General Information
Ready to Learn (RTL) Block Grant grants assist students enrolled in the Commonwealth's school districts and certain charter schools with programs and activities that focus on high-quality academics, foster supportive learning environments, or establish and promote data-informed decision making and evidence-based practices to improve educational outcomes. This document explains how RTL funding is allocated for the 2024-25 fiscal year and how school districts and eligible charter schools apply for funding.
The 2024-2025 Ready to Learn Block Grant appropriation includes a Foundation amount of $292 million plus an additional $526 million through two Supplements: Adequacy ($493,798,000) and Tax Equity ($32,202,000).
All school districts and charter schools in existence prior to FY2014-15 that received RTL funding in 2023-24 are eligible for 2024-25 RTL Foundation funding.
School districts that qualify under the amended PA School Code language are eligible for the Adequacy and Tax Equity Supplement.
Allocations are distributed based on the formula set forth in section 2599.6 of the School Code, as amended by Act 55 of 2024. The 2024-25 Ready to Learn Block Grant spreadsheet on the PDE Education Budget webpage shows each LEA’s allocation for 2024-25.
Yes. School Code language provides for 2024-25 allocations to become part of the 2025-26 RTL Foundation (base).
Application Guidelines
LEAs apply for RTL funding through eGrants. To log in to eGrants, go to MyPDESuite. The application is accessible under Teaching and Learning Support with the heading Ready to Learn in Grants Management/Grant Applications. See the Ready to Learn Block Grant webpage for specific instructions.
The Foundation and Adequacy Supplement application was available through October 26, 2024, in eGrants. For more information on eGrants, please visit the Ready to Learn Block Grant webpage.
In the application, LEAs must provide the following information:
1. Indicate strategies for which the grant funds will be used and identify whether the grant funds will be used to “establish,” “maintain,” or “expand” the programs or activities;
2. A budget amount for each strategy;
3. A brief description of the programs or activities indicating how the grant funds will be used in the selected strategy;
4. Verification that all the above requirements have been completed in the application; and
5. Acknowledgement of the Workers Protection Form.
The eGrants application for the Tax Equity Supplement will be open on November 4, 2024, and be due by March 10, 2025 . Note that part of the submission requires the board resolution to be uploaded. PDE staff will review and approve the application after submission.
Additional information about Tax Equity Supplements is available at on the Ready to Learn Block Grant webpage.
The law does not require board approval to apply for and receive the Foundation and Adequacy Supplement. However, an LEA may have its own internal policy requiring board approval.
To receive the Tax Equity Supplement, state law requires a board resolution that sets forth the school district’s intent to receive the funds and to use for one of the statutorily allowable uses.
Tax Equity Supplement
Statutory language indicates that “…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 Taxpayer Relief Act, related to the adoption of preliminary budgets that declares the school district's intent to receive and use the available money…”
This language has been determined to be broad enough to mean that a Tax Equity Supplement resolution doesn’t have to be adopted at the exact same time as the Act 1 actions (resolution or preliminary budget) but the timing should be similar. That said, PDE has determined that the resolution should be adopted no later than February 28, 2025.
No, that is not one of the five allowable uses, which are below and on the Ready to Learn Block Grant webpage:
(a) Mitigating or preventing an increase in the millage rate of real estate property taxes levied by the school district.
(b) Supplementing the amount calculated by the school district for the homestead and farmstead exclusion under section 342 of the Taxpayer Relief Act.
(c) Establishing, maintaining, or expanding a program provided by the school district that supplements the rebates provided under Chapter 13 of the Taxpayer Relief Act.
(d) 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 under Article V of the act of May 22, 1933 (P.L.853, No.155), known as The General County Assessment Law.
(e) Reducing debt.
No. School districts should work with their solicitors to develop a resolution that meets the requirements of the statute, 24 P.S. § 25-2599.6(g)(3)(iii).
No. The board resolution must be uploaded as part of the eGrants submission process.
No. The eGrants application for the Foundation and Adequacy Supplement will be open on September 26, 2024, and be due by October 26, 2024. PDE staff will review and approve the application after submission.
The eGrants application for the Tax Equity Supplement will be open on November 4, 2024, and be due by March 10, 2025. Note that part of the submission requires the board resolution to be uploaded. PDE staff will review and approve the application after submission.
No. The statutory language related to the Tax Equity Supplement requires the funds received in the current fiscal year to be used in the subsequent fiscal year.
Receipt of the 2024-25 Tax Equity Supplement should be recorded as Unearned Revenue (0480) when received during 2024-25. Then, for fiscal year 2025-26, the school district should include in its budget the receipt and use the funds in revenue account 7533 and the appropriate expenditure-object account related to the board-approved use(s).
Use Guidelines
Foundation and Adequacy Supplement: Section 2599.6 of the School Code requires school districts and charter schools to use Foundation funding and Adequacy Supplement funding to establish, maintain, or expand programs or activities that improve student outcomes. A list of acceptable uses is available on the Ready to Block Grant webpage.
Tax Equity Supplement: Section 2599.6 requires qualifying school districts to use the Tax Equity Supplement for tax relief and/or debt reduction. Additional information is available under the Tax Equity Supplement section of the Ready to Block Grant webpage.
Yes. Math and literacy programs, including coaches, specialists or other education support professionals, within schools to improve math and reading instruction is an allowable use of RTL Foundation and Adequacy funds.
Yes. Prior year allowable uses have not changed. The category names may have changed, and new categories exist, but the broad intent of each has not been altered.
The law allows RTL Foundation and Adequacy Supplement funds to be used programs or activities that foster supportive learning environments, including 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. Please consult your school district’s or charter school’s Student Services Plan.
More Information
Questions related to the Ready to Learn Block Grant may be directed to Jim Towse in PDE’s Bureau of School Support at PDE at jtowse@pa.gov.
Questions on the Tax Equity Supplement calculation, payment, or uses or related to Act 1 should be directed to Benjamin Hanft in PDE’s Bureau of Financial Operations at bhanft@pa.gov.
Information on LEA allocations and allowable expenditures can be found on the Ready to Learn Block Grant webpage.