The Iowa Department of Education has awarded $3.8 million in competitive subgrants to 28 Iowa school districts and public charter schools to develop and implement local plans for accelerating student reading proficiency, including the Charles City Community School District.
Governor Kim Reynolds says, “Iowa is prioritizing early literacy in classrooms all across our state and supporting the teacher-parent partnerships so critical to helping children become excellent readers. With these grants, we will continue to support students as they learn to read through proven approaches, so they can spend a lifetime reading to learn.”
Nationally, the Iowa Department of Education was selected to receive over $24 million in a multi-year federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to advance effective evidence-based literacy practices and interventions across the state.
Schools were selected for an initial planning subgrant to support costs associated with local literacy plan development, including hiring literacy consultants, providing professional development on the Science of Reading for Literacy Leadership Team members and attending evidence-based professional learning events in partnership with the Department.
The amount awarded to each successful applicant for the initial planning subgrant varies based on the student population served and the details outlined in each respective applicant’s plan. Awardees that demonstrate completion of the planning subgrant expectations will have the opportunity to apply for additional implementation subgrants over four years through 2029.
Charles City Schools Superintendent Brian Burnight says the district has not yet received word on their grant allotment amount.
