In 2019, the Elmira City School District was awarded the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) Grant from the US Department of Education.
This three year federal grant offers $2.2M in total ($727,000 per academic year) toward literacy education programming. With these funds, the District has the opportunity to implement our CARE Project (Climb Aboard the Reading Express). From multi-tiered instruction to advanced literacy support for our school libraries, the grant will fund literacy activities for students in grades kindergarten through third grade. The IAL Program supports the implementation of high-quality plans for childhood literacy activities and book distribution efforts. Per year, $350,000 will be spent on books for our classrooms, school libraries and on books for students to keep permanently at home.
This federal grant offers an incredible opportunity for our community to come together to increase reading motivation, performance, and frequency.
About the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) Grant
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 (high-need 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:
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;
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 provide high-quality books on a regular basis to children and adolescents from low-income communities to increase reading motivation, performance, and frequency.