(File Photo of the Top of a School Bus)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Ambridge, PA) State Representative Rob Matzie announced yesterday that grant funding of nearly $620,000 from the state Department of Education will bolster literacy skills for elementary school students in the Central Valley and Freedom Area school districts.

According to Matzie, this funding, which includes $415,405 to Central Valley School District for the Center Grange Primary and Todd Lane Elementary schools, and $204,160 to the Freedom Area School District for the Freedom Area Elementary School, will give students a stronger start in an essential core curriculum subject. 

The funding comes from the Pennsylvania Structured Literacy Grant program and this program provides funding to help school districts implement the state of Pennsylvania’s structured literacy legislation.

These grants may be used for buying materials, obtaining assessments for screening, developing both plans and literacy systems that are sustainable, and strengthening collaboration districtwide.