A federal report released May 9 revealed that a former University professor had contractual and friendly relationships with a publishing company whose products he endorsed as effective child literacy boosters.

Reading First, the federal student literacy program enacted under President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, has been the subject of increasing scrutiny in recent months. Former University professor Edward Kame'enui worked for publisher Pearson/Scott Foresman while directing the University's Reading First Technical Assistance Center - one of three in the country. Kame'enui's extensive financial ties with the publisher may have improperly influenced his actions, according to the report.

Earlier this month, Kame'enui resigned from his position as the Commissioner of Special Education Research at the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.

... Reading First recommends to schools textbooks and materials scientifically shown to improve literacy in grades K-3. The materials must meet a set of rigorous requirements to be promoted by Reading First. Although the program seems to work - students in the program who are proficient on fluency tests have risen about 15 percent, education department officials said - perceived mismanagement of Reading First led to a number of federal reports and a congressional hearing last month in Washington, D.C., where it was revealed that Reading First employees made at least $1 million recommending their own products.

The program first unwittingly stole the spotlight last fall when the federal Department of Education Inspector General's report stated University employees advised states to purchase products they developed themselves. Since then, an ongoing investigation has ensued.

E-mails and documents Kennedy obtained for the purpose of the report revealed Kame'enui entered into three contracts with Pearson/Scott Foresman, all of which resulted in direct royalties for Kame'enui because he was also developing programs for the publisher that were sold to Reading First schools. He also acted and lobbied on behalf of Scott Foresman while directing the Technical Assistance Center. [Busy man, Kame'enui.] Despite Kame'enui's claim to the contrary, the report revealed the primary source of Kame'enui's income since 2003 was not the publication of textbooks, but rather profits obtained through Reading First programs.