Federal grant helps local students learn to read

Bladen and Columbus County school kids may learn to read at an even earlier age, thanks to a federal grant.

The school systems in the two counties have received a joint Early Reading First grant worth $4.3 million. The purpose of the grant is to provide preschoolers with enhanced learning opportunities to prepare them for future academic success.

Public Relations Director Valerie Newton said, “It will enhance their alphabet knowledge, their oral language skills, and their phonetics. They will also be able to give them additional instruction time. Right now, we operate a full day program, but we only operate for 41 weeks out of the year. With these funds we’ll be able to operate for 46 weeks out of the year, so that’s an additional five weeks of instruction for the students.”

The grant is entitled CORE, which stands for Communities Organizing for Reading Excellence.