Standards Newsletter - August 3, 2022

August 3, 2022

Last Call for the Kentucky Reading Academies!

Registration for the first ever cohort of the Kentucky Reading Academies closes this Friday, Aug. 5. If you are a K-5 teacher of reading, you do not want to miss this opportunity. Please sign up today!

A child’s ability to read is a critical predictor of both educational and lifelong success. Kentucky’s youngest readers must have every opportunity to develop their literacy skills, but as our schools tackle unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers must have unprecedented support.

In response to this critical need, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has a new, exciting partnership to bring the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling professional learning to educators across the Commonwealth, called the Kentucky Reading Academies. This course of study was specifically chosen because of its demonstrated success on a national scale in bringing significant increases in literacy achievement.

The Kentucky Reading Academies will offer comprehensive no-cost professional learning in three phases starting in fall 2022, beginning with up to 2,400 K-5 educators.

Find out more about the Kentucky Reading Academies in the recording of the informational webinar!

For questions about the Kentucky Reading Academies, email KDE Chief Academic Officer Micki Ray.

Roadmap to Implementing High Quality Mathematics Instruction: A Workshop for K-12 Educators

The Roadmap to Implementing High Quality Mathematics Instruction workshop seeks to guide instructional planning by taking educators on a journey designed to: 

• Ground instruction in the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Mathematics, thus reaffirming a commitment to equitable learning opportunities for all students in Kentucky;
• Support intentional integration of evidence-based instructional practices; and
• Expand educator familiarity with strategies to interweave the development of social emotional competencies with the development of mathematics content. 

This workshop offers an opportunity for educators to engage with one another as learners and practitioners, considering how to cultivate vibrant student learning experiences that incorporate evidence-based instructional practices while valuing educator expertise and autonomy. 

The workshop will consist of a series of 2-hour synchronous virtual sessions across the 2022-2023 school year. Specific dates and times will be finalized once applicants have been selected. 

Fall Sessions

• Session 1: Week of Sept. 26-29

• Session 2: Week of Oct. 17-20

• Session 3: Week of Nov. 14-17

Spring Sessions

• Session 4: Week of Jan. 30-Feb. 2

• Session 5: Week of Feb. 27-March 2

• Session 6: Week of April 17-20

There are a limited number of spots available for this workshop. Educators interested in this opportunity should complete the Roadmap to High Quality Mathematics Instruction: A Workshop for K-12 Educators Application no later than Friday, Aug. 19. Selected participants will be notified no later than Aug. 26. 

Selected educators will receive a $1,500 stipend for their participation in the workshop, which includes the completion and submission of high-quality deliverables, including sample artifacts exemplifying what high quality mathematics instruction aligned to the KAS for Mathematics looks like in practice.

Please submit any questions to kdemath@education.ky.gov.

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List of Approved Early Literacy Screening Assessments Now Available

To support the selection of valid and reliable universal screeners and diagnostics, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has compiled a list of approved universal screeners for district review. The KDE recommends beginning with the “at-a-glance” comparison chart, which provides high-level details about each approved assessment. One-pagers providing further information about each assessment and the selection criteria utilized to select assessments also are available.

All materials can be found on the Early Literacy Screening Assessments webpage. An approved list of diagnostic assessments will be provided in the near future.

Per Senate Bill 9, the Read to Succeed Act, by Jan. 1, 2023, each superintendent shall select:

• At least one reliable and valid universal screener for reading administered to all students in grades K-3; and
• At least one reliable and valid reading diagnostic assessment administered as part of a multi-tiered system of supports for students in grades K-3.
• All teachers of students in K-3 shall be trained on any reading diagnostic assessment and universal screener selected by the superintendent prior to administration of the assessment in the 2023-2024 school year.

The Senate Bill 9 Implementation Timeline document provides further guidance around what needs to be implemented when.

Questions regarding the approved list of screeners and diagnostics may be emailed to Christie Biggerstaff, director of Early Literacy. 

CONTACT INFORMATION

standards@education.ky.gov