USF receives $4.8 million grant to support young English learners
October 7, 2026 - The University of South Florida’s College of Education has received a $4.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support young English learners in the Tampa Bay community. The five-year initiative is called STEEPLE-EL: Strengthening the Training of Early Education Professionals to Enhance the Learning Environment for English Learners. According to a prepared statement, "the goal is to bring together USF and community partners to improve language and literacy instruction" for students in pre-K through third grade.