Six FAQs to Prepare for the Comprehensive Literacy Grant

With the end of ESSER and increased focus on Structured Literacy, many districts are eager for additional funds. In this article, I will share tips to help school administrators prepare in advance for the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant.

See this blog for the 22 States and DC were awarded the $149M federal CLSD Grant.

Every State’s CLSD grant will look a little different. Keep watch on your Department of Education’s website to see how they will launch CLSD locally. Note: some States may refer to their grant with a unique acronym or program name. For example, North Dakota CLSD is called ND CLIMBS.

When will my State’s CLSD grant application be released?

Timing will vary by State. The main grant application season for most States is February-April. But States that have received this grant previously could release district grant applications as early as November 2024.

Some States will use Year 1 funds as a planning year to revise the State Literacy Plan, so their district-level application is expected to be released in early Summer 2025.

While the grant process will take place in Winter-Spring 2025, awarded projects are likely to begin after July 2025.

Who will be eligible for the CLSD grant?

Applicants serving the greatest percentages of disadvantaged children must be prioritized. Typically, the CLSD grant eligibility list will feature school districts with high percentages of Title I students and English learners, as well as high rates of students reading below grade level.

However, some States are veering away from the typical approach of awarding school districts -- California plans to award CLSD to consortia of County Offices of Education and North Dakota will award individual school buildings.

What will be funded by the CLSD grant?

Award size and allowable activities will vary by State, but the focus will be Literacy from birth to grade 12. Some examples:

• Kentucky CLSD (KyCL): All grantees are required to provide equitable access to Tier 1 reading HQIRs based on the science of reading, along with curriculum-based professional learning.
• Louisiana CLSD: all awardees will be required to utilize literacy mentors for new teachers. They can also choose a secondary focus: English Learners or Evidence-Based Intervention and Project-Based Learning.
• California CLSD: project is focused on building local capacity through professional learning via the County Offices of Education and Institutes of Higher Education.

What grades can we serve?

CLSD is a birth-grade 12 grant. Typically States segment awards like this: 

• 15% of funds to serve children from birth through age five 
• 40% for K-5 students 
• 40% for Grade 6-12 students  

I’m a principal. How can I help my school apply for this grant? 

Usually, individual schools are not eligible to apply for this literacy grant solo. Districts will need to choose which schools are included in the project. Contact your district’s Curriculum Director or Federal Programs Director to see if the district plans to apply and if your school can participate.  

I’m a Curriculum Director. How can I prepare for the CLSD grant?

Grants often only have 4-6 weeks from the RFP release to when applicants are due. So any work that can be completed in advance will benefit your project planning such as:  

Assign someone to be responsible for keeping up with all documents on your state’s grant website, as well as attend any technical assistance sessions. 

Find out when your state’s CLSD grant will be due. Determine who needs to be on the planning committee and schedule biweekly meetings in advance to get on everyone’s calendars.  

Start gathering data that could inform your CLSD project planning and application, including: 

• current list of persistently low-achieving schools 
• district’s state assessment results in literacy from past 3 years early
• childhood needs 
• feeder patterns
• demographic data, including growth in English Learner population  
• previous grant applications, including Comprehensive Improvement Plans 
• district literacy plan 
• State Literacy Plan or recent literacy legislation
• strengths/weaknesses of current literacy assessments, interventions, and professional learning 
• Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on academic performance 

Download our CLSD Planning Guide for additional tips, including a helpful table to guide your initial planning committee discussion.

Explore our high-quality instructional materials aligned to ESSA’s evidence criteria and learn more about K-12 Grants and Funding.