National Reading Improvement Act

National Reading Improvement Act - Declares it to be the purpose of this Act to strengthen the reading instruction programs in the school systems of the nation.

Directs the Commissioner of Education to contract with the States to encourage and assist elementary and secondary school systems in developing reading programs. Authorizes appropriations for this purpose of $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1974, $200,000,000 for fiscal year 1975, and $250,000,000 for fiscal year 1976. Provides for the allotment of such funds to the States.

Requires that the Commissioner shall establish standards for identifying the school-age population with reading deficiencies in each State.

Provides that each contract entered into contain specified assurances. Requires the State agency to: (1) prepare a ten-year plan, (2) identify those elementary and secondary school children with reading deficiencies and give highest priority to the educational agencies with the highest concentration of such children; and (3) provide assurance that Federal funds made available under this title will be used to supplement State and local school funds.

Sets forth the requirements which sub-contract applications with local education agencies must meet, including: (1) remedial reading instruction; (2) preservice training programs for teaching personnel; (3) parent participation in the program; (4) periodic testing of reading achievement; (5) bilingual methods where necessary; and (6) equitable participation by children in nonprofit private and public schools.

Authorizes to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1974, $60,000,000 for fiscal year 1975, and $65,000,000 for fiscal year 1976, for the purposes of making grants to institutions of higher education for assistance in improving undergraduate instruction in the teaching of reading and programs for solving reading problems.

Establishes in the Office of Education an Office for the improvement of Reading Programs. Sets forth the responsibilities of such Office.

Directs the National Institute of Education to conduct research on the use of educational technology in reading programs. Authorizes to be appropriated to the National Institute of Education $5,000,000 for this purpose.

Authorizes specified additional appropriations for achieving the purposes of this Act.