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CNMI seeks funding to boost reading program
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Posted on May 29 2000
The local education sector has applied for additional federal funding of $100,000 which is envisioned to boost the reading program in the Northern Marianas.
While the Public School System awaits the approval of the FY 2000 budget package, Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos said PSS still wants to tap federal money for this purpose through the Reading Excellence program offered by the U.S. Department of Education.
Should the CNMI gets these federal resource, PSS would be able to put in place new reading strategies in its program for kindergarten through third grade students.
It should be noted that $95,000 of the grant would be used directly in classrooms via competitive grants to elementary schools. The remaining $5,000 would be used to provide $2,000 for a federally mandated evaluation of the grants to the schools and for travel funds between Saipan and Rota/Tinian, to assure that schools on all three islands can fully participate in the program.
The subgrants to the schools would be divided into two types. Approximately 11 subgrants at $7,200 would be awarded to the public elementary schools for reading programs in early grades (K-3). A single additional subgrant for $15,000 would also provide for a tutorial assistance program for those students in earlier grades that could benefit from some additional structured and supervised reading time.
If the PSS is awarded this competitive grant the subgrants could begin with the fall of 2000. The USDE is expected to announce the successful applicants in August or September of this year. The grants will be awarded for three years so, if successful, the PSS would receive at least $300,000 over the next three years.
