We are proud to celebrate $1.1 million in literacy-focused grant awards supporting our friends in Warren City Schools, Bellefontaine City Schools, and the Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center (MVESC). This funding empowers schools to invest in literacy instruction and create sustainable opportunities for students. While each recipient’s approach is tailored to their community, all three share a commitment to strengthening reading and writing outcomes and expanding opportunities for youth.
Educational Service Centers play a crucial role in helping school districts provide adaptive instruction through direct support and professional learning. For example, MVESC serves 14 school districts; supporting typically developing children and children with special needs in East Muskingum Local Schools, New Lexington Schools, Newcomerstown Exempted Village Schools, Northern Local Schools, Southern Local Schools, and West Muskingum Local Schools. Through preschool programs, gifted services, professional development, and partnerships with districts and families, MVESC takes a multifaceted approach to support learners.
With this grant, MVESC will expand early literacy instruction through targeted professional development, the addition of a literacy coach, enhanced communication with families, strengthened community connections, and early intervention support. These initiatives aim to elevate educator expertise while giving families the tools to support learning at home.
Krystal McFarland, MVESC’s curriculum director, explained that the project is exciting because it supports both educators and families, and impacts the entire community. She noted that having structured guidance during the grant process was vital to developing a thoughtful and comprehensive plan despite the tight timeline. Lindsay Rayner, Director of Teaching and Learning, added that working with the EnvisionEdPlus team was organized and straightforward, helping them navigate a complex grant application successfully.
Warren City Schools will use this funding to strengthen literacy instruction and expand support for both educators and students. Through this investment, the district is positioned to build sustainable systems that enhance reading and writing outcomes over time.
Bellfontaine City Schools will leverage this funding to support literacy growth by investing in instructional capacity and resources that meet students’ needs. This grant creates new opportunities to strengthen teaching practices and improve student learning experiences.
Across all three recipients, these grant awards are fundamentally enhancing student literacy. By building sustainable systems and strengthening instructional capacity, each organization is increasing its ability to support learning effectively. This strategic investment ensures that all students benefit from high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction.
At EnvisionEdPlus, we are proud to partner with schools and Educational Service Centers as they pursue funding that creates lasting opportunities for students. If your district or organization is ready to strengthen its grant writing strategy or needs assistance with researching grants, we are here to help.
