The 2024-2025 Ready to Learn Block Grant appropriation includes a Foundation amount of $292,000,000 plus an additional $526,000,000 in funding for the Adequacy Supplement and Tax Equity Supplement for qualifying school districts. Allocations will be distributed based on amendments to the School Code through Act 55 of 2024.
To confirm your school entity’s 2024-25 RTL allocation, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education website and view the 2024-25 Ready to Learn Block Grant (Excel)
The 2024-25 Ready to Learn allocations are split into two eGrants. The Foundation and Adequacy Supplement is combined into one eGrant. The Tax Equity Supplement is a separate eGrant.
FIRST STEP - Go to www.education.pa.gov/budget. Download the Ready to Learn Spreadsheet. Get the totals for the Foundation and Adequacy allocations for your school district or charter school. These are the totals needed to balance the Foundation and Adequacy budget columns.
The Foundation and Adequacy allocations may be used in the same category. Select the categories you plan to use. After entering the amounts in the columns, hit "Save" at the bottom for the totals to appear.
The Total Row for Foundation and Adequacy columns must match the allocation exactly from each funding source including decimals. The total on the bottom right will match the allocation at the top of the page.
All categories for Ready to Learn are listed. For each category, fill out the required columns.
1st Column – List of allowable uses
2nd Column - Drop down box for Foundation Allocation; select "Establish", "Maintain", or "Expand"
3rd Column – Foundation Adequacy amount used for each strategy selected
4th Column – Drop down box for Adequacy Allocation; select "Establish", "Maintain", or "Expand"
5th Column – Adequacy allocation amount used for each strategy selected
6th Column - "Totals" - Totals of Columns 3 and 5; will match total combined allocation
7th Column - "Description" -- Brief explanation on use of funding -- Example: materials and supplies or salaries and benefits
For Districts receiving the Tax Equity supplement through the Ready to Learn allocation: The Tax Equity Supplement will be in a separate e-grant.
More information on the process to complete the Tax Equity Supplement can be found in the eGrant or below:
ACT 55 of 2024
“To be eligible to receive available money, the local board of school directors must adopt a resolution in conjunction with actions taken in accordance with the adoption and submission requirements under section 311(a) and (d) of the act of June 27, 2006 (1st sp.sess., p.l.1873, no.1), known as the taxpayer relief act, related to the adoption of preliminary budgets that declares the school district's intent to receive and use the available money for a purpose specified under subparagraph (iii) during the subsequent fiscal year for which the money has been appropriated by the general assembly."
Please consider:
- The allocation received this school year will need to be held until the following fiscal year and used according to the eGrants plan.
- A resolution is required to receive the allocation. This resolution is not the same as the Taxpayers Relief Act (Act 1 of 2006) described below:
- Pursuant to Act 1, school districts must take an action in the winter (normally in January/February) regarding the following year's tax rates: a preliminary budget (that could permit an increase of tax rates above their index) or a “resolution not to exceed the Act 1 Index." The deadline may vary year to year and each district has its own timeline to complete the process.
- The resolution for the Ready to Learn Tax Equity Supplement does not need to be the exact time as Taxpayers Relief Act (Act 1 of 2006) but should be in a similar time frame. This does not change your Act 1 process. The Ready to Learn Tax Equity resolution is NOT the ACT 1 resolution if your district decides to do that.
The Ready to Learn resolution will be uploaded by your district into eGrants. A screenshot of the program details in the Ready to Learn Tax Equity grant is below:
Acceptable Uses of Funds
Uses of funds: Listed below are proven practices that are acceptable expenditures of RTL funds using the Foundation (school districts, charter schools) and Adequacy (qualifying school districts) allocations. This list provides a summary of practices.
2024 Act 55 - PA General Assembly
To establish, maintain or expand any of the following programs or activities:
I. Programs or activities that focus on high-quality academics, including any of the following:
(A) A quality pre-kindergarten program aligned with the current academic standards contained in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 4 (relating to academic standards and assessment).
(B) A quality full-day kindergarten program aligned with the current academic standards contained in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 4.
(C) A class size reduction program. The class size reduction program shall appoint and assign a minimum of one teacher for every seventeen (17) students or two teachers for every thirty-five (35) students enrolled in a kindergarten, first, second or third grade classroom. All teachers appointed and assigned to teach kindergarten, first, second or third grade shall be certified in accordance with 22 Pa. Code Ch. 49 (relating to certification of professional personnel) or its successors. The department shall establish guidelines to assure that no school district satisfies the requirements of this clause by making a reduction in, and subsequent increase to, current teacher complement. For purposes of this clause, the phrase "one teacher for every seventeen (17) students or two teachers for every thirty-five (35) students enrolled in a kindergarten, first, second or third grade classroom" shall refer to the number of teachers conducting a class at any one time in a classroom containing the applicable number of students.
