WY BILT grants help fund district reading programs

While appearing on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse program, Superintendent of Sheridan County School District #1 Pete Kilbride and Sheridan County School District  #3 Superintendent Chase Christensen both talked about the Wyoming Believing in Literacy Together or WY BILT grants that provide funding for programs aimed at improving the literacy levels of children within K-3 grades. 

According to the Overview of the Wyoming Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant, the aims of the WY BILT include: Increasing the percentages of educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement evidence-based literacy practices; having children entering kindergarten ready to read; having students reading proficiently by the end of grades 3 and 5; having graduates with the literacy skills necessary for college and careers; and ensuring families have access to literacy programs.

Kilbride told listeners that much of the “magic” of learning to read happens in grades K-3. According to Kilbride, if students show proficient literacy by the end of 3rd grade, their chances to complete high school greatly increase. 

The overview lists many allowable and unallowable costs, these are costs in which the funds can and cannot be used. 

One cost being taken advantage of within SCSD #1 is allowed to provide high-quality professional development opportunities for teachers, literacy coaches, literacy specialists, English as a second language specialists (as appropriate), principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, school librarians, paraprofessionals, early childhood providers and/or other program staff.

Another allowable cost is providing evidence-based activities based in the Science of Reading that provide intensive, supplemental, accelerated, and explicit intervention and support in reading and writing for children whose literacy skills are below grade level. Christensen told listeners these programs reach back to the basics of reading. 

According to a long-term study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, students with relatively low literacy achievement tend to have more behavioral and social problems in subsequent grades and higher rates of retention or being held back in grades. The National Research Council asserts that academic success, as defined by high school graduation, can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by knowing someone’s reading skill by the end of the 3rd grade.    

To learn more about WY BILT grants, click here.