NJ Launches Literacy Framework and $5.25M in Grants to Support Early Reading Instruction

State education officials unveil new guidance and funding to help school districts implement early literacy screening and instruction ahead of the 2025-26 school year.

As part of a broader initiative to enhance literacy education statewide, Governor Phil Murphy and Acting Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer have announced a new set of resources and grants to help school districts improve reading instruction in early grades. These efforts are in direct support of P.L.2024, c.52, a law signed in August 2024 requiring the implementation of universal literacy screening and intervention practices in grades K-3 by the 2025–2026 school year.

“Having a strong grasp of foundational literacy skills like phonics can open doors for our children and enable them to better succeed throughout their academic careers,” said Governor Murphy. “With the release of the New Jersey Literacy Framework and two new grant programs, school districts across the state will have access to tested best practices and supports to teach our kids the fundamentals of reading. These efforts are essential to make New Jersey the best place to raise a child.”

At the center of the initiative is the release of the New Jersey Literacy Framework: A Guide to Evidence-Based Literacy Practices & Universal Screeners, an online guide developed by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE). The Framework outlines best practices for literacy screening, intervention, professional development, and family engagement, all informed by the latest research and aligned with recommendations made by the Working Group on Student Literacy.

The working group—comprising educators, literacy specialists, and parent representatives—reviewed current research and state practices to shape guidance consistent with New Jersey's existing intervention and dyslexia screening standards. The Literacy Framework is now available on the Department’s Learning Equity and Academic Recovery webpage.

In conjunction with the framework, NJDOE is launching two grant programs totaling $5.25 million to assist districts in adopting and implementing the law’s literacy requirements:

• FOCUS Grants (Funding for Optimal Comprehensive Universal Screeners): These grants support the adoption of high-quality K-3 literacy screening assessments and associated professional development. All local education agencies (LEAs) in New Jersey that serve grades K-3 are eligible.

• BRIDGE Grants (Building Responsive Instruction through Data-Guided Evaluation): Offered on a competitive basis, these grants fund the use of screening data to inform and enhance evidence-based instruction in K-3 classrooms.

The grant programs will operate from June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, with funding drawn from the Fiscal Year 2025 state budget.

“We’ve known for a long time that literacy is a core skill that is the gateway to all other learning,” said Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “As part of our renewed early literacy focus in New Jersey, we’re taking a very intentional approach – one that blends proven, evidence-based instructional methods with tried-and-true approaches such as phonics and regular screening tools to keep educators and families informed of student progress. This is an initiative that will benefit all students, particularly our youngest students, as they transition from learning to read to reading to learn.”

These measures continue the Murphy Administration’s ongoing focus on educational equity and foundational skills, with the goal of ensuring that all New Jersey students enter the upper grades with strong reading abilities and the academic support necessary to succeed.