The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is pleased to announce a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Even Start Family Literacy grant. The purpose of the Even Start program is to help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and low literacy by improving educational opportunities of low-income families. Even Start promotes a unified family literacy program that integrates four components - adult education, child education, parenting, and parent/child literacy activities - into one model. This intensive family literacy model is intended to serve children from birth to eight years of age, and their parents who are eligible to participate in adult education or who are attending secondary school.

KDE anticipates funding 8 to 10 school districts, pending availability of funds, to design and implement a family literacy program serving eligible families.

• Awards will be for $75,000 with priority given to school districts and schools with 60% or more free lunch populations.
• The RFP will be posted to the KDE web site and the application must be received by Monday, April 11, 2005.

Technical assistance will be offered at:

• Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference (KTLC), Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), Room 115
• Saturday, March 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• You may attend the session without registering for the conference; however, you need to register for the conference and have a KTLC name badge to visit any other location in the KICC.

The session will be offered again at:

• Capital Plaza Tower, 1st Floor conference room
• Tuesday, March 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and repeated 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• To register for these sessions please e-mail Bill Buchanan, KDE Even Start State Coordinator, at bbuchana@kde.state.ky.us, and if you have questions regarding this grant opportunity, please contact him at (502) 564-7056.

We greatly appreciate your interest in the Even Start Family Literacy program grant.