About

Ready To Learn

To support the millions of children lacking the basic early learning skills to succeed in school, the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready To Learn Television grant has funded, for the past two decades, the development of educational television and digital media targeted at preschool and early elementary school children and their families, especially those who live in low-income communities. Under this federal grant, CPB and PBS KIDS work with producers, researchers, local public media stations, and other partners to develop, distribute and evaluate PBS KIDS multiplatform content – including television programs, video, interactive games, mobile apps and hands-on activities – to engage children, families, and educators in learning experiences at home, in preschool, and in out-of-school settings.

For more on the history of the RTL grant, go to this link.

2020-2025: Learn Together: Connecting Children's Media and Learning Environments to Build Key Skills for Success

In this grant cycle, CPB and PBS are working with early learning experts to expose young children to career and workforce options and help them to build vital functional literacy, critical thinking, collaboration, and "world of work" skills and knowledge. This effort also empowers and equips parents, caregivers, and communities to support children's learning and growth in these areas to put children on a path to lifetime success. This grant funds three new multi-platform television series and connected digital experiences, four new short-form video series, two new podcasts for children and families, and digital and real-world hybrid learning experiences that support intergenerational and family learning. Local PBS stations work with diverse community partners as part of a network of Learning Neighborhoods devoted to supporting the early learning needs of children in underserved communities, and with state-level partners to extend the reach of Ready To Learn resources in their states. The Education Development Center (EDC) leads research assessing the success of the five-year initiative.