Northern Lehigh Grant Funds New Early Reading Tools
Pennsylvania families with K-3 students can expect new reading materials, screening, and teacher training in the district's classrooms.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Primary Education
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Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe visited Peters Elementary School on Thursday to read to a second grade class, following the Northern Lehigh School District's award of a $322,088 Structured Literacy Grant. The visit gives Pennsylvania families and educators a first look at how state-backed reading funds are reaching classrooms.
Why it matters
For Pennsylvania households with children in K-3, the grant signals a multi-year shift in the core reading materials, screening tools, and intervention support their children will encounter at school. The visit followed the district's announcement of the grant, showing the state's interest in putting the funding in front of students and teachers directly.
Northern Lehigh School District received a Structured Literacy Grant of $322,088, with no local funds required for the listed expenses. The district plans to adopt the third edition of its Amplify CKLA core program beginning in 2027-28, with about 30 K-3 teachers and reading specialists set to complete a 36-hour IDA-accredited course.
The players
Carrie Rowe
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education who leads the state's education department and visited Peters Elementary to read to students.
Northern Lehigh School District
Public school district in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and recipient of the $322,088 Structured Literacy Grant.
Peters Elementary School
Elementary school in Washington Township, Lehigh County, where the second grade class received the state secretary's visit.
The details
The grant funds four categories: core reading materials, a universal screener used to assess student reading skills, intervention resources for students who need extra support, and professional development for teachers. The district plans to pay for the universal screener for six years and to sustain its current evidence-based intervention resources for another six years. Teachers and reading specialists are training through Keys to Beginning Reading, a structured literacy course accredited by the International Dyslexia Association.
Timeline
Thursday (week of November 3, 2026): Carrie Rowe visited Peters Elementary and read to Janet Bashore's second grade class.
2027-28: The district plans to move to the third edition of its Amplify CKLA core program.
The Home Front
Structured literacy grants fit into a broader Pennsylvania push to strengthen early reading instruction for K-3 students. For families, the shift matters because curriculum and screening choices made at the district level shape what children learn in the early grades.
If your child attends a Northern Lehigh elementary school, ask the teacher or principal how the new reading materials and screening will be used in your child's classroom. Families can also check with the district about when the new core program will reach your child's grade.
The takeaway
A state-funded reading grant can reshape your child's early classroom experience for years, so it's worth asking your school which materials and screeners are in use. Keep the district's plan for the 2027-28 curriculum change on your calendar so you know when to expect it.
What happens next
Beginning in 2027-28, the district plans to move to the third edition of its Amplify CKLA core program, and the universal screener and intervention resources are planned to continue for six years.
Further reading
For more on how early grades are taught across the state, explore Primary Education coverage for Pennsylvania families.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TNonline.
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