(D) Programs that improve the academic performance of students.
(E) Programs to assist in the building of strong science, technology, engineering and math and applied-knowledge skills.
(F) Programs for high-quality continuing professional education that may include any of the following: training in mathematics, science and structured literacy curriculum and instructional strategies and resources; training in school-wide improvement planning; analysis of student achievement data, including student work and the implications for classroom practice; observing and studying exemplary school and classroom practices; implementing school-wide programs and classroom management strategies designed to improve student conduct; using technology to boost student achievement; conducting transition planning and curriculum alignment across schools and grade levels; or implementing secondary strategies to increase student engagement and personalize learning.
(G) Evidence-based reading instruction consistent with structured literacy, including associated professional development, universal reading screeners and curriculum development and implementation.
(H) Math and literacy programs, including coaches, specialists or other education support professionals, within schools to improve math and reading instruction.
(I) Financial incentives to encourage professional staff members to work in schools that attract few teachers or have a high rate of open teaching positions, to aid in the recruitment of certificated teachers to work in those schools in a school district or to increase participation in education-related jobs, including outreach efforts to communities that have low participation in the educator workforce.
(J) Materials or extended service hours for school libraries or hiring certified school librarians.
(K) Work-based or experiential learning and career readiness programs, including pre-apprenticeships, internships, postsecondary credits, industry-recognized credentials, other pathways to graduation and college and career pathways.
(L) Programs for instruction on world languages, either in immersion classrooms or as separate periods of instruction.
(M) Programs to strengthen high school curricula by creating rigorous college and career preparatory programs; increasing academic achievement; offering additional advanced placement courses, including advanced placement and International Baccalaureate dual credit courses; providing school-based counseling; and providing professional development.
(N) Career and technical education programs aligned to industry credentials and occupations that earn a family-sustaining wage, including programs that lead to careers in education.
2. Programs or activities that foster supportive learning environments, including any of the following:
(A) Student services infrastructure as identified in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 12 (relating to students and student services), including adequate staffing and programs facilitated by certified student services professionals.
(B) Programs or activities that promote the availability, coordination, integration and utilization of physical and mental health services, associated resources and ancillary resources to meet the needs of children and families in addressing issues that may serve to limit student academic achievement, including school attendance and engagement.
(C) Programs or activities that serve students experiencing educational instability in accordance with section 1331.1.
(D) Programs or activities that provide targeted support for English learners, including language instruction programs, curriculum resources, translation and interpretation services and any other activities to support English learners.
(E) Programs or activities that increase inclusion for students with disabilities to be educated alongside their nondisabled peers in accordance with 20 U.S.C. Ch. 33 (relating to education of individuals with disabilities), 29 U.S.C. § 794 (relating to nondiscrimination under Federal grants and programs) and 22 Pa. Code Chs. 14 (relating to special education services and programs) and 15 (relating to protected handicapped students).
(F) Tutoring programs for students identified with low academic performance in math or reading at the end of each marking period. The tutoring program shall include small group sizes and tutoring services shall be provided by a certified teacher or a paraprofessional.
(G) Remediation and after-school programs, including project-based after-school programs offering homework assistance and academic supports from certified teachers in reading, math, science and other subject areas to students in kindergarten through grade twelve, and transition and skill development assistance for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students.
3. Programs or activities that establish and promote data-informed decision making and evidence-based practices to improve educational outcomes for students.
4. Programs or activities that design a system of multitiered supports, including any of the following:
(A) Developing a multitiered system of supports to identify and assist students with academic or behavioral needs.
(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article XV-C, providing tutoring assistance during the normal school day and hours of the school district, if the tutoring is in addition to and does not interfere with a student's regularly scheduled classroom instruction times and does not supplant services required in a student's individualized education program.
(C) After-school and remediation programs.
(D) Summer learning programs.
(E) Credit recovery programs.
