Carson City School District on tap to receive $1.38 million for Read by Grade 3 program

The Carson City School District will receive $1.38 million in funding for third phase of the Read by Grade 3 program, also known as RBG3, the Nevada Department of Education announced Friday. Lyon County School District is on tap to receive $671,825 in funding, and Douglas County School District, $655,182.

Washoe County School District was award $1.6 million. In all $20.5 million will be awarded to school districts statewide for the project.

"We feel fortunate to have received this grant funding. It allows us to offer more practice and resources to students who may be struggling with their reading," said Carson City Schools Superintendent Richard Stokes. "Being able to read well is critical as students take advantage of post K-12 training in college and career opportunities."

The money will go toward additional staffing, said Stokes.

“Throughout Nevada we are seeing real evidence of more of our youngest students making progress toward reading at grade level thanks to the Read by Grade 3 program,” said Steve Canavero, Ph.D., Superintendent of Public Instruction. “This is so critical because before third grade, students are learning how to read. After third grade, students are reading to learn.”

The preliminary distribution of funding for the 2017-18 academic year includes:
• Carson City School District, $1,382,473.14
• Churchill County School District, $187,255.66
• Clark County School District, $11,924,607.95
• Doral Academy of Nevada, $175,068.60
• Douglas County School District, $655,182.08
• Elko County School District, $653,090.05
• Explore Knowledge Academy, $120,706.61
• Honors Academy of Literature, $108,951.68
• Humboldt County School District, $776,372.13
• Lyon County School District, $671,825.76
• Mater Academy of Nevada, $111,462.74
• Esmeralda County School District, $33,053.83
• Lander County School District, $179,993.34
• Lincoln County School District, $204,177.42
• Mineral County School District, $84,247.94
• Nye County School District, $608,061.38
• Pershing County School District, $183,947.25
• Somerset Academy of Las Vegas, $204,776.02
• Washoe County School District, $1,635,283.36
• White Pine County School District, $599,463.05

In a decision approved by the Nevada Board of Education last year, NDE entered into a contract with the Northwest Evaluation Association to use a portion of the funding in the third phase to pay for the K-3 MAPGrowth Reading Assessments. All students in Kindergarten through third grade will take these assessments to track early literacy progress.

Schools must provide early interventions for those students identified as struggling readers on these assessments. Monitoring and supporting early literacy progress for every child in Nevada helps to establish a strong foundation for successful learning.

These assessments are free to all Nevada schools and districts, regardless of whether schools applied for or won the RBG3 grant. The 2017-2018 school year will be the first year all Nevada schools will use this common assessment to track K-3 students’ early literacy progress.

More than $30 million was requested by districts and schools in this competitive RBG3 grant application process. Funding priorities included Learning Strategists, ESSA evidence-based professional development and content, high-needs schools, and schools demonstrating a performance gap in reading. This aligns with Nevada’s Strategic Plan and the intent of SB 391, Section 15, which states, “The Department of Education shall distribute the money…through a competitive grants program. Grants must be awarded by the Department based on the demonstrated needs of the districts and charter schools.”