Reading Public Schools awarded $200,000 state literacy grant

BOSTON – State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn) joined with Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeffrey Riley to announce the Reading Public Schools have been awarded a $200,000 Accelerating Literacy Learning with High Quality Instructional Materials Grant.

Awarded on a competitive basis through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the grant funding is designed to provide school districts with high-quality core instructional materials to accelerate literacy learning. The funding can also be used to provide initial professional development for educators to implement the core instructional materials.

“I offer my sincere congratulations to the Reading Public Schools on this grant award,” said Representative Haggerty. “Making sure our students and teachers have up to date, top quality instructional materials has never been more important. These funds will also help the district continue its commitment to making sure literacy is at the forefront of the educational process and will help make sure teachers are able to receive the continuing education they deserve.”

According to DESE, the grant funding targets those school districts that:

• Demonstrate a pre-existing priority on literacy, which the new curricular materials directly supports, and evidence that implementation of the new resources will be sustainable;
• Have conducted or plan to conduct an intentional and inclusive process to select new curricular materials that meet local needs and priorities;
• Articulate a plan to provide robust, ongoing and embedded support for educators who are expected to use new curricular materials; and
• Will advance culturally responsive practice as part of implementing new curricular materials

Reading’s $200,000 grant represents the maximum amount awarded under the program.