SRCL Information

Program Background Information

The Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy program is authorized as part of the FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Pub. L. No. 111-117) under the Title I demonstration authority (Part E, Section 1502 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)). The FY 2010 Appropriations Act provides $200 million under Section 1502 of the ESEA for a comprehensive literacy development and education program to advance literacy skills for students from birth through grade 12 including pre-literacy skills, reading and writing, including limited-English-proficient students and students with disabilities. Priority is to be given to local education agencies, or agencies or other entities serving greater numbers or percentages of disadvantaged children.

The Act reserves $10 million for formula grants to assist States in creating or maintaining a State Literacy Team with expertise in literacy development and education for children from birth through grade 12 and to assist States in developing a comprehensive literacy plan. The Act reserves one-half of one percent ($1 million) for the Secretary of Interior for the Bureau of Indian Education, one-half of one percent ($1 million) for outlying areas, and up to five percent ($10,000,000) for national activities conducted by the Secretary of Education.

The remaining funds ($178 million) must be used for competitive awards to State education agencies of which up to five percent ($8,900,000) may be used for State leadership activities and not less than 95 percent ($169,100,000) shall be awarded as subgrants to local educational agencies or other entities serving greater numbers or percentages of disadvantaged children.

Sub-grants must be allocated as follows: (1) at least 15 percent to serve children from birth through age five, (2) 40 percent to serve students in kindergarten through grade five, and (3) 40 percent to serve grades six through grade 12, including an equitable distribution of funds between middle and high schools. Eligible entities receiving comprehensive literacy program subgrants must use these funds for services and activities that have certain characteristics of effective literacy instruction through professional development, screening and assessment, targeted interventions for students reading below grade level and other research-based methods of improving classroom instruction and practice.

The Department is directed to prepare and submit to the House of Representatives and the Senate an implementation plan for K-12 literacy related activities including, but not limited to, activities under Title I School Improvement Grants, Striving Readers, Reading is Fundamental, Reach out and Read, and the Institute of Education Sciences.

This request includes information collection activities covered under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The activity will be SEAs submitting a discretionary grant application to the Department as part of a FY 2011 Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant discretionary competition for funding under the 2010 Appropriations Act.