Early Reading First is a federal grant program, created by the U.S. Department of Education, in order to support the development of early childhood centers of excellence. These centers of excellence focus on all areas of development, especially on early language, cognitive and prereading skills. This grant allows the opportunity of preparing children for school success at an early age and primarily targets low income families.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, grants are designed to help early childhood centers improve their programs.Funds from these grants must be used to:
•Enhance children's language, cognitive and early reading skills through professional development for teachers.
•Provide early language and reading development and instructional materials as developed from scientifically based reading research.
•Provide preschool age children with cognitive learning opportunities in high quality language and literature- rich environments.
•Use screening assessments to effectively identify preschool age children who may be at risk for reading failure; and
•Improve existing early childhood programs by integrating scientifically based reading research into all aspects of the program (including instructional materials, teaching strategies, curricula, parent engagement and professional development.
In August of 2005, Little Dixie Community Action Agency, Inc. was awarded the Early Reading First grant, in the amount of $3,992,258. This grant project would soon be known as Project ROAR, Rural Oklahoma Advocates Reading. Led by Program Director, Ruthie Tate, Project ROAR was a complete success. While serving 14 classrooms, consisting of three and four year olds, within five different communities, Project ROAR succeeded in enhancing the literacy skills of many children, in the McCurtain, Pushmataha and Choctaw County areas. Post scores revealed a dramatic improvement and the visible differences in the social language development was outstanding. Some children, who would only speak using single syllables and single words, began using full sentences and multiple syllables by the end of the school year. Most recognized and could name each letter of the alphabet and many could even write their names without assistance.
Project ROAR gave teachers the knowledge to continue enhancing the literacy skills of many children, far into the future. It also cleared a pathway for the continued success of the children, whose lives it touched.
With Project ROAR nearing it’s end, Program Director, Ruthie Tate, knew the importance of creating even more centers of excellence, in the rural communities of southeastern Oklahoma. In hopes of being awarded another Early Reading First grant, she and several others, began the lengthy process of preparing, writing and applying for a new grant.
In August of 2008, Little Dixie CAA, was yet again awarded another Early Reading First grant, to become known as Project HOPE, Helping Oklahoma Preschoolers Excel. Project HOPE was written to include 18 centers within 10 communities, which serve McCurtain, Choctaw and Pushmataha counties.
To learn more about LDCAA Early Reading First grant projects, known as Project ROAR and Project HOPE, please return to the ERF home page.
To learn more about the U.S Department of Education’s Early Reading First grant program, please visit their website at: www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/index.html