Kentucky Numeracy Counts Launches Summer Learning for Teachers and Administrators
Two Kentucky Numeracy Counts (KYNC) Academies are launching this summer. The PIMSER Numeracy Counts Administrator Academy (PNCA2) launched on June 2 and 3 in Lexington and on June 11 and 12 in Bowling Green. This academy will bring together more than 270 administrators from across the state for math-specific professional learning that will extend math leadership skills and prepare administrators to support their teachers participating in KYNC Academies. Leaders also will have opportunities to connect their learning to their adopted high-quality instructional resource (HQIR) and the learning their teachers are engaged in as part of the numeracy academies. More information about the PIMSER Administrator Academy can be found on their webpage.
The Kentucky Center for Mathematics (KCM) will launch the 2-year KCM Numeracy Counts Academy (KCMNCA) in July with sessions across the state to engage the participants in foundational learning, provide participants with the resources they will be using throughout the 2 years and build the professional learning communities of K-5 teachers and their mentors who will work together over the course of the academy. More than 1,150 teachers have been accepted into this academy, which will extend mathematics content and pedagogical knowledge as well as provide opportunities for the teachers to connect their HQIR to the academy learning. For more information, visit KCM’s Numeracy Counts webpage.
Kentucky Numeracy Counts K-3 HQIR Grant Awarded to 40 Districts
Forty Kentucky school districts were awarded the Kentucky Numeracy Counts (KyNC) K-3 HQIR Grant. The list of districts can be found at KDE’s Competitive Grant Awards page. This grant provides $70,000 to purchase mathematics high-quality instructional resources (HQIR) and/or support curriculum-based professional learning for grades K-3.
Per KRS 158.8402(5)(b), “Each superintendent shall adopt an evidence-based curriculum along with high-quality instructional resources for mathematics that is determined by the department to be reliable, valid, and aligned to Kentucky academic standards for mathematics required by KRS 158.6453 for kindergarten through grade three (3).”
As specified in KRS 158.843, the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Fund grant shall only be used to purchase approved high-quality research and evidence-based curriculum aligned to kindergarten through grade three (3) academic standards in mathematics and expenditures for curriculum-based professional learning to implement a new curriculum. Funds will be available to awarded districts on or around July 1, 2025.
2025 Approved List of K-12 High-Quality Instructional Resources for Mathematics
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) recently released an approved list of K-12 high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs) for 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. This list is 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.
To aid in the evaluation and selection process, the KDE has released the Model Curriculum Framework’s Curriculum Development Process and an instructional resource Consumer Guide for mathematics. 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 mathematics list can be found on KDE’s Instructional Resources webpage.
Updated Mathematics Instructional Resources Consumer Guide
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has updated the Mathematics Instructional Resources Consumer Guide. The consumer guide is designed to aid in local selection of high-quality instructional resources (HQIR) and to provide for public participation in the process (KRS 156.405). Because districts direct the process to evaluate and select instructional resources per KRS 160.345, within the Curriculum Development Process in the Model Curriculum Framework, the KDE has set out to:
- Communicate the definition of and rationale for HQIRs;
- Promote the use of standards-aligned HQIRs to support implementation of the locally developed curriculum; and
- Provide guidance and tools for evaluating, selecting and implementing standards-aligned HQIRs at the local level.
The consumer guide is intended to help decision-makers at Kentucky districts and schools select high-quality mathematics instructional resources that meet the unique needs of students, educators and families within their local communities. Specifically, the purpose of the guide is to provide:
- An overview of the characteristics and markers of high-quality mathematics instructional resources; and
- The four key steps districts may utilize as they seek out resources, evaluate their effectiveness and ultimately select them for use in schools.
EPIC Numeracy Alliance
 The Kentucky Department of Education Office of Teaching and Learning is collaborating with state partners to offer a connected series of professional learning academies for teachers and instructional leaders to support evidence-based mathematics instruction across the commonwealth. One professional learning opportunity that the Kentucky Numeracy Academies is offering is the EPIC Numeracy Alliance.
The EPIC Numeracy Alliance, in partnership with Carnegie Learning, supports over 200 educators and leaders in grades 3–8, with a focus on fractions and proportional reasoning. The goals of the Numeracy Alliance are to:
- Deepen conceptual understanding of critical math concepts for teachers and leaders;
- Develop skills and habits of mathematics teachers, leading to meaningful change in instructional practice;
- Increase teacher self-efficacy in delivering grade-level content; and
- Engage in continuous improvement, build collaboration skills and capacity, and share responsibility among teachers and leaders for improving learning for all students.
Educators describe the experience as, “the most beneficial professional development of my whole career… and the least stressful!” Others share, “I learned so much today and expanded upon my previous knowledge. This is going to be great for me, my class, and my school!”
With a strong emphasis on collaboration, content knowledge, and hands-on learning, the EPIC Numeracy Alliance is positioned to make a lasting impact on Kentucky classrooms.
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