TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Multiple area universities and colleges will be expanding their use of Science of Reading instruction for education majors following grant funding from the Lilly Endowment.
Indiana State University announced in a news release that they had received grant funding in the amount of $968,080 from Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of the organization’s Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana program.
ISU is reportedly one of 28 universities and colleges in the state to receive these grants. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College received $346,307 in funding. Vincennes University received a grant of $500,000.
“I’m so proud of our Bayh College of Education faculty who have long been recognized as state and regional leaders in teacher and administrative preparation and leadership,” said Dr. Christopher Olsen, Indiana State University Provost. “Our programs continue to excel at all levels, and this is just one more recognition of their excellence.”
The initiative from Lilly Endowment was launched in 2022, the same year that the Indiana Department of Education began an effort to improve reading achievement in K-12 schools by helping teachers utilize Science of Reading principles in their classrooms.
ISU President Dr. Deborah Curtis said the university is grateful for the funding.
“With our storied history of being a teacher’s college, this grant helps Indiana State to continue improving instructional skills and educational resources for educators throughout Indiana,” Curtis said. “The Bayh College of Education continues to make a difference in the educational field and is deserving of this significant grant.”
“The growth and prosperity of Indiana communities hinge on the presence of a literate and skilled workforce,” VU Provost Dr. Laura Treanor said. “Proficiency in reading serves as the cornerstone for all learning. Strong literacy skills empower individuals to actively participate in the workforce, contribute to innovation, and propel economic development. Vincennes University firmly believes that investing in literacy development, especially through initiatives like Lilly Endowment’s Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana, is essential to secure a prosperous and thriving future for our region.”
“We are grateful to the Endowment for their investment in this program and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College,” Janet Clark, Ph.D., provost/executive vice president for academic affairs said. “This grant will allow the College to redesign courses to better align with the science of reading methods for our students as they prepare to teach in the field with these new standards.”
“It is imperative that more of Indiana’s elementary students learn to read proficiently, and it is essential that current teachers and the next generation of teachers are prepared to use proven principles to teach reading in their classrooms,” Lilly Endowment’s Vice President for Education Ted Maple said. “We are pleased therefore to help Indiana colleges and universities strengthen the use of these research-based principles to teach reading in their teacher preparation programs.”
