Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
An Official Pennsylvania Government Website
Translate
Begin Main Content Area

​Ready to Learn Block Grant

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 2024-2025 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.

More information on the process to complete the Foundation and Adequacy Supplement can be found in the eGrant or on the Foundation and Adequacy Supplement webpage.

More information on the process to complete the Tax Equity Supplement can be found in the eGrant or on the Tax Equity Supplement webpage.

Acceptable Uses of Fund​​s

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. Complete Acceptable Uses of Funds language.

  • 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.

Timel​​​ine

  • October 26, 2024: Deadline to submit applications.

Funding Rul​es

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.​