Early reading and literacy have become the focus of policymakers, with a renewed emphasis on the early grades. This resource provides a guide to important and effective research-based reading programs. The guide's in-depth coverage analyzes and compares features, frameworks, tools, methods, and reform components for the following 17 major reading programs: Early Intervention in Reading; Early Steps; Reading Recovery; First Steps; Four Blocks; Literacy Collaborative; Waterford Early Reading Program; Readers' and Writers' Workshops; Teacher Inquiry; Accelerated Schools Project; ATLAS Communities; Modern Red Schoolhouse; Yale School Development Program; America's Choice; Different Ways of Knowing; Lightspan Achieve Now; and Success for All. The guide offers a balanced approach and can be used by elementary school principals, district curriculum directors, and all reading specialists charged with aligning their reading and literacy instruction with new federal requirements and best instructional practices. The guide also provides reviews written by associated authors on the designs used in various reading and literacy models. Teachers can use the reviews to assess whether the design concepts used in various reforms would help them address the challenges they face with reading programs in their schools. (Contains 75 references.) (NKA)