Major studies detailing the progress of children learning to read a simple story in kindergarten and building on that skill through Grade 2 -- especially among African American and Hispanic students -- will be released publicly by Dr. Jerry D. Weast, superintendent of schools, at a press conference scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, 2003, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Bel Pre Elementary School in Silver Spring.

Among the important findings of the reports is the rapid increase in the percentage of children achieving the text reading benchmark in kindergarten, the primary target of academic reforms implemented over the past four years. The early acquisition of progressively better reading skills is critically important, as children enter a trajectory toward higher-level academic studies at a far earlier age than ever before, setting a pattern in preparation for even more rigorous and higher-level studies at each successive grade level.

Bel Pre Elementary School is located at 13801 Rippling Brook Drive in Silver Spring. The press conference is open to the public.