§6661b. Reading and literacy grants to State educational agencies
(a) Program authorized
(1) In general
Subject to the provisions of this part, the Secretary shall award grants to State educational agencies to carry out the reading and literacy activities authorized under this section and sections 6661c through 6661e of this title.
(2) Limitations
(A) Single grant per State
A State educational agency may not receive more than one grant under paragraph (1).
(B) 3-year term
A State educational agency that receives a grant under paragraph (1) may expend the funds provided under the grant only during the 3-year period beginning on the date on which the grant is made.
(b) Application
(1) In general
A State educational agency that desires to receive a grant under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such form as the Secretary may require. The application shall contain the information described in paragraph (2).
(2) Contents
An application under this subsection shall contain the following:
(A) An assurance that the Governor of the State, in consultation with the State educational agency, has established a reading and literacy partnership described in subsection (d) of this section, and a description of how such partnership-
(i) assisted in the development of the State plan;
(ii) will be involved in advising on the selection of subgrantees under sections 6661d and 6661e of this title; and
(iii) will assist in the oversight and evaluation of such subgrantees.
(B) A description of the following:
(i) How the State educational agency will ensure that professional development activities related to reading instruction and provided under this part are-
(I) coordinated with other State and local level funds and used effectively to improve instructional practices for reading; and
(II) based on scientifically based reading research.
(ii) How the activities assisted under this part will address the needs of teachers and other instructional staff, and will effectively teach students to read, in schools receiving assistance under section 1 6661d and 6661e of this title.
(iii) The extent to which the activities will prepare teachers in all the major components of reading instruction (including phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension).
(iv) How the State educational agency will use technology to enhance reading and literacy professional development activities for teachers, as appropriate.
(v) How parents can participate in literacy-related activities assisted under this part to enhance their children's reading.
(vi) How subgrants made by the State educational agency under sections 6661d and 6661e of this title will meet the requirements of this part, including how the State educational agency will ensure that subgrantees will use practices based on scientifically based reading research.
(vii) How the State educational agency will, to the extent practicable, make grants to subgrantees in both rural and urban areas.
(viii) The process that the State used to establish the reading and literacy partnership described in subsection (d) of this section.
(C) An assurance that each local educational agency to which the State educational agency makes a subgrant-
(i) will provide professional development for the classroom teacher and other appropriate instructional staff on the teaching of reading based on scientifically based reading research;
(ii) will provide family literacy services based on programs such as the Even Start family literacy model authorized under part B of subchapter I of this chapter, to enable parents to be their child's first and most important teacher;
(iii) will carry out programs to assist those kindergarten students who are not ready for the transition to first grade, particularly students experiencing difficulty with reading skills; and
(iv) will use supervised individuals (including tutors), who have been appropriately trained using scientifically based reading research, to provide additional support, before school, after school, on weekends, during noninstructional periods of the school day, or during the summer, for children preparing to enter kindergarten and students in kindergarten through grade 3 who are experiencing difficulty reading.
(D) An assurance that instruction in reading will be provided to children with reading difficulties who-
(i) are at risk of being referred to special education based on these difficulties; or
(ii) have been evaluated under section 614 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1414] but, in accordance with section 614(b)(5) of such Act, have not been identified as being a child with a disability (as defined in section 602 of the such 2 Act [20 U.S.C. 1401]).
(E) A description of how the State educational agency-
(i) will build on, and promote coordination among, literacy programs in the State (including federally funded programs such as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act [20 U.S.C. 9201 et seq.] and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.]), in order to increase the effectiveness of the programs in improving reading for adults and children and to avoid duplication of the efforts of the programs;
(ii) will promote reading and library programs that provide access to engaging reading material;
(iii) will make local educational agencies described in sections 6661d(a)(1) and 6661e(a)(1) of this title aware of the availability of subgrants under sections 6661d and 6661e of this title; and
(iv) will assess and evaluate, on a regular basis, local educational agency activities assisted under this part, with respect to whether they have been effective in achieving the purposes of this part.
