158.791 Legislative findings and intent regarding reading and mathematics.
632 words·~3 min read·
/ky/chapter-158/158-791A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
(1)The General Assembly hereby finds that:
(a)Reading proficiency is a gateway skill necessary for all of Kentucky students
to achieve the academic goals established in KRS 158.6451. It is Kentucky's
goal that all children learn to read well before exiting grade three
(3)and that
all middle and high school students have the skills necessary to read complex
materials in specific core subjects and comprehend and constructively apply
the information; and
(b)Mathematics proficiency is essential for all Kentucky students to achieve the
academic goals established in KRS 158.6451. It is Kentucky's goal that all
children have the skills necessary to demonstrate procedural skill and fluency,
building from conceptual understanding to application, in order to solve real-
world problems.
(2)It is the intent of the General Assembly that:
(a)Every elementary school:
1. Provide comprehensive schoolwide reading and mathematics instruction
aligned to reading, writing, and mathematics standards required by KRS
158.6453 and outlined in administrative regulation promulgated by the
Kentucky Board of Education;
2. Provide a multitiered system of supports, as set forth in and required by
KRS 158.305, to support and engage all students in learning to read at
the proficient level, meaning a level that reflects developmentally
appropriate grade-level performance, by the end of grade three (3);
3. Provide a multitiered system of supports, as set forth in KRS 158.8402,
to support and engage all students in learning to apply mathematical
content and practices at a proficient level, meaning a level that reflects
developmentally appropriate grade-level performance, by the end of
grade five (5);
4. Ensure quality instruction for reading and mathematics by highly trained
teachers and intervention by individuals most qualified to provide the
intervention; and
5. Provide high quality library media programs;
(b)Every middle and high school:
1. Provide direct, explicit instruction to students lacking skills in how to
read, learn, and analyze information in key subjects, including language,
reading, English, mathematics, science, social studies, arts and
humanities, practical living skills, and career studies;
2. Ensure that teachers have the skills to help all students develop critical
content knowledge, strategies, and skills for subject-based reading and
grade-level appropriate mathematics;
3. Provide a multitiered system of supports to support and engage all
students in learning to apply mathematical content and practices at a
proficient level; and
4. Ensure all students routinely have opportunities to experience high-
quality mathematics instruction, learn challenging, grade-level
appropriate mathematics content and practices, and receive the
necessary support to make progress toward proficiency;
(c)The Kentucky Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to
local school districts in the identification of high-quality professional
development, including teaching strategies to help teachers in each subject
area to:
1. Implement evidence-based reading, intervention, and instructional
strategies that emphasize phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, comprehension, and connections between reading and
writing acquisition, and motivation to read to address the diverse needs
of students;
2. Implement evidence-based mathematics instruction, intervention, and
instructional strategies that emphasize algebraic reasoning, conceptual
understanding, procedural skill and fluency, geometry, data and
measurement, statistics and probability, number sense, place value
understanding, spatial reasoning, and subitizing for multiplicative
reasoning;
3. Identify and teach the grade-level content, practices, and skills that
students need to comprehend the concepts and content of each subject
area; and
4. Use learning experiences and high-quality instructional materials that
will help the students comprehend, meet grade-level expectations, and
constructively apply information based on the unique content of each
subject area;
(d)The Education Professional Standards Board shall review and revise when
deemed necessary the teacher certification and licensure requirements to
ensure that all teachers, regardless of the subject area taught, are prepared to
improve students' subject reading and mathematics skills; and
(e)The department shall collaborate with relevant groups for the purpose of
increasing student outcomes in literacy and mathematics.