The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is offering grants of up to $55,000 to support colleges of education in implementing the Kentucky Reading Project for Read to Achieve.

The Read to Achieve grant program supports teachers in implementing reading intervention programs and evidenced-based instructional strategies that address the diverse needs of primary students (K-3) reading at low levels and needing accelerated learning. The Kentucky Reading Project is an approved professional learning opportunity in the 2022 grant cycle.

Funding is available from CPE through a partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education using the Kentucky Read to Achieve (KY RTA): Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Grant.

The grant will fund proposals from public and private colleges of education through a competitive award process to build the capacity of K-3 teachers currently participating in the KY RTA program. Training will be focused on structured literacy practices and the use of valid and reliable universal screeners and diagnostic data for informing reading instruction and intervention.

CPE President Aaron Thompson said that success in higher education begins at the earliest levels of learning.

“We’re extremely pleased to offer these grants to our colleges of education so they can provide innovative solutions that will accelerate student literacy during this crucial development period. Research shows that early literacy sets the stage for continued success and achievement through high school, college and ultimately into the workforce,” said Thompson.

CPE anticipates awarding eight grants to individual institutions. The anticipated effective date of contracts resulting from this Request for Proposal is April 1 through June 30. To be eligible, colleges of education must respond to this by the deadline of Feb. 17 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

The Kentucky Read to Achieve program was created under Senate Bill 19 in 2005 with the goal of supporting schools in implementing a reading diagnostic and intervention program to address the needs of struggling readers.

The RFP is available at https://cpe.ky.gov/news/announcements.html.