Don't Wait! Register Today for Kentucky’s Read to Succeed Summer Conference
 The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) Division of Early Literacy invites you to register for the second annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference on June 13, 2025, at The Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky.
Keynote speaker and educational consultant to state departments and school districts on explicit instruction and literacy, Dr. Anita Archer has presented in all 50 states, all US territories, and many countries, including Australia and Canada, and has received ten awards honoring her educational contributions. Dr. Archer has served on the faculties of three universities, including the University of Washington, the University of Oregon, and San Diego State University. She is nationally known for her professional learning, and she has co-authored numerous curriculum materials and a best-selling textbook addressing reading and writing.
The conference, which will require registration but will be FREE to Kentucky K-12 public educators, will offer focused learning pathways to meet the needs of teachers and administrators. Attendees will learn from KDE Office of Teaching and Learning consultants and partners about:
- Evidence-based instructional shifts for literacy;
- The benefits of structured literacy;
- Why high-quality instructional resources matter; and
- Available resources for implementing the Read to Succeed Act.
Mark your calendar for this June 13 event!
UNCOVERING THE TRUTHS THAT DRIVE THE “KEY ACTIONS”
Common Misconception: The best data to inform instruction comes from assessments that determine a student’s reading level.
Are you spending time assessing your students to find their “reading levels” because you have been taught you need a level to guide your reading instruction? Assessments that place students into a reading level can seem helpful, but they often miss the mark when it comes to informing targeted instruction.
The truth is, assessment is the fuel for instruction. Teachers must use multiple types of assessments to yield a complete picture of students’ strengths and needs (Harlacher et al., 2014). Universal screeners are particularly important as they identify or predict which students are at risk of future reading difficulties (KDE, 2022). They answer the question, “Who?” Students who are at risk of not reaching reading benchmarks should undergo a Diagnostic Assessment to help determine the underlying problem and match intervention to the specific area(s) of need (KDE, 2022). Diagnostics answer the question, “What?”
Leveling assessments, on the other hand, do not provide a clear picture of what skills students have and what skills they need (Moats, 2020). Because of their subjective nature, they do not accurately predict or identify risk for reading difficulties. While it is always beneficial for teachers to listen to and observe students’ reading, it is not prudent to restrict this observation to a leveling assessment that ends with an “instructional level.” Doing so may guide a teacher to limit a student to a low level of text and deny access to rich language and ideas present in grade-level texts.
Instead, a diagnostic assessment that pinpoints particular skills, such as phonological awareness or phonics patterns, will guide a teacher to engage the student in targeted instruction specific to the need (KDE, 2022; Moats, 2020).
The new Early Literacy Assessment Flowchart can help educators navigate the who, what, when and why of early literacy assessments. This comprehensive tool guides educators through the process of assessing students' literacy development, ensuring students receive the appropriate interventions and support at the right time.
To learn about other common misconceptions that may have led to ineffective literacy practices and how to shift to evidence-based structured literacy practices, see Key Actions for Meeting the Needs of ALL K-3 Readers and Writers.
New Resource to Support Curriculum Implementation Now Available
Research shows effective implementation is essential for a local curriculum anchored in a high-quality instructional resource (HQIR) to improve the quality of instruction, the student experience and student outcomes. To support districts in effective curriculum implementation, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) previously released three critical resources:
In response to feedback from instructional leaders in Kentucky and their request to help clarify how these resources can be used together year-over-year to drive continuous improvement in instruction, the student experience and student outcomes, the KDE has developed the Continuous Improvement Playbook for Curriculum Implementation. This new resource:
- Provides a sequence of eight action steps to be taken each year;
- Pairs the eight action steps with associated resources and tools; and
- Maintains a consistent sequence of steps across the stages of implementation.
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