Grant Details

The purpose of the Ready to Learn Block Grant is to enhance learning opportunities for students and provide resources for schools to innovate at the local level.

Ready to Learn Block Grant funds can be used for the following:

• Pre-K to Grade 3 curriculum alignment with current academic standards;
• Teacher training and professional development opportunities aligned with academic standards to improve early literacy and STEM education grades Pre-K to Grade 3;
• Pre-K to Grade 3 extended learning opportunities that allow for additional classroom instruction before, during and after school;
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding a quality pre-kindergarten program aligned with the state's current academic standards;
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding a quality full-day kindergarten program aligned with the state's current academic standards;
• Supplemental instruction and instructional coaches for current Keystone Exams;
• Implementation of Pennsylvania Comprehensive Literacy Plan;
• Efforts that improve student outcomes in STEM education program, including STEM training and professional development for educators;
• Establishing, expanding or maintaining math and literacy teacher coaching programs within schools to improve reading and math instruction;
• Establishing, expanding or maintaining hybrid-learning models;
• Researching, establishing, expanding or maintaining Competency-based learning models.

Strategies identified under the Accountability Block Grant provision are also eligible activities: 

• Establishing, maintaining or expanding pre-kindergarten with current academic standards
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding full-day-kindergarten with current academic standards. Such programs shall be open for five hours each day for full school term. A full-day kindergarten program may be offered to children between four and six years old. 
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding a Grades K-3 class-size reduction program. A minimum of one teacher for every 17 students or two teachers for every 35 students conducting a class at any one time is required.
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding programs that promote the availability, coordination, integration and utilization of social and health services, associated resources to meet needs of students and families.
• Providing tutoring assistance during the normal school day provided that it is in addition to and does not interfere with student's regular schedule and does not supplant IEP services. 
• Improving academic performance of subgroups identified in NCLB Act of 2001. 
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding programs to assist in building of strong science and applied-knowledge skills.
• Providing programs for professional education in math, science and literacy-specific curriculum and instructional strategies, analysis of student achievement data, exemplary practices, using technology and curriculum alignment. 
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding math and literacy coaching programs.
• Providing financial incentives to highly qualified tenured teachers to work in academically challenged schools or providing financial incentives to aid in recruitment of certified teachers in math, science, language arts or ELL.
• Establishing, maintaining or establishing a career awareness programs. 
• Purchasing materials or extending service hours for school libraries.
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding programs in world languages in elementary grades. 
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding programs to strengthen high school curricula by providing college and career programs, school-based counseling and professional development and offering APP courses to increase academic achievement. 
• Establishing, maintaining or expanding programs to provide intensive teacher training, professional development and teacher resources to elementary science teachers.