District receives $560,000 literacy grant

The Montgomery County School District has received a $560,000 grant to employ a reading interventionist at each of the elementary schools.

The grant was made available through the Kentucky Dept. of Education. 

The school district Curriculum Dept. applied for the grant on behalf of each elementary school, Stephanie Harris, the district’s chief academic officer said.

The grant award is $70,000 per school for a total of $560,000, Harris said. A social media post says the grant supports the salary of a reading intervention teacher at each school for two years. 

The reading intervention positions will focus on strengthening literacy skills for students in kindergarten through third grade, she said.

Harris said students will be identified for services based on school level universal screening data

The elementary schools use the Measure of Annual Progress (MAP) assessment along with the MAP Reading Fluency assessment for kindergarten and first grade students, Harris explained. 

The reading interventionist will provide personalized support for identified students based on their individual skill deficits, she said.

In addition, Harris said, grant funding will be used to support teachers through the multi-tiered systems of support process and provide professional learning for teachers and administrators. 

“We are proud of the work happening in our schools and grateful for this investment in early literacy,” Harris said. “Strong readers build strong futures, and this grant helps us continue that mission.”