Requires States to use such formula grants to make grants to local educational agencies (LEAs), but permits States to use a portion of grant funds for State activities to assist LEAs in designing and implementing early literacy intervention initiatives. Requires LEAs to use grant funds for activities that will contribute toward the goal of ensuring that all children are able to read by the third grade, including: (1) professional development programs for teachers; (2) selection and distribution of scientific research-based reading instructional materials, as determined under specified provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; (3) selection or development of assessment tools that meet established standards to measure elements of early reading skills at the end of kindergarten and first and second grades; (4) selection of pre- and post-assessment inventories to measure student progress in the acquisition of reading skills at the beginning and end of each school year; and (5) collection and summarization of data from scientifically-based assessments to document effectiveness of early literacy intervention in schools as well as the school district served by the LEA as a whole, and to spur improvement in literacy by reporting on schools that produce large gains in achievement.
Authorizes the Secretary to use a portion of funds under this Act for certain national activities, including evaluation, training, technical assistance, and infrastructure for dissemination of elements of the initiative through various media, including the Internet and other distance-learning mechanisms.