To authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to assist local educational agencies with ensuring that each elementary school and secondary school has at least one reading, literacy, or biliteracy specialist on staff.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · March 12, 2024
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
This bill establishes a competitive grant program to help schools hire and retain reading, literacy, and biliteracy specialists. The Secretary of Education would award five-year grants to local school districts, state education agencies, nonprofit organizations, tribal schools, and colleges to recruit, hire, and develop full-time certified specialists whose primary job is helping students who struggle with reading and writing. Grants would prioritize high-need school districts and states with the lowest reading proficiency rates, with preference given to applicants that hire specialists from underrepresented populations in education. Grant funds can be used to pay specialist salaries, provide professional development, support biliteracy programs, and help part-time teachers transition to full-time specialist positions, with at least 80 percent of each specialist's time dedicated to direct work with students and teachers. Grant recipients must submit annual reports tracking their progress in ensuring every elementary and secondary school has at least one full-time specialist on staff and documenting improvements in student reading outcomes across different student groups.
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