (1) planning, developing, and operating improved reading programs; and (2) identifying exemplary reading programs and encouraging and assisting the replication of such programs in other schools.

Authorizes, for such State-assistance contracts, to be appropriated $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1975; $200,000,000 for fiscal year 1976; and $250,000,000 for fiscal year 1977. Provides for the allotment of such funds.

Sets forth the conditions of such contracts, including that the State educational agency shall: (1) prepare a ten-year plan specifying the goals and the means to be employed by State and local educational agencies; (2) identify and give highest priority to those local educational agencies with the highest concentration of school-age population with reading deficiencies; and (3) provide assurance that Federal funds will be used to supplement the amount of State and local school funds.

Authorizes to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1975; $60,000,000 for fiscal year 1976; and $65,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, for grants to institutions of higher education to assist: (1) in programs to improve undergraduate instruction in the teaching of reading, including inservice training programs; and (2) in cooperative programs with local educational agencies which show promise as effective measures for solving reading programs.

Establishes in the Office of Education an Office for the Improvement of Reading Programs to be responsible for: (1) the administration of the programs authorized by this Act; and (2) the coordination of education programs as provided in this Act.

Directs the National Institute of Education to conduct and support research on the use of educational technology in reading programs. Authroizes to be appropriated to the National Institute of Education $5,000,000 for such purposes.

Authorizes appropriations under the Adult Education Act for fiscal years 1975 - 1977.

Authorizes to be appropriated $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 1975, 1976, and 1977 to permit the Commissioner to carry out a program for making grants to State agencies responsible for certifying elementary and secondary education teachers to upgrade reading certification requirements in the State to better prepare those teachers to teach reading.