Structured Literacy Beyond Early Literacy Instruction: Developing Skilled Middle and High School Readers Webinar Series Session 3 Materials and Recording Available Now!
 Do you know middle and high school teachers supporting students who are not yet skilled readers? If the answer is yes, the Developing Skilled Middle and High School Readers Webinar Series for grade 6-12 teachers and instructional coaches may be of interest.
This series shows how the structured literacy practices that are transforming early literacy instruction in Kentucky - as a result of the Read to Succeed Act (SB 9, 2022) and the Kentucky Reading Academies’ LETRS professional learning - can positively impact middle and high school reading and writing instruction.
Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, learning materials will be posted on the adolescent structured literacy webpage to provide evidence-based strategies and practices for developing skilled middle and high school readers and writers. These include:
- Monthly recordings of webinar sessions (Sessions #1 and #2 available NOW);
- Corresponding participant guides
To help us support literacy development at every grade level, share this information with grade 6-12 teachers and instructional coaches.
Please contact ELAteam@education.ky.gov with questions.
Feedback Sought on Kentucky Reading and Writing Standards
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking feedback on the Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing.
KRS 158.6453 calls for KDE to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. The schedule calls for one or two content areas to be reviewed each year, and every six years after that on a rotating basis.
The standards outline what students are expected to learn in each grade or grade-band to successfully transition to the next level of learning. The curriculum, including the instructional methods and resources used to teach the standards, is a separate issue and is determined at the local level per KRS 160.345.
To provide feedback on the reading and writing standards, please use this survey. Due to the amount of text within the survey, it is recommended that the survey be completed on a full-size computer or laptop screen. Participants are provided with the opportunity to give feedback on all standards or self-selected areas of interest. Feedback on the current reading and writing standards will be collected by the American Institute for Research through November 30.
Questions on this process can be directed to standards@education.gov.
Grants Available for Improving Literacy Outcomes
Kentucky Awarded the Federal 2024 Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Kentucky a five-year, $54.9 million Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant to enhance literacy skills across the state. Renamed Kentucky Comprehensive Literacy 2025 (KyCL 25), the program will provide competitive funding to districts, focusing on underserved students, including those in poverty, English learners, and students with disabilities. This funding aims to improve literacy through high-quality instructional resources and curriculum based professional learning for all levels.
To learn more about the grant and the application process, read the full article here.
FY25 Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Fund Mini Grant RFA
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is now accepting applications for the FY25 Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Fund Mini-Grants. These grants help schools improve reading skills for K-3 struggling readers through structured literacy practices. The mini grant will help districts adopt high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs) for tier 2 and/or tier 3 reading instruction. Don't miss the application deadline and key details!
ICYMI: Resource Spotlight: Supports for Reading and Writing HQIR Implementation
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) developed the Curriculum-Based Professional Learning Guidance Document to support districts in effective implementation of a strong local curriculum anchored in high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs). The guidance document includes multiple tools to help ensure maximum impact of the district-adopted HQIRs on student experience and outcomes.
To support continuous improvement in curriculum implementation and in the quality of instruction, monitoring progress through classroom observations and providing effective feedback are critical. The Curriculum-Based Professional Learning Guidance Document includes tools for classroom observations as well as a tool to help structure observations and feedback.
The Early Implementation Observation Tool for Reading and Writing is designed for classroom observation, feedback and reflection aligned to common indicators in the first year of implementation.
The Instructional Practice Guide for K-3 Foundational Skills and Instructional Practice Guide for Comprehension in Reading and Writing K-12 are designed for classroom observation, feedback and reflection during ongoing implementation.
Learning Walk Protocol – The Learning Walk Protocol is designed for school or district level observations to gather formative data on key aspects of implementation and develop a shared sense of next steps.
Find all HQIR and Curriculum-Based Professional Learning resources on KyStandards.org.
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