ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 14, Number 82
August 18, 2005

In This Issue: Striving Readers Grant Program

The Department of Education is inviting applications for the 
Striving Readers program, a new discretionary grant program 
authorized as part of the 2005 Fiscal Year Appropriations Act.  

According to the Department of Education, the purpose of the 
Striving Readers program is "to raise the reading achievement 
levels of middle and high school-aged students in Title I-eligible 
schools with significant numbers of students reading below grade 
level. The program supports new comprehensive reading initiatives 
or expansion of existing initiatives that improve the quality of 
literacy instruction across the curriculum, provide intensive 
literacy interventions to struggling adolescent readers, and help 
to build a strong, scientific research base for identifying and 
replicating strategies that improve adolescent literacy skills."

An estimated $24 million will be awarded through the Striving 
Readers program to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that have 
schools that are 1) eligible to receive funds under Part A of 
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and 
2) serve students in one or more grades in grades 6 through 12.  
Eligible LEAs may apply individually, with other eligible LEAs, or 
in partnership with any of the following entities:

-  State educational agencies (SEAs)
-  Intermediate service agencies
-  Public or private institutions of higher education
-  Public or private organizations with expertise in adolescent 
literacy and/or rigorous evaluation

The awards will range from $1 million to $5 million.

Applications for the Striving Readers program became available on 
August 15.  The deadline for notice of intent to apply is 
September 14, 2005.  The deadline for transmittal of applications 
is November 14, 2005.

More information about the Striving Readers program, including a 
copy of the Department of Education's original announcement in the 
Federal Register and application instructions and forms, can be 
found on the program's website:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/index.html



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