$10K Grant Awarded To Improve Literacy Skills At Lacey Schools

LACEY, NJ — The Lacey Township School District is one of many across the state receiving grant money from the NJ Department of Education to help improve literacy, the department said Wednesday.

The DOE awarded $2.3 million for Funding for Optimal Comprehensive Universal Screeners, or FOCUS grants, to 277 districts and charter schools. This funding supports high-quality literacy-screening assessments that meet the criteria established by the Department. The funding can also be used to provide related professional development for teachers and student support.

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

Lacey schools will receive $10,540.

The state also awarded $1.4 million to 19 districts and charter schools for Building Responsive Instruction through Data Guided Evaluation, or BRIDGE grants. The competitive grant will provide support for schools in the use of screening data to implement evidence-based literacy instruction in K-3 classrooms.

These grants provide funding through May 31, 2026. Funding for the programs is from the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) State budget. A total of $5.25 million had been allocated for the grant programs; another round of grants for the remaining FY2025 funds will be announced at a later date.

The grants are part of an ongoing campaign to increase student literacy in New Jersey.

“The BRIDGE and FOCUS Grants will strengthen New Jersey’s status as one of the best public education systems in the nation,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “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. 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.”