Registration for the Kentucky Reading Academies: Cohort 4 of LETRS Professional Learning NOW OPEN
Registration for the fourth Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) cohort of the Kentucky Reading Academies will be open from May 1, 2025, through Aug. 22, 2025.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will continue the exciting partnership that brings the LETRS professional learning to educators across the Commonwealth, called the Kentucky Reading Academies. This course of study was chosen because of its demonstrated success on a national scale in bringing significant increases in literacy achievement.
The Kentucky Reading Academies is a comprehensive no-cost professional learning opportunity open to all K-5 public school educators. More than 6,000 Kentucky educators and administrators have participated or are currently participating in the LETRS professional learning opportunity.
Two different courses are being offered through the Kentucky Reading Academies: LETRS for Educators and LETRS for Administrators. Descriptions of each are following:
-
LETRS for Educators Cohort 4: This course is recommended for K-5 teachers, interventionists, reading specialists, instructional coaches and anyone providing reading instruction or intervention supports to early readers.
-
LETRS for Administrators Cohort 4: This course is recommended for instructional coaches who have completed LETRS for Educators, district leaders and building administrators.
Interested educators and administrators can register on the Kentucky Reading Academies webpage beginning May 1. Registrants will indicate which course they are enrolling in when completing the registration form.
PLEASE NOTE: Limited licenses are available for Cohort 4. Registration will be first come, first served. Once we reach capacity, registrants will be placed on a waitlist and invited as licenses become available. Registration does not guarantee enrollment into the professional learning.
Also of note: Cohort 3 participants will not need to register for Cohort 4 as they are already enrolled in the professional learning.
Find out more about the Kentucky Reading Academies on the Kentucky Reading Academies webpage.
For questions about the Kentucky Reading Academies, please email KDE Director of Early Literacy Christie Biggerstaff.
Register NOW 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 join the 1,300 others who have registered for the second annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference on June 13, 2025, at The Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky and register today.
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!
New Resources Added to Approved K-12 High-Quality Instructional Resources List for Reading and Writing
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) previously released approved lists of K-12 high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs) for reading and writing and mathematics, focusing on Tier 1 core comprehensive resources. A core comprehensive instructional resource is one that serves as the primary means of instruction in a content area for a grade level or course. These lists are designed to assist superintendents in navigating the complex marketplace of educational resources. Kentucky law, specifically KRS 160.345, places the authority for developing local curriculum, including the selection of instructional materials, with local superintendents, following appropriate consultation.
Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), 3rd Edition (K-5) and ThinkCERCA Core Curriculum (6-12) have recently been added to the approved list for reading and writing. Earlier editions of Amplify CKLA (K-5) were previously included on the KDE approved list; Amplify CKLA, 3rd Edition (K-5, 2026) maintains the research basis, program structure and pedagogy of previous editions while enhancing the user experience. ThinkCERCA Core Curriculum (6-12) was recently reviewed by EdReports and received a green rating as a core comprehensive program for secondary English/language arts.
While all materials on the approved list meet the KDE standards for HQIRs and have been informed by feedback from the Quality Curriculum Taskforce, districts are encouraged to conduct thorough local reviews to ensure that selected materials align with their specific needs and the local instructional vision. Off-list notification is still protected and allowable per KRS 156.445.
More information about the approved reading/writing and mathematics lists can be found on KDE’s Instructional Resources webpage.
Don't Miss the Early Literacy Newsletter
Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up to receive the Early Literacy Newsletter each week.
Did you miss last week's Early Literacy Newsletter? You can access all previous editions of the newsletter on the Early Literacy webpage.
|
