Districts Awarded $12.5M
to Support Reading Initiatives
“Reading First” Federal Grants Will Greatly Enhance Instruction and Achievement
Dover, Del.–May 12, 2003 Delaware’s Department of Education (DOE) has announced that seven public school districts in the First State will receivemore than $12.5 million in federal grants over the next six years to help support and improve reading initiatives in low-performing,high poverty schools in grades K-3. The “Reading First” program provides financial and technical support to districts and schoolsaimed at improving reading instruction and student achievement so that all children can learn to read well by the end of grade three.
In the spring of 2002, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) notified all 50 states that they could become eligible to receive“Reading First” grants providing they meet the rigorous standards as prescribed by the USDOE. By December 2002,Dr. Lorelei C. Meanor, Ph.D., Education Associate for Reading at DOE, hard work was rewarded with notificationfrom the USDOE that Delaware’s application had been approved.
Eligible districts and charter schools were notified of the grant availability. Applications included a comprehensive planto address reading achievement and were reviewed for adherence to the principles of the federal law.
The “Reading First” program is the largest and most focused early reading initiative ever undertaken in Delaware.Sub-grants of approximately $250,000 a year for six years will be awarded to the following school districts and schools:
| School District | School |
| Capital | Fairview Elementary |
| Christina | Bancroft Kindergarten Center Bayard Kindergarten Center |
| Colonial | Martin Luther King Elementary McCullough Elementary |
| Lake Forest | Lake Forest North Elementary Lake Forest South Elementary |
| Red Clay | Shortlidge Academy Warner Elementary |
| Seaford | Frederick Douglass Elementary |
| Woodbridge | Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center Woodbridge Elementary School |
“This is a tremendous opportunity to further improve reading skills in the early grades,” said Secretary of Education Valerie A. Woodruff.“The ‘Reading First’ funding will help many of our districts with high-quality professional development and hire reading coachesto support teachers and assist with the implementation of scientifically-based reading instruction and assessment.”Added Woodruff, “I applaud the efforts of Dr. Meanor and her untiring efforts to secure this funding for Delaware’s school districts.”
Added Governor Ruth Ann Minner, “In tight economic times, this is especially wonderful news.The generous funding from the USDOE will further support our ongoing efforts to ensure that our children learn to read at an early grade.”
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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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