The National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) Reading Initiative is a professional development process that engages teachers in a study of the theory, knowledge base, and practice of teaching reading. This work is accomplished: through long-term professional development; with the support and resources provided by an expert NCTE literacy consultant; with the support and participation of a principal or key administrator; and through affiliation with a national literacy organization and access to its professional resources. The NCTE Reading Initiative, which offers educators an intensive program based on effective classroom practice informed by research, is designed to give teachers the competence and confidence needed to teach all students to read successfully. This program overview is divided into the following sections: History; Acknowledgments; How to Use the Curriculum Experience and Role of the Consultant; Overview of the Reading Initiative; Consultant Resources; Why a National Reading Initiative?; Reading Initiative Strands; Time Frame (Year One; Years Two and Three); Meetings Schedule; Participants' Responsibilities; Elements of an Inquiry Process; and Reading Initiative Process and Experiences. An appendix contains a list of knowledge-base statements. (Contains 50 references.) (NKA)