The Nevada Department of Education was awarded a $3.57 million Reading First Targeted Assistance Grant (TAG) from the U.S. Department of Education.  Nevada is the only state that met the rigorous criteria in the Reading First legislation based on the performance of Nevada Reading First schools from 2005 to 2008.  Nevada was awarded this incentive grant because its Reading First schools increased student proficiency in reading for two consecutive years.  This included overall improvement in the percentages of students achieving proficiency in first, second, and third grades and improved performance from each targeted subgroup in third grade. 

The TAG award will provide additional support to local districts to build upon strategies that have been successful in raising K-3 student reading achievement.  Only those districts participating in Nevada's Reading First initiative that demonstrated the same improved reading performance in first through third grades will be eligible to apply for TAG funds.  Clark and Washoe County School Districts both showed an increasing percentage of first through third graders reaching the proficient level in reading in their Reading First schools.  However, both districts will include outreach plans to work with other districts to help them improve reading instruction with ineligible districts. 

Superintendent Keith Rheault will award TAG funds to districts for grant applications that: (1) Share evidence-based reading instructional practices for beginning readers through an outreach project with districts that were not eligible for the award; (2) Build capacity and develop sustainability plans to deliver high quality scientifically-based reading instruction in Reading First schools; and (3) Enhance to K-3 reading instruction through ongoing professional development for teachers, high-quality reading materials, tutoring for struggling readers, and family literacy projects. 

Reading First is a federal program established as a part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Its primary goal is to ensure that all students in U. S. schools learn to read well by the end of third grade.