Massachusetts Third Grade Reading Bill Becomes Law
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick this week signed legislation that will advance his goal of ensuring every child learns to read proficiently by the end of third grade. The new law, which won bipartisan support, sets up an expert literacy panel that will advise the state Departments of Early Education and Care, Elementary and Secondary Education, and Higher Education. The goal is to coordinate current efforts, add new initiatives and leverage federal grants and private money... ... More »

Museums, libraries win $2.5 million in grants for grade-level reading
Washington, DC – The Institute of Museum and Library  Services (IMLS) has awarded more than $2.5 million to museums and libraries  developing innovative programs to prepare young children for school and to  ensure they don't lose ground over the summer. These projects, part of an IMLS initiative to support the goals of the  Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, were among those receiving National  Leadership Grants (NLG) announced by IMLS last week. In December 2011, IMLS announced that... ... More »

Applications for Federal Grant Programs
The final draft of the RFPs for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Fund will be released by the U.S. Department of Education in the coming weeks, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said during a conference call with funders this month. Applications will be due in October and the are collaborating with i3 applicants and winners to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Jim Shelton, Jacqueline Joneshttp://www.ed.gov/blog/2011/08/call-with-education-grantmakers/ suzanne immerman: Applications for the Promise Neighborhoods grants are due... ... More »

Nine States Win Early Learning Challenge Grants
Nine states will divide $500 million in federal grant money to foster early learning reform that will improve the quality of programs and the educational outcomes for children from birth to age 5, the White House announced this morning. The states—California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Washington—were among 37 applicants for the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grant program designed to develop integrated systems for the youngest learners.   “If we as... ... More »

Quad Cities: 5 Cities, 2 States, 1 Plan
Alex Kolker, Community Impact Manager for Education for the United Way of the Quad Cities Area, submitted this guest blog. If you'd like to submit a guest blog about your community, contact Phyllis Jordan at pjordan@thehatchergroup.com. We are very excited to be a finalist in this year’s All-American City Grade-Level Reading competition. As a single metro area made up of five separate cities (in two different states), we have a lot of different programs, agencies, and school... ... More »