Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL), Kentucky Department of Education's comprehensive literacy program, is now planted in 44 feeder systems spanning the commonwealth. SRCL districts have indicated their desire and commitment to continuous literacy improvement. Our State Education Association's (SEA) strategic plan includes a focus on early literacy and the state Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan targets making real progress on closing achievement gaps and success for all students. KDE's strategic and ESSA plans center on cultivating conditions for all schools and districts to achieve equitable and comprehensive success for all students and promoting a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement” (ESSA KY State Plan, 9). This SRCL supplemental award will complement not only Kentucky's Literacy Plan and the District's Comprehensive Literacy Plans, but also the SEA's goals with targeted strategies for each area served from early childhood to Grade 12. Goal #1 is that all young children are ready to read. Goal #2 is that all elementary students are excellent readers. Goal # 3 is that all middle and high school students are reading to learn.
SRCL schools are asked to incorporate Universal Design For Learning (UDL) as a framework for addressing individual learner needs in engagement, instruction and assessment. Therefore, UDL is a focus for this supplement grant. Each SRCL district may apply for one or more than one level. Each level applied for must have a separate application. No application should have more than one level. Districts are encouraged to consider the use of time in the summer as well as during the regular school year.
- Early Childhood awards will focus on innovative and creative approaches to engage and empower early care providers in early literacy skills. Eligible districts are those with a Kindergarten Readiness score lower than the state average. Districts must include a plan that indicates specific needs, area of emphasis, plan of action which includes Universal Design for Learning (UDL), community partners, measures, and an itemized budget.
- Elementary awards will be based on early literacy, K-3 focus. Eligible districts are those with a K-PREP Reading and/or Writing score lower than the state average in any gap group area. Applicants must show a need for further funding, specific demographics to be served, an innovative and creative plan to serve these subpopulations with opportunity and access to rich curriculum, appropriate measures of success, and an itemized budget. Districts must include formative assessment, Response to Intervention and UDL that includes data-driven reading instruction as a part of their plan.
- Middle/High School awards will focus on plans to address the needs of subpopulations within feeder systems. Eligible districts are those with a K-PREP Reading score, K-PREP Writing score or an ACT Grade 11 Kentucky Benchmark score lower than the state average. Applicants must show a need for further funding, specific demographics to be served, an innovative and creative plan to serve these subpopulations with opportunity and access to rich curriculum, appropriate measures of success, and an itemized budget. Districts must include formative assessment, Response to Intervention and UDL that includes data-driven reading instruction as a part of their plan.
Universal Design For Learning (UDL): an educational practice that works in unison with differentiated instruction. According to the National Center on Universal Design for Learning (2014), UDL is, a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.”
Allowable use of funds for expenses specific to the district's KDE-approved professional learning plan developed for this grant.
- Travel for professional learning focused on literacy planning, other related expenses
- In-state literacy conference registration
- Teacher stipends for work outside the regular school day that is focused on literacy
- Substitute teachers needed to allow release time for literacy planning and literacy professional learning
- Instructional materials focused on literacy that enhance and complement the teacher professional learning for standards implementation.
- Educational consultants focused on literacy professional learning
- Professional Learning materials focused on literacy, such as books for book studies
None is available.
Additionally, the funds can only be used to supplement ongoing efforts but cannot be used to supplant funds. For example, a grantee may not use this supplemental award to replace an already established program.