Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor along with U.S. Representative Marion Berry (D-AR, 1^st) announced today that two school districts in Arkansas' 1^st Congressional District will receive grants from the Department of Education's Literacy and School Libraries Program. The August School District in Woodruff County and the Hoxie School District in Lawrence County will use these funds to purchase new library materials, enhance library media centers, extend library hours, and provide training for teachers and library media specialists.

Augusta School District - $282,029.17

The Augusta School District's Project SuccessStory will use these funds to improve the literacy skills of students at two elementary schools. The district will expand library hours for an additional hour during the school week and four hours on Saturday, enhance its library collection by acquiring up-to-date and high quality print and electronic materials, install state-of-the-art technology and equipment in the library media center, and increase the number of family literacy nights from two to four per year. The school district will also provide professional development for teachers and library media staff in library/classroom collaboration, early childhood literacy, technology integration, and curriculum instruction.

Hoxie School District - $231,697

The Hoxie School District's Books and Beyond Program will serve 478 students at the Hoxie School (K-6) by improving technological skills, increasing parental involvement, reducing the number of students performing below instructional reading level, and increasing oral reading fluency. The district will reach these goals by updating the collection of books in the library media center, installing new computers and software programs to improve literacy, and establishing after school and summer library programs. The program will also provide district library media specialists and teachers with professional training to help them effectively develop and deliver collaborative lesson plans, assessments, and assignments.

"The investment we make today for our children’s education will serve to strengthen our nation as they grow into tomorrow’s leaders," Senator Lincoln said. "We must provide students, as well as their teachers, every resource available to help them succeed in the classroom, and I commend the Augusta School District and the Hoxie School District on their respective programs that promote student achievement."

“Libraries should enhance every child’s opportunity to learn,” Senator Pryor said.  “I’m pleased the Augusta and Hoxie school districts will be able to use this federal funding to provide students and teachers with new tools to learn and advance their literacy goals for the community.”

"Investing in our schools and libraries is one of the best ways to improve the quality of life in rural Arkansas," Congressman Berry said. "Our children deserve the highest quality instruction we can provide. I am pleased to see our schools benefit from this great federal program, and look forward to helping other school districts in Arkansas' 1^st Congressional District enhance their literacy programs."