Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant: Local Literacy Lead Agency Awards

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) is pleased to announce the recipients of seven grant awards to county offices of education (COEs), or consortia of COEs, to serve as Local Literacy Lead Agencies as part of the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) federal grant program. Grantees will use the funding to build expertise in strategies that address the statewide literacy priorities identified in the State Literacy Plan and implement these strategies through a three-year, small-scale pilot with one or more local districts. These strategies will align with state guidance and policies, will be evidence-based, and will support the literacy needs of economically disadvantaged and high-needs students.

The CLSD grant program is authorized by sections 2222–2225 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. In 2019, California was awarded approximately $37.5 million to advance literacy skills for children from birth through grade twelve through the use of evidence-based practices, activities, and interventions, including pre-literacy skills, reading, and writing.

Consistent with grant requirements, funds will be awarded as follows:

• Birth to age five programs
  • Priority 1: San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (Lead Agency): $5,626,867
• Kindergarten to grade five programs:
  • Priority 2: Los Angeles County Office of Education (Lead Agency): $5,001,660
  • Priority 3: San Diego County Office of Education (Lead Agency): $5,001,660
  • Priority 4: Contra Costa County Office of Education (Lead Agency): $5,001,660
• Grade six to grade twelve programs
  • Priority 5: Butte County Office of Education (Lead Agency): $5,001,660
  • Priority 6: Tulare County Office of Education (Lead Agency): $5,001,660
  • Priority 7: Napa County Office of Education (Lead Agency): $5,001,660

Each grantee will support districts and schools in its region to improve comprehensive literacy instruction with a focus on the statewide literacy priority for the identified age and/or grade span. The expertise and resources that Literacy Lead Agencies generate with their model sites will be disseminated to educators across the state through the Statewide System of Support. Literacy Lead Agencies will begin grant work on September 1, 2021.

For more information, visit the CDE CLSD web page or contact the CDE CLSD Grant Team via email at CLSDP@cde.ca.gov.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100