(F) A description of the evaluation instrument the State educational agency will use for purposes of the assessments and evaluations under subparagraph (E)(iv).
(c) Approval of applications
(1) In general
The Secretary shall approve an application of a State educational agency under this section only-
(A) if such application meets the requirement of this section; and
(B) after taking into account the extent to which the application furthers the purposes of this part and the overall quality of the application.
(2) Peer review
(A) In general
The Secretary, in consultation with the National Institute for Literacy, shall convene a panel to evaluate applications under this section. At a minimum, the panel shall include-
(i) representatives of the National Institute for Literacy, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development;
(ii) 3 individuals selected by the Secretary;
(iii) 3 individuals selected by the National Institute for Literacy;
(iv) 3 individuals selected by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences; and
(v) 3 individuals selected by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
(B) Experts
The panel shall include experts who are competent, by virtue of their training, expertise, or experience, to evaluate applications under this section, and experts who provide professional development to teachers of reading to children and adults, and experts who provide professional development to other instructional staff, based on scientifically based reading research.
(C) Priority
The panel shall recommend grant applications from State educational agencies under this section to the Secretary for funding or for disapproval. In making such recommendations, the panel shall give priority to applications from State educational agencies whose States have modified, are modifying, or provide an assurance that not later than 18 months after receiving a grant under this section the State educational agencies will increase the training and the methods of teaching reading required for certification as an elementary school teacher to reflect scientifically based reading research, except that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to establish a national system of teacher certification.
(D) Minimum grant amounts
(i) States
Each State educational agency selected to receive a grant under this section shall receive an amount for the grant period that is not less than $500,000.
(ii) Outlying areas
The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands selected to receive a grant under this section shall receive an amount for the grant period that is not less than $100,000.
(E) Limitation
The Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau shall not be eligible to receive a grant under this part.
(d) Reading and literacy partnerships
(1) Required participants
In order for a State educational agency to receive a grant under this section, the Governor of the State, in consultation with the State educational agency, shall establish a reading and literacy partnership consisting of at least the following participants:
(A) The Governor of the State.
(B) The chief State school officer.
(C) The chairman and the ranking member of each committee of the State legislature that is responsible for education policy.
(D) A representative, selected jointly by the Governor and the chief State school officer, of at least one local educational agency that is eligible to receive a subgrant under section 6661d of this title.
(E) A representative, selected jointly by the Governor and the chief State school officer, of a community-based organization working with children to improve their reading skills, particularly a community-based organization using tutors and scientifically based reading research.
(F) State directors of appropriate Federal or State programs with a strong reading component.
(G) A parent of a public or private school student or a parent who educates their child or children in their home, selected jointly by the Governor and the chief State school officer.
(H) A teacher who successfully teaches reading and an instructional staff member, selected jointly by the Governor and the chief State school officer.
(I) A family literacy service provider selected jointly by the Governor and the chief State school officer.
(2) Optional participants
A reading and literacy partnership may include additional participants, who shall be selected jointly by the Governor and the chief State school officer, and who may include a representative of-
(A) an institution of higher education operating a program of teacher preparation based on scientifically based reading research in the State;
(B) a local educational agency;
(C) a private nonprofit or for-profit eligible professional development provider providing instruction based on scientifically based reading research;
(D) an adult education provider;
(E) a volunteer organization that is involved in reading programs; or
(F) a school library or a public library that offers reading or literacy programs for children or families.
(3) Preexisting partnership
If, before October 21, 1998, a State established a consortium, partnership, or any other similar body, that includes the Governor and the chief State school officer and has, as a central part of its mission, the promotion of literacy for children in their early childhood years through the 3d grade and family literacy services, but that does not satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1), the State may elect to treat that consortium, partnership, or body as the reading and literacy partnership for the State notwithstanding such paragraph, and it shall be considered a reading and literacy partnership for purposes of the other provisions of this part.
(
References in Text
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(E)(i), is title II of
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(E)(i), is title VI of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 6362, 6661c, 6661d, 6661e, 6661f, 6661g, 6661h of this title.