The Ohio K-12 Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Subgrant is a four-year funding initiative supported by a $60 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This grant aims to improve literacy and language development across Ohio’s elementary, middle, and high schools by funding literacy implementation sites that align with Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement and state policies on the science of reading. A separate grant for early childhood education and district preschools is expected to be released later in 2025.

The subgrant will provide funding to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that meet specific eligibility criteria, allowing them to implement literacy interventions, provide professional development, and track student literacy progress. The program focuses on enhancing literacy outcomes for traditionally underserved students through evidence-based interventions and structured professional learning.

Eligibility for K-12 Schools: LEAs eligible to apply include:

City, local, and exempted village school districts
Cooperative education and joint vocational school districts
Community schools (charter schools)
STEM schools
Educational Service Centers (ESCs)
Non-Eligibility: Chartered non-public schools (private schools) are not eligible to apply for this grant.

To be considered for funding, an LEA must have at least 50% of its schools classified as "high-need schools", where a significant percentage of students come from low-income families:

Elementary & Middle Schools: At least 50% of students must come from low-income families.
High Schools: At least 40% of students must come from low-income families.
STEM, Community Schools, ESCs, and Joint Vocational Schools: The percentage threshold depends on whether the majority of students are in grades K-8 (50%) or grades 9-12 (40%).
The prioritization of awards will be based on:

Proportion of students from low-income families
Percentage of students reading or writing below grade level
Overall student enrollment in the LEA
Priority Categories for Awards:

Priority 1: LEAs with at least 150 students, where 80% or more are from low-income families, and 40% or more of students are reading/writing below grade level.
Priority 2: LEAs with fewer than 150 students, where at least 40% are low-income, or larger LEAs (150+ students) with 40%-79.9% low-income and at least 40% below grade level in reading/writing.
Priority 3: LEAs that do not meet the above thresholds but still demonstrate a need for literacy support.
Applicants must submit a Local Literacy Plan that:

Is informed by a comprehensive needs assessment
Aligns with Ohio’s comprehensive literacy plan
Utilizes evidence-based interventions
Includes professional development strategies
Establishes a data-tracking plan for literacy outcomes
The full grant application will be released in January 2025, and interested applicants are encouraged to begin preparing their local literacy plan in advance. Questions can be directed to ComprehensiveLiteracy@education.ohio.gov.