158.840 Legislative findings and intent -- Importance of students' reading and
1,300 words·~6 min read·
/ky/158-840A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
mathematics skills in achieving scholastic goals -- Roles of statewide entities in
improving student achievement.
(1)The General Assembly hereby finds that reading and mathematics proficiency are
gateway skills necessary for all Kentucky students to achieve the academic goals
established in KRS 158.6451. It is the General Assembly's intent that:
(a)All students in kindergarten through grade three
(3)having difficulty in
reading and mathematics receive early diagnosis and intervention services
from highly trained teachers;
(b)All students in kindergarten through grade three
(3)needing to make
accelerated progress toward proficiency in mathematics based on data from
valid and reliable universal screening and diagnostic assessments receive
high-quality, evidence-based mathematics instruction and intervention aligned
to the Kentucky academic standards for mathematics;
(c)All students demonstrate proficiency in reading and mathematics as they
progress through the relevant curricula and complete each assessment level
required by the Kentucky Board of Education for the state assessment
program established under KRS 158.6453 and in compliance with the
requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Pub. L. No.
114-95, or its successor; and
(d)Students who are struggling in reading and mathematics or are not at the
proficient level on statewide assessments shall be provided evidence-based
and developmentally appropriate diagnostic and intervention services, and
instructional modifications necessary to learn.
The General Assembly, the Kentucky Board of Education, the Kentucky
Department of Education, the Council on Postsecondary Education, colleges and
universities, local boards of education, school administrators, school councils,
teachers, parents and families, and other educational entities, such as the Education
Professional Standards Board, P-16 councils, the statewide reading research center
established under KRS 164.0207, and the Center for Middle School Academic
Achievement must collaborate if the intentions specified in this subsection are to be
met. Intensive focus on student achievement in reading and mathematics does not
negate the responsibility of any entity to help students obtain proficiency in other
core curriculum content areas.
(2)The General Assembly's role is to set policies that address the achievement levels of
all students and provide resources for the professional growth of teachers and
administrators, assessing students' academic achievement, including valid and
reliable universal screening and diagnostic assessment and instructional
interventions, technology innovations, targeted reading and mathematics statewide
initiatives, research and the distribution of research findings, services for students
beyond the regular school day, and other services needed to help struggling
learners.
(3)The Kentucky Board of Education shall regularly review and modify, when
appropriate, its statewide assessment policies and practices to enable local school
districts and schools to carry out the provisions of the statewide assessment and
accountability system, required under KRS 158.6453 to improve student
achievement in mathematics and reading.
(4)The Kentucky Department of Education shall:
(a)Provide assistance to schools and teachers, including publicizing professional
development opportunities, methods of measuring effective professional
development, the availability of high quality instructional materials, and
developmentally appropriate, valid, and reliable screening and diagnostic
assessments of student competency in mathematics and reading. The
department shall provide access to samples of units of study, annotated
student work, diagnostic instruments, and research findings, and give
guidance on parental engagement;
(b)Work with state and national educators and subject-matter experts to identify
student reading and mathematical skills in each subject area that align with the
state content standards adopted under KRS 158.6453 and identify teaching
strategies in each subject area that can be used explicitly to develop the
identified reading and mathematical skills under this paragraph;
(c)Encourage the development of comprehensive middle and high school
adolescent reading and mathematics plans to be incorporated into the curricula
of each subject area to improve the reading comprehension and mathematical
skills of all students;
(d)Conduct an annual review of the state grant programs it manages and make
recommendations, when needed, to the Interim Joint Committee on Education
for changes to statutory requirements that are necessary to gain a greater
return on investment;
(e)Provide administrative support and oversight to programs to train classroom
coaches and mentors to help teachers with reading and mathematics
instruction; and
(f)Require no reporting of instructional plans, formative assessment results, staff
effectiveness processes, or interventions implemented in the classroom,
except for:
1. Interventions implemented under KRS 158.305(2) and 158.8402;
2. Funds provided under KRS 158.792 or 158.844; or
3. Schools that are identified for comprehensive support and improvement
and fail to exit comprehensive support and improvement status after
three
(3)consecutive years of implementing the turnaround intervention
process as described in KRS 160.346.
(5)The Education Professional Standards Board, in cooperation with the Council on
Postsecondary Education, shall exercise its duties and functions under KRS 161.028
to ensure that teacher education programs are fulfilling the needs of Kentucky for
highly skilled teachers. The Education Professional Standards Board shall:
(a)Coordinate the federal and state grant programs it administers with other
statewide initiatives relating to improving student achievement in reading and
mathematics to avoid duplication of effort and to make efficient use of
resources;
(b)Submit a report every three
(3)years to the Legislative Research Commission
for referral to the appropriate Interim Joint Committee on Education and the
Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, summarizing the
compliance of each teacher preparation program for alignment to early
childhood education or elementary regular education standards and to the
instructional requirements set forth in KRS 164.306(1) and 164.3061;
(c)Regularly report program data to an external evaluator for an annual analysis
of the ability of teacher preparation programs to properly train and equip
teacher preparation program students with the literacy and mathematics
content knowledge and skills to educate students in kindergarten through
grade three (3); and
(d)Exercise its duties and responsibilities under KRS 161.030 and 161.048 to
ensure highly qualified teachers.
(6)Colleges and universities shall:
(a)Utilize institution-wide resources to work with elementary and secondary
educators and other entities to align curriculum content to ensure that students
who achieve proficiency on standards established at the prekindergarten
through secondary levels will require no remediation to successfully enter a
postsecondary education program;
(b)Provide quality undergraduate teacher preparation programs to ensure that
those preparing to teach reading or mathematics at all grade levels have the
necessary content knowledge, assessment and diagnostic skills, and teaching
methodologies and that teachers in all subject areas have the requisite skills
for helping students at all grade levels develop critical strategies and skills for
reading and comprehending subject matter;
(c)Deliver evidence-based continuing education for teachers in reading and
mathematics through institutes, graduate level courses, and other professional
development activities that support a statewide agenda for improving student
achievement in reading and mathematics;
(d)Conduct or assist with research on best practices in assessment, intervention
strategies, teaching methodologies, costs and effectiveness of instructional
models, and other factors as appropriate to reading and mathematics;
(e)Provide staff to consult and provide technical assistance to teachers, staff, and
administrators at elementary, middle, and secondary school sites;
(f)Assume active roles in the statewide initiatives referenced in KRS 156.553
and 158.842; and
(g)Develop written procedures for measuring the effectiveness of activities
outlined in paragraphs
(a)to
(f)of this subsection.
(7)School councils at all school levels are encouraged to identify and allocate
resources to qualified teachers to become coaches or mentors in mathematics or
coaches or mentors in reading with a focus on improving student achievement in
their respective schools.
(8)Local school boards and superintendents shall provide local resources to
supplement or match state and federal resources to support teachers, school
administrators, and school councils in helping students achieve proficiency in
reading and mathematics.
(9)Local school superintendents shall provide leadership and resources to the
principals of all schools to facilitate curriculum alignment, communications, and
technical support among schools to ensure that students are academically prepared
to move to the next level of schooling.