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Standards Newsletter: Apr. 1, 2026

Kentucky Department of Education sent this bulletin at 04/01/2026 10:01 AM EDT

Apr. 1, 2026

Elevate Student Thinking Through Writing in Science

Looking for meaningful ways to strengthen student learning in science? Text-Based Writing Across Disciplines provides science examples of practical, standards-aligned tasks that help students make sense of phenomena through writing to learn, writing to demonstrate learning and writing for publication.

Grounded in complex, grade-level texts, this resource supports students in engaging with multimodal texts while building discipline-specific literacy skills. Students use reading and writing in ways that reflect how scientists communicate knowledge: Analyzing evidence, constructing explanations and publishing their thinking for authentic audiences.

Each sample task is aligned to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Science as well as the KAS for Reading and Writing. These tasks are designed to supplement your district’s adopted High-Quality Instructional Resources (HQIRs) or support instruction in districts without a primary HQIR. They are not a replacement for HQIR, rather samples of what these modes of writing look like in the science classroom.

As we move into spring, this resource is especially useful for:

Increasing student ownership of scientific explanations,
Providing authentic opportunities for students to communicate their learning,
Tightening alignment between science instruction and literacy expectations, and
Strengthening evidence-based writing before summative assessments.

Support students in thinking, writing and communicating like scientists because writing in science is not an add-on—it is how students make sense of the world.

Standards Quick Links

KYstandards.org

Model Curriculum Framework webpage

Standards Resources webpage

KY Academic Standards webpage

New On-Demand Course: Grade 2 Economics with the Kentucky Historical Society: What does the KAS for Social Studies Look Like in Practice?

Developed in partnership with the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS), this self-paced course on the KY Learning Hub explores a standards-aligned lesson about the factors of production of coal in Kentucky. Participants examine land, labor and capital by analyzing authentic KHS artifacts, with direct alignment to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Social Studies.

Enroll in Grade 2 Economics with the Kentucky Historical Society: What does the KAS for Social Studies Look Like in Practice? in the KYLearningHub today! Please contact the social studies team at KDESocialStudies@education.ky.gov with any questions you may have.

CONTACT INFO

standards@education.ky.gov

Revised Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Reading and Writing coming soon

We are approaching the official release of the revised Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Reading and Writing! On October 2, 2025, the Kentucky Board of Education approved the draft standards, and the final legislative review and adoption into law is anticipated on or before May 5, 2026. At that time, the KAS for Reading and Writing along with a comprehensive implementation guide will be available. This guide will help educators get to know the revised standards, consider instructional shifts where needed and make plans for implementation this fall.

In addition to the suite of implementation resources embedded in the implementation guide, regional educational cooperatives are hosting free professional learning opportunities throughout the summer for teachers, instructional coaches and administrators based on the upcoming Getting to Know the KAS for Reading and Writing module. This high-quality professional learning, facilitated by program consultants Leigh Turner and Tina Withorn from the Division of Program Standards, will help educators synthesize the revised standards with research, evidence-based literacy practices and high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs). You will not want to miss the opportunity to dig into the revised standards in your region!

Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative (CKEC)
- For Administrators & Instructional Coaches on June 2, 2026
- For Teachers & Instructional Coaches on July 20, 2026
Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC)
- For Administrators & Instructional Coaches on May 27, 2026
- For Teachers & Instructional Coaches on June 12, 2026
- For Elementary Co-Teaching Teams & Leaders of regular and special education on July 30, 2026
- For Secondary Co-Teaching Teams & leaders of regular or special education on July 31, 2026
Kentucky Educational Development Cooperative (KEDC)
- For Teachers & Instructional Coaches on July 15, 2026 in Lexington OR July 16, 2026 in Ashland
Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC)
- For Administrators & Instructional Coaches on May 8, 2026
- For Teachers & Instructional Coaches on June 5, 2026 OR July 24, 2026
Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services (NKCES)
- For Administrators & Instructional Coaches on June 3, 2026
- For Teachers, Instructional Coaches & Administrators on July 29, 2026
Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC)
- For Administrators & Instructional Coaches on June 3 in Shelbyville OR June 4 in Middletown
- For Teachers & Instructional Coaches on July 22, 2026 in Middletown OR July 23, 2026 in LaGrange
Southeast South-Central Educational Cooperative (SESC)
- For Administrators at Connect Leadership on May 5, 2026
- For Teachers & Instructional Coaches at the Summer Institute on July 15, 2026
Western Kentucky Educational Cooperative (WKEC)
- For Administrators & Instructional Coaches on June 11, 2026 (virtual)
- For Teachers & Instructional Coaches on July 27, 2026

Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 158.6453 calls for the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments. For more information regarding the standards revision process, please visit the Kentucky Academic Standards Review Process webpage.

Please contact the KDE Standards Team with any questions.

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