As expected, the Department of Education has issued its request for proposals for its next round of grants -- $23.3 million worth -- in its Ready to Learn educational-TV program.
There will be two parts to the grant, a programming effort with $20 million available, and an outreach effort in the $3.5 million range.
The grant's target is low-income children and an absolute requirement will be that the show or shows (up to two at $10 million per) and accompanying outreach effort be based in scientific research on early childhood education and that bidders be able to demonstrate that it is geared to get results with its target population.
The administration was widely expected to emphasize results and testing given its No Child Left Behind program and particularly after DOE Secretary took PBS to task for the planned episode of RTL series Postcards From Buster, that featured a lesbian couple.
