Sep 25 2003

Graham Announces $3.1 Million Reading Grant for Florence School District 3

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced Florence School District 3 will receive a $3,194,611 Early Reading First grant. Early Reading First supports the development of early childhood centers of excellence that focus on all areas of development especially on the early language, cognitive, and pre-reading skills that prepare children for continued school success and that serve primarily children from low-income families “This is a great investment in the future of our children,” said Graham, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. “Early childhood education is vitally important to the successful academic and social development of students. This grant will help Florence County schools prepare young children for future academic success.” The Early Reading First program is one part of the No Child Left Behind Act, designed to improve education for all students in America. Grants are designed to help early childhood centers improve their programs, creating centers of excellence that provide young children with language and cognitive skills and an early reading foundation. Funds must be used to: Enhance children's language, cognitive, and early reading skills through professional development for teachers. Demonstrate language and reading activities developed from scientifically based reading research. Provide preschool-age children with cognitive learning opportunities in high-quality language and literature-rich environments. Use screening assessments to effectively identify preschool children who may be at risk for reading failure. Improve existing early childhood programs by using scientifically based reading research to improve all aspects of the program (including instructional materials, teaching strategies, curricula, parent engagement, and professional development). The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. ####