CARSON CITY, NV – The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) and the Office of Governor Joe Lombardo are pleased to announce $6 million in funding for Nevada’s Read by Grade 3 Program. The funding will expand professional learning opportunities for Nevada educators that focus on the Science of Reading. This funding was made possible through Covid-Relief ARP Esser III funds to support literacy instruction across Nevada. Last year, Governor Lombardo reinstated accountability measures for Read by Grade 3 through AB400, his Education Achievement, Opportunity, and Accountability Act.

“Read by Grade 3 is one of the most important programs in our state education system,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “This enhanced federal funding will enable us to better execute the goals of the program and ensure that every Nevada student is able to meet critical literacy benchmarks.”

“This federal funding will bolster our efforts in supporting Nevada’s Read by Grade 3 Program by ensuring our young learners are equipped with the literacy skills they need,” said Jhone Ebert, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. “We are excited to support educators with professional development and support that leads with the Science of Reading.”

NDE’s Office of Teaching and Learning’s Read by Grade 3 team has designed four Science of Reading projects to support this work. They include:

• The Nevada PRESS Project (Path to Reading Excellence at School Sites): NDE is partnering with the University of Minnesota Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement to offer a series of free professional learning cohorts in literacy for elementary educators that is aligned to the Science of Reading. In addition, PRESS will offer two customized cohorts for site administrators on the Science of Reading.

• The Modified Reading Endorsement and School Administrator Course Development Project: The intent of this project is to modify the courses presently listed in Nevada’s NAC 392.285 “Endorsement to Teach Reading” by aligning them to the Science of Reading. An additional course on the Science of Reading will be developed specifically for Nevada school administrators. These asynchronous courses will be housed in NDE’s online professional learning system where remote access will be offered to Nevada educators at no charge.

• Nevada’s 2024 Pre-K through Grade 12 Summer Literacy Institute – Integrating the Science of Reading into the Theory and Practice of Reading Instruction: NDE and the University of Nevada, Reno will partner to provide a unique training opportunity for reading instruction across all grade levels. This free three-day institute will establish a statewide level of understanding and classroom application of the Science of Reading for Nevada teachers and literacy leaders.

Nevada Substitute and Nevada Paraprofessional Educators Skills Development Programs: Current and future Nevada substitutes and paraprofessionals will learn how to support elementary students in the development of critical reading skills in alignment to the Science of Reading. Scholarships for tuition and fees are available. These programs will be offered by the College of Southern Nevada, Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Nevada, Reno, and Western Nevada College.

For access to more detailed information regarding these four Science of Reading Projects, please contact NDE’s Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning, Cindi Chang at cchang@doe.nv.gov.

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