This downloadable booklet is one in a series of "hot topics" reports produced by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. These reports briefly address current educational concerns and issues as indicated by requests for information that come to NWREL. Each booklet contains a discussion of research and literature pertinent to the issue, a sampling of how Northwest schools and programs are addressing the issue, selected resources, and contact information.

The Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children have incorporated the latest research into a series of parent and caregiver workshops designed to provide public libraries with vital tools to help prepare parents for their critical role as their child's first teacher. These tools were developed by Dr. Grover C. Whitehurst and Dr. Christopher Lonigan, well-known researchers in emergent literacy, and have been tested and refined by library demonstrations sites around the country.

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education strives to promote academic excellence, enhance educational opportunities and equity for all of America's children and families, and to improve the quality of teaching and learning by providing leadership, technical assistance and financial support.

The mission of the U. S. Department of Education is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. The Department WebSite includes information on funding, research, publications, and programs.

Teaching Diverse Learners is a resource dedicated to enhancing the capacity of teachers to work effectively and equitably with English language learners (ELLs). This site provides access to information — publications, educational materials, and the work of experts in the field — that promotes high achievement for ELLs.

ReadWriteThink, established in April of 2002, is a partnership between the International Reading Association (IRA), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the Verizon Foundation. They are working together to provide educators and students with access to the highest quality practices and resources in reading and language arts instruction through free, Internet-based content.

PBS Teachers provides educators with nearly 3,000 free lesson plans and activities tied to PBS programming. Teachers can sort lesson plans by subject area and grade level.

National PTA is the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the United States. A not-for-profit association of parents, educators, students, and other citizens active in their schools and communities. PTA is a leader in reminding our nation of its obligations to children.

Founded in 1857 in Philadelphia and now headquartered in Washington, D.C., NEA proudly claims more than 2.5 million members who work at every level of education, from pre-school to university graduate programs. At the national level, NEA's work ranges from coordinating innovative projects to restructuring how learning takes place to fighting congressional attempts to privatize public education.

The National Association for Bilingual Education is the only professional organization at the national level wholly devoted to representing both English language learners and bilingual education professionals. Along with affiliate organizations in 23 states, NABE represents a combined membership of more than 20,000 bilingual and English-as-a-second-language teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, university professors and students, researchers, advocates, policymakers, and parents.