Grant Details

The Ohio Department of Education recently was awarded $42 million for a Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Education to build on ongoing work to improve the language and literacy development of our state's children. Approximately 95 percent of the award will be distributed directly to local districts, community schools and early childhood education programs to improve literacy outcomes for children from birth through grade 12.

This four-year subgrant will focus on developing model comprehensive literacy sites in early childhood education programs and district preschools as well as elementary, middle and high schools across the state. The model sites will concentrate on implementing practices consistent with Ohio's Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement. The grant also will support professional learning and coaching. The partnership between the model sites and the Department will allow early childhood education programs, districts, schools and families to improve student literacy and increase educational options available to students who have been traditionally underserved.

Birth through Kindergarten Applicants: The Department will prioritize programs that serve children birth through kindergarten entry who are from families with income levels at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget and revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act).

?K-12 Applicants: The Department will prioritize applicants where at least 50 percent of schools served by the local education agency meet the below definitions of high-need schools” and the proposed model literacy site(s) meet the definition of high-need schools.” See note below for joint vocational school districts and educational service centers.

• Elementary schools: A high-need” elementary school is one in which not less than 50 percent of the enrolled students are children who come from low-income families.
• Middle schools: A high-need” middle school is one in which not less than 50 percent of the enrolled students are children who come from low-income families.
• High schools: A high-need” high school is one in which not less than 40 percent of the enrolled students are children who come from low-income families.