Capitol Notebook: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announces $24 million available in literacy grants

Iowa school districts and public charter schools will have the opportunity to apply for grants focused on boosting literacy rates in a program announced by Gov. Kim Reynolds and the state Department of Education Wednesday.

The program, which is part of a multi-year federal Comprehensive State Development grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will allocate $24 million in competitive grants to advance evidence-based literacy practices and interventions in Iowa.

“Strong reading skills are the foundation for lifelong learning and opportunity,” Reynolds said in a statement. “These targeted investments will help schools ensure every child in Iowa can read confidently and succeed academically — no matter their background or where they live. By implementing proven approaches, we can better help students learn to read so they can spend a lifetime reading to learn.”

The program includes $4 million in planning subgrants and the opportunity for an additional $5 million annually in implementation subgrants from 2025 through 2029.

“Reading unlocks a lifetime of potential — that’s why Iowa continues to empower students, families and teachers through comprehensive advancements in early literacy,” Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said in a statement. “Nationally, the Department was selected to receive over $24 million in competitive federal funds to support Iowa’s rigorous academic standards, instructional materials and educator preparation and learning. Today, we’re inviting eligible school districts across Iowa to apply for a transformational investment, building upon our collective work to further accelerate student learning.”

During the grant award process, priority will be given to applicants that align local literacy plans to Iowa’s Comprehensive State Literacy Plan.

Award recipients can use first-year funding for hiring literacy consultants, providing professional development and attending professional learning events in partnership with the Department of Education.

The application for the planning portion is open now and closes at the end of the day on June 10.

Information on Iowa’s Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant and competitive subgrant opportunity, including an informational webinar for interested applicants, is available on the Department’s website, educate.iowa.gov.

STEM BEST Program award recipients announced

The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council awarded more than $200,000 in grants to 12 Iowa schools to help fund work-based and career-connected learning opportunities for students this summer.

The grant is provided through the STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program and aims to strengthen Iowa’s future workforce through career exploration. Grant funding will go toward opportunities for students and teachers to work closely with local workplaces and professionals to “introduce and prepare learners for future success in their communities.”

“Learning doesn’t end when summer starts. Through this unique pilot program, students across Iowa can participate in work-based learning and real-world STEM experiences where they apply their knowledge, build networks and gain clarity on their future goals,” Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said in a statement. “The opportunities supported by the STEM BEST Explore pilot will help students see the connection between the classroom and the workplace, supporting Iowa’s strong talent pipeline for in-demand STEM jobs.”

Recipient schools include ones in Waterloo, Council Bluffs, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and Storm Lake. Each school was awarded up to $20,000 for summer programming.

Presidential Disaster Declaration granted for western Iowa

President Donald Trump approved Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Presidential Disaster Declaration request for four western Iowa counties that experienced severe weather damage from blizzards in March.

A joint federal, state and local damage assessment of the affected counties estimated that the severe weather resulted in more than $8 million worth of damage, according to the governor’s office.

The declaration will release funds from the Federal Management Agency Public Assistance Program for Crawford, Harrison, Monona and Woodbury counties. The funds can be used for restoration of damaged utilities, debris removal and other emergency protective measures, including sheltering, essential needs and movement of emergency supplies.

Reynolds applied for the disaster declaration in April.

Secretary of State creates Auditors Advisory Group

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced the formation of a group aimed at advising and supporting “safe, secure and fair elections” across the state.

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The Auditors Advisory Group is a bipartisan coalition of 12 county auditors nominated by Pate.

“Election security is a team sport, and I’m confident in the team we’ve built here. This group is dedicated to maintaining Iowa’s election integrity not just in their own counties, but across the entire state,” Pate said in a statement. “I look forward to working with this team over the next year as we fine-tune election processes and deliver safe, secure and fair elections on behalf of Iowans.”

The group includes two revolving seats filled by the sitting Iowa State Association of County Auditors President and Vice President, and two auditors appointed to represent the state at-large.

Members include Iowa State Association of County Auditors President Adam Wedmore of Cerro Gordo County, Karen Showalter of Black Hawk County, Whitney Helm of Jones County and Tibe Vander Linden of Muscatine County.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau