NJDOE Awards Nearly $13.6 Million in Literacy Grants Across New Jersey

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Two school districts in Morris County have been selected to receive funding from the New Jersey Department of Education’s newly launched literacy grant programs, part of a broader $50 million federal initiative aimed at improving student literacy across the state over the next five years.

The Department announced on October 22 that it has awarded nearly $13.6 million in the first round of grants under the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) program. The funding is intended to support literacy instruction from birth through grade 12 through a series of targeted initiatives.

“Literacy is a foundational skill needed for learning in all subjects, and these grants build upon our commitment to improving literacy for students across New Jersey,” said Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “The strength of this initiative is its comprehensive design. It builds a network of teacher coaches, equips schools with training and high-quality materials, and supports readers from birth through high school.”

Among the local recipients:

• Dover Public School District has been awarded $150,000 through the COACH-L grant program, which supports the hiring and training of literacy coaches to assist educators in kindergarten through 12th grade. The district will join a statewide network of 41 schools and charter schools participating in this professional coaching initiative.

• Netcong School District received two separate awards:

  • $20,000 through the RISE (Reading Intervention for Secondary Engagement) grant to enhance literacy interventions for middle and high school students using evidence-based materials and support staff.

  • $20,000 under the LIFT (Literacy Initiative for Families and Thriving Communities) grant, a collaboration between the NJDOE and the Department of Children and Families aimed at fostering early childhood literacy through family engagement and at-home learning programs for children from birth to age three.

“Literacy is the tool that unlocks the opportunities education creates for our students. These grant awards will help sustain our efforts to infuse best practices into classrooms across our state, uplifting our school communities with crucial tools and resources,” said Governor Phil Murphy.

While no Morris County districts received funding in this round under the IMPACT grant program—which provides schools with high-quality instructional materials and professional development—25 other districts and charter schools across New Jersey did benefit from that portion of the grant.

The CLSD initiative builds on the recently released New Jersey Literacy Framework, a statewide guide that outlines evidence-based strategies and assessments for effective literacy education and intervention. According to the NJDOE, the framework and associated grants are designed to create sustainable, research-backed systems to improve literacy outcomes for students at every stage.

“Literacy is the foundation for success in every lesson our children are taught, and building that foundation requires the commitment of everyone – parents, educators, and students alike,” said Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz. “These new grant programs take a holistic approach to strengthening literacy – training educators to deliver effective instruction, equipping schools with evidence-based resources, and fostering meaningful familial connections through reading at home. This is just one of the first exciting strides in what will be a years-long pursuit to improve our literacy infrastructure and ensure we meet the needs of every young reader.”

The CLSD grant is federally funded and will continue through 2029, pending future appropriations. The NJDOE plans to introduce new cohorts of awardees in future rounds, particularly for the RISE, LIFT, and IMPACT programs, and intends to offer an additional round of LIFT funding later this year.

New Jersey was awarded a total of $50 million in the federal CLSD grant to be used over five years. The first year of New Jersey’s CLSD program establishes four distinct grant programs:

• Cultivating Ongoing Achievement through Coaching in Literacy (COACH-L grants) for teacher coaches: Nearly $6 million in grant funding will help 41 school districts and charter schools hire or train qualified literacy coaches to support kindergarten to grade-12 educators. Grantees will participate in a statewide coaching network.
• Reading Intervention for Secondary Engagement (RISE) for middle and high-school readers: Over $1,000,000 will provide funding for school districts and charter schools to implement evidencebased best practices or high-quality literacy instruction materials identified through criteria set by the NJDOE. Eligible costs include tutors, literacy coaches, and staff training. A total of 31 districts and charter schools have been awarded up to $50,000 in the first round of funding.
• Instructional Materials for Professional Advancement and Coherent Teaching (IMPACT) grants for high-quality instruction materials and training: This nearly $5 million grant will help schools implement high-quality instructional materials and provide professional development to ensure staff will effectively utilize the materials. Awards have been given to 25 school districts and charter schools, which range up to $400,000.
• Literacy Initiative for Families and Thriving Communities (LIFT) grants for family outreach: This nearly $1.6 million initiative, led by the NJDOE in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, provides funding of up to $60,000 for 41 districts and charter schools in this initial year to create programs that develop home-based literacy habits and encourage family involvement in literacy development of children from newborns to age 3.

See the full list of awards here.

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