Delaware is accelerating the implementation of its statewide early literacy strategy with more than $8 million in aligned investments to strengthen reading instruction in classrooms across the state.

The Delaware Department of Education today announced two investments supporting that work: a $1.9 million State Implementation Fund (SIF) grant from Accelerate and $6.1 million in competitive Bridge to Practice grants awarded to 25 districts and charter schools across Delaware. Together, these investments help accelerate the implementation of Delaware’s Early Literacy Plan in classrooms statewide.

Rather than launching new initiatives, Delaware is putting state, federal, and philanthropic investments behind one statewide literacy strategy focused on strong teaching, strong school leadership and evidence-based reading instruction every day. The Early Literacy Plan sits at the center of the Department of Education’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan and focuses on supporting teachers, strengthening school leadership, and ensuring students receive strong reading instruction. This work focuses on implementation in classrooms and will be tracked through clear statewide measures of reading progress so families and educators can see the results.

“Delaware is focused on one clear goal: ensuring every child reads on grade level by the end of third grade,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “By aligning leadership, professional learning, staffing models, and data systems around that goal, Delaware is building a durable statewide literacy system that gives every child the opportunity to become a confident, capable reader.”

Said Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, “We know what it takes to help children learn to read, and Delaware is putting those supports in place in classrooms across the state. It starts with excellent instruction every day, supported by high-quality materials, well-trained educators, and strong school leadership. These investments help accelerate the work already underway so more students are reading on grade level by the end of third grade, and we will measure our progress every step of the way so families and educators can see the results.”

State Implementation Fund (SIF)

States are selected based on the strength of their leadership, their readiness to support implementation, and their willingness to prioritize measurable outcomes for students. The fund partners with states that demonstrate both the vision and the ability to drive meaningful change across school systems.

The three-year investment will help Delaware accelerate its statewide literacy strategy so more students learn to read on grade level by the end of third grade. The work focuses on strengthening daily reading instruction in classrooms by supporting teachers, strengthening school leadership, and ensuring schools use high-quality instructional materials.

The grant, which will be supported by the department and Rodel,  will support three key areas of implementation:

• Stronger instructional leadership and professional learning by expanding statewide professional learning for teachers, coaches, and school leaders through initiatives such as the Early Literacy Leadership Academy (ELLA)and student-centered coaching.
• Strategic staffing and educator pipelines by expanding team-based staffing models that allow schools to share expertise and provide more consistent instructional support for students.
• Data systems that support continuous improvement by strengthening Delaware’s ability to track literacy instruction and student progress so the state and districts can identify bright spots and provide targeted support.

Bridge to Practice

The Bridge to Practice grants support districts and charter schools in strengthening evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading.

Awards prioritized:

• Increasing skillful use of high-quality instructional materials
• Curriculum-based professional learning for educators
• Student-centered coaching for teachers
• Innovative staffing models that increase instructional support for students

These strategies are central to the Delaware’s Early Literacy and the Strategic  plans’ focus on strengthening Tier I instruction and building educator capacity statewide.

Bridge to Practice categories awarded include:

• Professional learning for early literacy through AIM Pathways to Proficient Reading/LETRS(Volume 1 and/or 2)
• High-quality instructional materials (HQIM) support for job-embedded professional learning and leadership coaching
• District cohorts of Early Literacy Leadership Academy (ELLA)
• LETRS facilitator training

Originally budgeted for $7.2 million, the remaining $1.1 million will be used to provide additional professional learning and coaching support aligned with the Early Literacy Toolkit.

Indian River is using its grant to provide ELLA training for all the district’s elementary schools, along with professional learning for early literacy through AIM Pathways to Proficient Reading.

“We are proud to support teachers and school leaders as they continue to strengthen their expertise in early literacy,” Indian River Director of Elementary Education Kelly Dorman said. “This grant enables us to invest in meaningful, job-embedded professional learning that enhances teaching and learning while advancing our shared commitment to ensuring every IRSD student becomes a confident, proficient reader by the end of third grade.”

Colonial School District leaders said the grant supports their district’s mission to ensure every student reads on grade level by the end of third grade.

“The Bridge to Practice Grant accelerates that vision by strengthening educator expertise through AIMS and LETRS professional learning, expanding science-of-reading training for our PreK educators through School Kit, and building instructional leadership capacity while aligning K-3 coaching to our high-quality instructional materials,” said Katie Gutowski, Colonial’s Supervisor of Curriculum, Assessment & Instruction K-12 English Language Arts. “Together, these investments create a cohesive early literacy system designed to ensure third grade reading proficiency for all.”

Bridge to Practice Grants Awarded

• Academy of Dover Charter School ($54,960)
• Appoquinimink School District ($39,604)
• Aspira Academy Charter School ($113,106)
• Brandywine School District ($137,227)
• Caesar Rodney School District ($278,499)
• Cape Henlopen School District ($158,421)
• Capital School District ($628,234)
• Christina School District ($740,026)
• Colonial School District ($418,438)
• EastSide Charter School ($137,881)
• Thomas Edison Charter School ($263,140)
• First State Montessori Charter School ($179,885)
• Gateway Charter School ($15,505)
• Indian River School District ($206,819)
• Kuumba Academy Charter School ($382,467)
• Milford School District ($383,470)
• MOT Charter School ($64,875)
• Newark Charter School ($193,279)
• Odyssey Charter School ($80,935)
• Providence Creek Charter School ($219,838)
• Red Clay Consolidated School District ($774,125)
• Seaford School District ($42,993)
• Smyrna School District ($298,860)
• Sussex Montessori Charter School ($180,632)
• Woodbridge School District ($105,034)

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