Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) Program Assistance Listing CFDA Number 84.215G

Description

Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information. For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768),or at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf. Purpose of Program: The IAL program supports high-quality programs designed to develop and improve literacy skills for children and students from birth through 12th grade in high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools. The Department intends to promote innovative literacy programs that support the development of literacy skills in low-income communities, including programs that (1) develop and enhance effective school library programs, which may include providing professional development for school librarians, books, and up-to-date materials to high-need schools; (2) provide early literacy services, including pediatric literacy programs through which, during well-child visits, medical providers trained in research-based methods of early language and literacy promotion provide developmentally appropriate books and recommendations to parents to encourage them to read aloud to their children starting in infancy; and (3) provide high-quality books on a regular basis to children and adolescents from low-income communities to increase reading motivation, performance, and frequency. The Explanatory Statement for Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260) (2021 Appropriations Explanatory Statement) includes language directing the Department to reserve no less than 50 percent of funds under the IAL program for grants to develop and enhance effective school library programs, which may include providing professional development to school librarians and books and up-to-date materials to high-need schools (166 Cong. Rec. H8634, 2020). While report language does not create a legal requirement to reserve the specified amount of funding for school library programs, the number of high-quality applications related to school library programs received under IAL competitions generally has allowed the Department to meet this report language directive. Assistance Listing Number 84.215G.

Parent Grant Program

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