The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the availability, requirements, and priorities for its Fiscal Year 2005 Early Reading First grants competition in the Dec. 23, 2004 Federal Register. It is estimated that a total of up to $104 million will be provided to grant recipients, supporting local efforts to enhance the oral language, cognitive, and early reading skills of preschool-age children-especially those from low-income families-through strategies, materials, and professional development that are grounded in scientifically based reading research. This is an increase from the FY '04 appropriated amount of $94.4 million.
ED will use a two-phase system to select recipients for Early Reading First grants that will include a pre-application and a full application. All applicants must submit a pre-application that briefly addresses certain key concepts by Feb. 7, 2005. All pre-applicants will receive written notification, including their reviewer scores and comments. Applicants who are invited to submit full applications will respond to more specific selection criteria. Full applications must be submitted by May 2, 2005.
The Early Reading First program is a competitive grant initiative that will enhance reading readiness for preschool children in high poverty areas and where there are high numbers of students who are not reading at grade level. For more information on this grant competition, please visit the ED Web site, or contact Catherine Clarke, ASHA's director of education and regulatory advocacy, by e-mail at cclarke@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 4159.