---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 6642"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "6642"
heading: "Comprehensive literacy State development grants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/6642"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter II — Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High-Quality Teachers, Principals, or Other School Leaders"
  - "Part B — National Activities"
  - "Subpart 2 — literacy education for all, results for the nation"
---

# §6642. Comprehensive literacy State development grants

- (a) **Grants authorized—** From the amounts reserved by the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) under [section 6621(2) of this title](/usc/20/6621.md?p=2) and not reserved under [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) to enable the [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) to—
  - (1) provide subgrants to [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) serving a diversity of geographic areas, giving priority to entities serving greater numbers or percentages of children from [low-income families](/usc/20/6641.md?p=b-3-B); and
  - (2) develop or enhance [comprehensive literacy instruction](/usc/20/6641.md?p=b-1) plans that ensure high-quality instruction and effective strategies in reading and writing for children from early childhood education through grade 12, including [English learners](/usc/20/7801.md?p=20) and children with disabilities.
- (b) **Reservation—** From the amounts reserved to carry out this subpart for a fiscal year, the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall reserve—
  - (1) not more than a total of 5 percent for national activities, including a national evaluation, technical assistance and training, data collection, and reporting;
  - (2) one half of 1 percent for the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) of the Interior to carry out a program described in this subpart at schools operated or funded by the Bureau of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) Education; and
  - (3) one half of 1 percent for the [outlying areas](/usc/20/7801.md?p=36) to carry out a program under this subpart.
- (c) **Duration of grants—** A grant awarded under this subpart shall be for a period of not more than 5 years total. Such grant may be renewed for an additional 2-year period upon the termination of the initial period of the grant if the grant recipient demonstrates to the satisfaction of the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) that—
  - (1) the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) has made adequate progress; and
  - (2) renewing the grant for an additional 2-year period is necessary to carry out the objectives of the grant described in [subsection (d)](#d).
- (d) **State applications—**
  - (1) **In general—** A [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) desiring a grant under this subpart shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46), at such time and in such manner as the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may require. The [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) shall collaborate with the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) agency responsible for administering [early childhood education programs](/usc/20/7801.md?p=16) and the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) agency responsible for administering [child](/usc/20/7801.md?p=3) care programs in the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) in writing and implementing the early childhood education portion of the grant application under this subsection.
  - (2) **Contents—** An application described in [paragraph (1)](#d-1) shall include, at a minimum, the following:
    - (A) A needs assessment that analyzes literacy needs across the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) and in [high-need schools](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-2) and [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A) that serve [high-need schools](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-2), including identifying the most significant gaps in literacy proficiency and inequities in student access to effective teachers of literacy, considering each of the subgroups of students, as defined in [section 6311(c)(2) of this title](/usc/20/6311.md?p=c-2).
    - (B) A description of how the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), in collaboration with the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) literacy team, if applicable, will develop a [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) [comprehensive literacy instruction](/usc/20/6641.md?p=b-1) plan or will revise and update an already existing [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) [comprehensive literacy instruction](/usc/20/6641.md?p=b-1) plan.
    - (C) An implementation plan that includes a description of how the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) will carry out the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) activities described in [subsection (f)](#f).
    - (D) An assurance that the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) will use implementation grant funds described in [subsection (f)(1)](#f-1) for [comprehensive literacy instruction](/usc/20/6641.md?p=b-1) programs as follows:
      - (i) Not less than 15 percent of such grant funds shall be used for [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) and local programs and activities pertaining to children from birth through kindergarten entry.
      - (ii) Not less than 40 percent of such grant funds shall be used for [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among the grades of kindergarten through grade 5.
      - (iii) Not less than 40 percent of such grant funds shall be used for [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among grades 6 through 12.
    - (E) An assurance that the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) will give priority in awarding a subgrant under [section 6643 of this title](/usc/20/6643.md) to an [eligible entity](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) that—
      - (i) serves children from birth through age 5 who are from families with income levels at or below 200 percent of the Federal [poverty line](/usc/20/7801.md?p=41); or
      - (ii) is a [local educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A) serving a high number or percentage of [high-need schools](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-2).
- (e) **Priority—** In awarding grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall give priority to [State educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) that will use the grant funds for [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) activities, defined for the purpose of this subsection as activities meeting the requirements of [section 7801(21)(A)(i) of this title](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A-i).
- (f) **State activities—**
  - (1) **In general—** A [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) receiving a grant under this section shall use not less than 95 percent of such grant funds to award subgrants to [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1), based on their needs assessment and a competitive application process.
  - (2) **Reservation—** A [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) receiving a grant under this section may reserve not more than 5 percent for activities identified through the needs assessment and comprehensive literacy plan described in subparagraphs [(A)](#d-2-A) and [(B)](#d-2-B) of subsection (d)(2), including the following activities:
    - (A) Providing technical assistance, or engaging qualified providers to provide technical assistance, to [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) to enable the [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) to design and implement literacy programs.
    - (B) Coordinating with institutions of higher education in the [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) to provide recommendations to strengthen and enhance pre-service courses for students preparing to teach children from birth through grade 12 in explicit, systematic, and intensive instruction in [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) literacy methods.
    - (C) Reviewing and updating, in collaboration with teachers and institutions of higher education, [State](/usc/20/6602.md?p=2) licensure or certification standards in the area of literacy instruction in early education through grade 12.
    - (D) Making publicly available, including on the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49)’s website, information on promising instructional practices to improve [child](/usc/20/7801.md?p=3) literacy achievement.
    - (E) Administering and monitoring the implementation of subgrants by [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1).
  - (3) **Additional uses—** After carrying out the activities described in paragraphs [(1)](#f-1) and [(2)](#f-2), a [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) may use any remaining amount to carry out 1 or more of the following activities:
    - (A) Developing literacy coach training programs and training literacy coaches.
    - (B) Administration and evaluation of activities carried out under this subpart.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2222, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title II, § 2002, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1938.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6642, Pub. L. 89–10, title II, § 2202, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3621, related to allocation of funds for State and local professional development activities, prior to its omission in the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as an Effective Date of 2015 Amendment note under section 6301 of this title.