WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education is directing hundreds of millions of dollars in existing and forthcoming federal grants toward evidence-based literacy instruction, making reading a central funding and research priority as national assessments show persistent declines in student performance.
The department said its approach will emphasize the Science of Reading across grantmaking, teacher preparation, research and technical assistance, including programs supporting tutoring, instructional materials, literacy coaching and educator training.
Education Innovation and Research grants have provided nearly $500 million through 49 awards during the past two years, according to the department. Seventeen went to state educational agencies for work that includes researching, implementing and expanding literacy practices statewide.
The department expects to award 12 Teacher Quality Partnership grants totaling about $70 million in the coming weeks. The program supports partnerships between colleges and school districts, including efforts to prepare teachers to provide literacy instruction.
Another 16 Supporting Effective Educator Development grants totaling about $90 million are expected in the coming weeks, with funding supporting educator certification pathways and literacy coaching.
Four Innovative Approaches to Literacy grants totaling more than $16 million were awarded this week. The program focuses on early literacy through fifth grade, including book access, literacy activities at home and teacher development.
The department also provided $256 million in noncompetitive continuation awards this year through the Comprehensive Literacy State Development program to 24 states, the Outlying Areas and the Bureau of Indian Education.
Those grants can support statewide literacy plans, teacher preparation, instructional materials and literacy coaches.
Another $3.7 million is being awarded through the National Center on Academic Interventions, which supports improved outcomes for students with disabilities and requires evidence-based literacy instruction as a component.
The funding push comes as federal education officials point to weak national reading performance. The department cited national assessments showing record-low reading scores among 12th graders and nearly 70% of fourth- and eighth-grade students failing to reach the proficient level.
The department also cited an international assessment showing that reading performance among the lowest-performing U.S. students has deteriorated by an amount it characterized as equivalent to nearly 1½ years of instruction compared with 2015.
The Institute of Education Sciences, the department’s research arm, is also shifting its largest fiscal 2027 grants toward projects addressing priorities identified by states, with literacy among the areas of focus.
Regional Educational Laboratories have developed instructional resources covering kindergarten-through-third-grade reading comprehension, differentiated early-reading instruction and interventions for students in grades six through eight.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has made literacy part of the administration’s broader effort to give states greater responsibility for education policy and spending decisions. The department said its literacy strategy is intended to strengthen states’ capacity to prepare teachers, select instructional materials and determine how resources are deployed.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.