Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant

Background

In September 2020, the U.S. Department of Education awarded Colorado a $16 million grant to implement the Colorado Comprehensive Literacy Project, which aims to advance literacy skills for children from birth to grade 12 with special emphasis on children living in poverty, English learners and children with disabilities

The Comprehensive Literacy State Development Program is a competitive federal grant that seeks to improve literacy in the state by using evidence-based practices, activities and interventions, including pre-literacy skills. The grant will span five years and will provide funding to districts through a competitive grant process.

The grant will provide professional development and technical assistance, literacy coaching, and will help districts disseminate family literacy information. Ninety-five percent of the funds will be directed to school districts, both rural and urban that are geographically diverse, and funds will be distributed to at least three Qualified Opportunity Zones throughout Colorado.

The Colorado Comprehensive Literacy Project activities will also create an infrastructure for districts to develop their own local literacy plans and to apply for funding to implement research-based literacy strategies and interventions. The timeline and process for distributing the funds through a competitive process is still being determined.

Colorado Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant Application Documents

CLSD Professional Development Cohort

The Colorado Department of Education is announcing a new cohort opportunity to support literacy initiatives across the State for birth-12^th grade through the Colorado Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant. CLSD is a federally supported grant intended to expand the use of evidence-based literacy practices and interventions that advance literacy skills for children from birth to grade 12. Emphasis will be on historically underserved students including children in poverty, Multilingual learners, and children with disabilities through strengthening early literacy efforts, educator professional development, literacy coaching support, participation in the Principal Leadership Institute: Literacy Leader Track and family literacy engagement.

The CLSD PD Cohort runs for 2 years beginning October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2025, with a total of $1,425,000 available over two years. Applications were due Monday, June 19, 2023, by 11:59 pm.

News and Events

CLSD Subaward Grant Winners –

The Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant program has selected finalists for subaward grants. Total subaward amount going to this group of districts is $4,901,879 for year 1 of the 4-year grant. The districts that will be awarded funds are:

Aurora Public Schools
Charter School Institute
Cherry Creek 5
Harrison 2
Lake County Schools
Lewis-Palmer
Pueblo 70
Sheridan 2
St. Vrain Valley School District
Telluride School District.

Peer Reviewers for Grant Application

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Competitive Grants and Awards Office seeks qualified individuals to review applications to help ensure that the investment of state and federal funds, in accordance with authorizing legislation, supports high-quality, evidence-based programs and student services; sustainable program development; and the achievement of intended outcomes. Read More