ATLANTA — The Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy awarded $249,978 in grant funding to researchers within the University System of Georgia last week.
The funding was granted to five projects aimed at investigating the implementation of evidence-based language and literacy strategies in organizations serving children and families.
The Center said the initiative aligns with the Deal Center’s mission of improving reading outcomes for children in Georgia.
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Dr. Lindee Morgan, executive director of the Deal Center, emphasized the importance of the funding for the programs.
“Implementation science is the key bridge between research and what works in the real world,” Morgan said in a statement. “When we invest in research to understand what works, we can drive meaningful and systemic change.”
The grant recipients include:
- Dr. Gary Bingham from Georgia State University, who is conducting a study on building an early language and literacy system through the Literacy and Justice for All Initiative in Atlanta
- Dr. Brennan Chandler, also from Georgia State University, who aims to enhance caregiver capacity for structured literacy at home through a parent leader implementation pilot
- Dr. Jialin Lai from Augusta University, focusing on the WRITE HOME Backpack Project to support family literacy practices
- Dr. Kristin Sayeski from the University of Georgia, working on a university-school partnership to enhance teacher preparation and early literacy outcomes
- Dr. Melissa Baker from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, examining reflective literacy coaching for early career teachers to strengthen reading practices in rural Georgia.
The Sandra Dunagan Deal Center, established by the Office of the Governor in 2017, focuses on improving literacy outcomes for Georgia’s children and is located at Georgia College & State University.
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