5. Charter School Tuition Increase
- Programs that focus on high‐quality academics:
- pre‐kindergarten;
- full‐day kindergarten;
- class size reduction K-3;
- programs that improve the academic performance of students;
- programs to assist in the building of a strong science, technology, engineering and math and applied‐knowledge skills;
- programs for continuing professional education;
- evidence‐based reading instruction consistent with structured literacy;
- math and literacy programs;
- financial incentives to encourage professional staff members to work in schools that attract few teachers or have a high rate of open positions or increase participation in education‐related jobs;
- materials or extended service hours for school libraries or hiring certified librarians;
- work‐based or experiential learning and career readiness programs;
- programs for instruction on world languages;
- programs to strengthen high school curricula;
- career and technical education programs aligned to industry credentials and occupations;
- programs or activities that foster supportive learning environments;
- student services infrastructure;
- programs that promote physical and mental health services to meet the needs of children and families in addressing issues that limit student academic achievement;
- programs that serve students experiencing educational instability;
- programs that provide targeted support for English learners;
- programs that increase inclusion for students with disabilities:
- tutoring programs for students identified with low academic performance in math or reading;
- remediation and after-school programs;
- Programs that establish evidence-based practices to improve educational outcomes;
- Programs that design a system of multitiered supports, including:
- developing a multitiered system of supports to assist students with academic or behavioral needs;
- provide tutoring assistance
- after‐school and remediation programs;
- summer learning programs; and,
- credit recovery programs
- Use for Increases in Charter School Tuition costs
For school districts eligible for the Tax Equity Supplement, a resolution of the intent to receive and use the Tax Equity Supplement in FY 2025-26 is required. The following is the acceptable use of that funding source:
- Mitigating or preventing an increase in the millage rate of real estate property taxes levied by the school district;
- Supplementing the amount calculated by the school district for the homestead and farmstead exclusion under section 342 of the Taxpayer Relief Act:
- Establishing, maintaining or expanding a program provided by the school district that supplements senior tax rebates provided under chapter 13 of the Taxpayer Relief Act;
- Mitigating or replacing the loss of revenue received by the school district resulting from a decision of a court of this commonwealth within the previous five years relating to an assessment appeal: and
- Reducing debt.
Act 55 of 2024 requires a school entity that receives Ready to Learn funds to report to PDE on how the money received was used through the eGrants application.
Accessing eGrants
Login to eGrants through MyPDESuite.
Use your personal login for eGrants. If you do not have a login, contact the Agency User Administrator at your district who can add you and assign you the necessary roles.
Check that the date in the upper right-hand corner shows 2024-2025 and that it shows Teaching and Learning Support. To change either of these, click on the item and a pop-up will allow you to make the change.
To begin a grant application:
- Click Grants Management, then Grant Profiles.
- Click the Select icon (Pad and Pencil) beside the desired grant name (Ready to Learn).
- Click the Create Grant Application button and complete the short Create Grant Application Wizard.
Complete all sections under Narratives and mark each section Complete (button at bottom of screen).
Submitting Plan:
- An Electronic Signature is required to submit the Ready to Learn Grant.
- Select Complete Step in lower right of the Grant Application Detail (main) page.
- Select Submit that appears in same space.
- A green checkmark will appear at the top of the grant confirming that the plan has been submitted.
- Because there is no e-grant budget section in this application, the “Awarded Amount" in the upper right corner of the Grant Application Detail page will remain at $0, even after the application has been reviewed and approved.
- Payment will be 100% of the allocation the month following the month the application was approved.
Timeline
- October 26, 2024: Deadline to submit applications.
Funding Rules
School entities must maintain separate accounts in their budgets to facilitate monitoring the use of RTL grant funds for Adequacy, Foundation and Tax Equity. In no case shall a school entity use grant funds for administrative costs as defined by PDE.
No grant funds may be used directly to increase salaries, except as provided for extending service hours for school libraries.
School entities may not place RTL grant funds in a reserve account. No subcontract between a school entity and a nonprofit organization entered for the provision of a program or services under the RTL legislation may abrogate provisions of a collective bargaining agreement between the nonprofit organization and its employees.
2024-25 RTL funding may be used for all qualified expenditures from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. All Foundation and Adequacy Supplement funds must be spent or encumbered in State Fiscal Year 2024-25 by June 30, 2025. The RTL Grant is funded via state dollars, and therefore, carryover funds are not permitted.
For school districts operating on a fiscal year basis, the 2024-25 Tax Equity Supplement received should be accounted for as Unearned Revenue. Then, for budget year 2025-26, the Tax Equity Supplement revenue received should be recognized in account 7533 and the expenditure in the appropriate account related to the allowable use(s).
A final expenditure report for 2024-25 RTL Adequacy and Foundation funding will open Monday, June 17, 2025, and must be entered in eGrants by 11:59 PM on Friday, August 17, 2025.
A final expenditure report for 2024-25 Tax Equity Supplement funding will be open at the end of FY 2025-26.