§6642 Comprehensive literacy State development grants

Summary

The federal government gives competitive grants to state education agencies to improve reading and writing from early childhood through grade 12. States must work with their early childhood and child care agencies when planning the early childhood parts. Some money is set aside each year: up to 5% for national work (like evaluations and help), 0.5% for Bureau of Indian Education schools, and 0.5% for outlying areas. Grants last no more than 5 years and can be renewed for 2 more years if the state shows good progress and needs more time. To get a grant, a state must submit an application that includes a needs study of literacy across the state and in high-need schools, a plan to create or update a statewide literacy plan, an implementation plan, and promises about how it will use the money. The state must spend at least 15% of implementation funds on birth through kindergarten entry, at least 40% on kindergarten through grade 5, and at least 40% on grades 6–12. States must give priority to programs that serve many low-income children and to activities that meet federal evidence standards. At least 95% of each grant must go out as subgrants to local programs chosen by need and competition. A state may keep up to 5% to provide technical help, work with colleges on teacher training, review literacy certification rules, publish promising practices, and run and monitor the subgrants; any leftover may be used for coach training and administrative evaluation.