2013 Kentucky Revised Statutes CHAPTER 158 - CONDUCT OF SCHOOLS -- SPECIAL PROGRAMS 158.840 General Assembly findings and intent -- Importance of students' reading and mathematics skills in achieving scholastic goals -- Roles of statewide entities in improving student achievement.
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158.840 General Assembly findings and intent -- Importance of students'
reading and mathematics skills in achieving scholastic goals -- Roles of
statewide entities in improving student achievement.
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The General Assembly hereby finds that reading and mathematics proficiency
are gateway skills necessary for all Kentucky students to achieve the academic
goals established in KRS 158.6451. It is the General Assembly's intent that:
(a) All students in the primary program having difficulty in reading and
mathematics receive early diagnosis and intervention services from highly
trained teachers;
(b) All students demonstrate proficiency in reading and mathematics as they
progress through the relevant curricula and complete each assessment
level required by the Kentucky Board of Education for the state
assessment program established under KRS 158.6453 and in compliance
with the requirements of the federal "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,"
20 U.S.C. sec. 6301 et seq.; and
(c) Students who are struggling in reading and mathematics or are not at the
proficient level on statewide assessments be provided research-based
and developmentally appropriate diagnostic and intervention services,
and instructional modifications necessary to learn.
The General Assembly, the Kentucky Board of Education, the Kentucky
Department of Education, the Council on Postsecondary Education, colleges
and universities, local boards of education, school administrators, school
councils, teachers, parents, and other educational entities, such as the
Education Professional Standards Board, P-16 councils, the Collaborative
Center for Literacy Development, and the Center for Middle School
Achievement must collaborate if the intentions specified in this subsection are
to be met. Intensive focus on student achievement in reading and mathematics
does not negate the responsibility of any entity to help students obtain
proficiency in other core curriculum content areas.
The General Assembly's role is to set policies that address the achievement
levels of all students and provide resources for the professional growth of
teachers and administrators, assessing students' academic achievement,
including diagnostic assessment and instructional interventions, technology
innovations, targeted reading and mathematics statewide initiatives, research
and the distribution of research findings, services for students beyond the
regular school day, and other services needed to help struggling learners.
The Kentucky Board of Education shall regularly review and modify, when
appropriate, its statewide assessment policies and practices to enable local
school districts and schools to carry out the provisions of the statewide
assessment and accountability system, required under KRS 158.6453 to
improve student achievement in mathematics and reading.
The Kentucky Department of Education shall:
(a) Provide assistance to schools and teachers, including publicizing
professional development opportunities, methods of measuring effective
professional development, the availability of high quality instructional
materials, and developmentally appropriate screening and diagnostic
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assessments of student competency in mathematics and reading. The
department shall provide access to samples of units of study, annotated
student work, diagnostic instruments, and research findings, and give
guidance on parental engagement;
(b) Work with state and national educators and subject-matter experts to
identify student reading skills in each subject area that align with the state
content standards adopted under KRS 158.6453 and identify teaching
strategies in each subject area that can be used explicitly to develop the
identified reading skills under this paragraph;
(c) Encourage the development of comprehensive middle and high school
adolescent reading plans to be incorporated into the curricula of each
subject area to improve the reading comprehension of all students;
(d) Conduct an annual review of the state grant programs it manages and
make recommendations, when needed, to the Interim Joint Committee on
Education for changes to statutory requirements that are necessary to
gain a greater return on investment; and
(e) Provide administrative support and oversight to programs to train
classroom coaches and mentors to help teachers with reading and
mathematics instruction.
The Council on Postsecondary Education, in cooperation with the Education
Professional Standards Board, shall exercise its duties and functions under
KRS 164.020 to ensure that teacher education programs are fulfilling the needs
of Kentucky for highly skilled teachers. The council shall coordinate the federal
and state grant programs it administers with other statewide initiatives relating
to improving student achievement in reading and mathematics to avoid
duplication of effort and to make efficient use of resources.
The Education Professional Standards Board shall exercise its duties and
responsibilities under KRS 161.030 and 161.048 to ensure highly qualified
teachers.
Colleges and universities shall:
(a) Utilize institution-wide resources to work with elementary and secondary
educators and other entities to align curriculum content to ensure that
students who achieve proficiency on standards established at the
prekindergarten through secondary levels will require no remediation to
successfully enter a postsecondary education program;
(b) Provide quality undergraduate teacher preparation programs to ensure
that those preparing to teach reading or mathematics at all grade levels
have the necessary content knowledge, assessment and diagnostic skills,
and teaching methodologies and that teachers in all subject areas have
the requisite skills for helping students at all grade levels develop critical
strategies and skills for reading and comprehending subject matter;
(c) Deliver appropriate continuing education for teachers in reading and
mathematics through institutes, graduate level courses, and other
professional development activities that support a statewide agenda for
improving student achievement in reading and mathematics;
(d) Conduct or assist with research on best practices in assessment,
intervention strategies, teaching methodologies, costs and effectiveness
of instructional models, and other factors as appropriate to reading and
mathematics;
(e) Provide staff to consult and provide technical assistance to teachers,
staff, and administrators at elementary, middle, and secondary school
sites;
(f) Assume active roles in the statewide initiatives referenced in KRS
156.553 and 158.842; and
(g) Develop written procedures for measuring the effectiveness of activities
outlined in paragraphs (a) to (e) of this subsection.
(8) School councils at all school levels are encouraged to identify and allocate
resources to qualified teachers to become coaches or mentors in mathematics
or coaches or mentors in reading with a focus on improving student
achievement in their respective schools.
(9) Local school boards and superintendents shall provide local resources,
whenever possible, to supplement or match state and federal resources to
support teachers, school administrators, and school councils in helping
students achieve proficiency in reading and mathematics.
(10) Local school superintendents shall provide leadership and resources to the
principals of all schools to facilitate curriculum alignment, communications, and
technical support among schools to ensure that students are academically
prepared to move to the next level of schooling.
Effective:July 15, 2010
History: Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 42, sec. 2, effective July 15, 2010. -- Created
2005 Ky. Acts ch. 164, sec. 1, effective March 18, 2005.
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