Establishes Elementary Home Reading Grant Program; appropriates $500,000 to DOE from federal funds.

S 185 establishes New Jersey's Elementary Home Reading Grant Program to improve reading proficiency among elementary students by increasing home reading opportunities and parental engagement. The program provides $500,000 in federal pandemic funds to the Department of Education, which will award competitive grants to school districts partnering with nonprofits to run home reading programs. These programs must mail weekly reading-level books to students' homes, use multilingual communication to engage parents, provide 6-9 books students can keep, and track metrics like reading progress and demographic data. School districts must submit detailed applications, and grants require 100% state matching for per-student costs, with a report due within two years evaluating program impact.