From the ESU
Eight area schools will see a boost in funding and resources after collaborating with Educational Service Unit #8 to successfully win a federal grant meant to boost literacy in the state of Nebraska.
In the Fall of 2024, the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) announced it had successfully applied for a $55 million literacy grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Local Education Agencies were encouraged to create plans and apply for a portion of those funds.
After collaborating with area administrators and gathering information, ESU 8 submitted an application on June 1st. ESU 8 and the area schools were notified that they won the grant in early August. The awarded grant has a value of $250,000 per year over five years, totaling $1.25 million.
The grant will be used to provide training in the Science of Reading, a large body of research from multiple fields, including neuroscience and education, which explains how the brain learns to read proficiently and what evidence-based instructional methods are most effective. The funding will also support area schools in adopting classroom materials that align with the Science of Reading.
The grant is separated into three age bands: Birth to Kindergarten Entry, Kindergarten to 5th grade, and 6th to 12th grade. The majority of the funding has been directed to the K-5 age band to align with direction from area districts and to advance existing school district initiatives.
Area schools involved in the grant are: Elgin, Elkhorn-Valley, Norfolk, O’Neill, Plainview, Stuart, Summerland, and West Holt