The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said Thursday that it selected 80 early learning programs and public schools to receive funding and professional services through the U.S. Department of Education’s Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant.
The five-year $49 million grant will provide statewide opportunities for early learning programs and K-12 schools to receive services and funds that align to DESE’s Read, Lead, Exceed initiative, according to a news release from DESE.
That amount is more than double the amount of the previous CLSD grant awarded in 2020.
“Literacy is one of DESE’s priority areas, which makes this grant opportunity particularly exciting to share,” Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger said in a news release. “This grant will provide our schools and early learning centers with the resources they need to continue promoting literacy in Missouri. Literacy is key to getting our students on their path to success.”
The program is aimed at building capacity across the state to develop, implement, and sustain equitable systems of support to meet the literacy needs of all children through grade 12, according to the news release.
Mid-Missouri schools included
Hallsville Early Learning Program - Hallsville R-4
Tom Butterfield Early Childhood Center - Marshall Public Schools
Fulton Early Childhood - Fulton Public Schools
Versailles Elementary School and Versailles Middle School - Morgan County R-2
Pettis County Elementary - Pettis County R-5
