Freehold Township Schools Get State Grant For Improving Student Literacy

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ — The NJ Department of Education (NJ DOE) has awarded $2.3 million in FOCUS grants to support local school districts and charter schools as they implement initiatives to improve literacy in early grades, the department said Wednesday.

Freehold Township schools received $13,620 in grant funding as part of the statewide distribution.

The Funding for Optimal Comprehensive Universal Screeners (or FOCUS) grants support high-quality literacy-screening assessments that meet the criteria established by the NJ DOE.

The funding can also be used to provide related professional development for teachers and student support, department officials said.

Districts serving grades K-3 were eligible to apply for the grant, and all 277 school districts and charter schools that applied will receive funding, with award amounts based on student enrollment.

“Through providing millions of dollars for hundreds of school districts and charter schools to improve their literacy education, we will ensure that our young learners are confident readers capable of thriving academically and becoming thoughtful, informed citizens,” Governor Phil Murphy said. “By bolstering our efforts to improve literacy rates statewide, these grants will further our Administration’s goal of making New Jersey the best state in the country to raise a child.”

Alongside the FOCUS grants, Building Responsive Instruction through Data-Guided Evaluation (or BRIDGE) grants were also awarded, which aim to provide support to schools by using screening data to implement evidence-based literacy instruction in K-3 classrooms.

Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer called the grants “an integral component” of the department’s early literacy initiative, which is designed to provide NJ schools the tools that will help implement the changes needed to improve literacy skills amongst the state’s youngest students.

“Literacy is a foundational skill that is needed for learning in all other subjects,” Dehmer said. “Through this initiative, we are providing schools the support they need, so every child begins their education fully prepared to become lifelong readers and successful learners.”

These grant programs will run until May 31, 2026. Funding for the programs is from the FY2025 state budget, and a total of $5.25 million has been allocated for the grant programs – another round of grants for the remaining FY2025 funds will be announced at a later date.

The grants assist school districts in implementing P.L.2024, c.52, which was signed into law by Governor Murphy in August 2024 and sponsored by Sen. Ruiz, requires all school districts to conduct at least two literacy screenings each year for every kindergarten through grade three student to evaluate reading skills and offer any needed learning support.

To learn more, you can visit the NJ Department of Education website.