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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<![CDATA[ Page 1 of 3 158.840 General Assembly findings and intent -- Importance of students' reading and mathematics skills in achieving scholastic goals -- Roles of statewide <br>entities in improving student achievement. (1) The General Assembly hereby finds that reading and mathematics proficiency are gateway skills necessary for all Kentucky students to achieve the academic goals <br>established in KRS 158.6451. It is the General Assembly's intent that: <br>(a) All students in the primary program having difficulty in reading and mathematics receive early diagnosis and intervention services from highly <br>trained teachers; (b) All students demonstrate proficiency in reading and mathematics as they progress through the relevant curricula and complete each assessment level <br>required by the Kentucky Board of Education for the state assessment program <br>established under KRS 158.6453 and in compliance with the requirements of <br>the federal "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," 20 U.S.C. sec. 6301 et seq.; <br>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 <br>developmentally appropriate diagnostic and intervention services, and <br>instructional modifications necessary to learn. The General Assembly, the Kentucky Board of Education, the Kentucky <br>Department of Education, the Council on Postsecondary Education, colleges and <br>universities, local boards of education, school administrators, school councils, <br>teachers, parents, and other educational entities, such as the Education Professional <br>Standards Board, P-16 councils, the Collaborative Center for Literacy Development, <br>and the Center for Middle School Achievement must collaborate if the intentions <br>specified in this subsection are to be met. Intensive focus on student achievement in <br>reading and mathematics does not negate the responsibility of any entity to help <br>students obtain proficiency in other core curriculum content areas. (2) 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 <br>administrators, assessing students' academic achievement, including diagnostic <br>assessment and instructional interventions, technology innovations, targeted reading <br>and mathematics statewide initiatives, research and the distribution of research <br>findings, services for students beyond the regular school day, and other services <br>needed to help struggling learners. (3) The Kentucky Board of Education shall regularly review and modify, when appropriate, its statewide assessment policies and practices to enable local school <br>districts and schools to carry out the provisions of the statewide assessment and <br>accountability system, required under KRS 158.6453 to improve student <br>achievement in mathematics and reading. (4) The Kentucky Department of Education shall: (a) Provide assistance to schools and teachers, including publicizing professional development opportunities, methods of measuring effective professional Page 2 of 3 development, the availability of high quality instructional materials, and <br>developmentally appropriate screening and diagnostic assessments of student <br>competency in mathematics and reading. The department shall provide access <br>to samples of units of study, annotated student work, diagnostic instruments, <br>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 <br>standards adopted under KRS 158.6453 and identify teaching strategies in <br>each subject area that can be used explicitly to develop the identified reading <br>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 <br>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 <br>for changes to statutory requirements that are necessary to gain a greater return <br>on investment; and (e) Provide administrative support and oversight to programs to train classroom coaches and mentors to help teachers with reading and mathematics <br>instruction. (5) The Council on Postsecondary Education, in cooperation with the Education Professional Standards Board, shall exercise its duties and functions under KRS <br>164.020 to ensure that teacher education programs are fulfilling the needs of <br>Kentucky for highly skilled teachers. The council shall coordinate the federal and <br>state grant programs it administers with other statewide initiatives relating to <br>improving student achievement in reading and mathematics to avoid duplication of <br>effort and to make efficient use of resources. (6) The Education Professional Standards Board shall exercise its duties and responsibilities under KRS 161.030 and 161.048 to ensure highly qualified teachers. (7) 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 <br>who achieve proficiency on standards established at the prekindergarten <br>through secondary levels will require no remediation to successfully enter a <br>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 <br>necessary content knowledge, assessment and diagnostic skills, and teaching <br>methodologies and that teachers in all subject areas have the requisite skills <br>for helping students at all grade levels develop critical strategies and skills for <br>reading and comprehending subject matter; (c) Deliver appropriate continuing education for teachers in reading and mathematics through institutes, graduate level courses, and other professional Page 3 of 3 development activities that support a statewide agenda for improving student <br>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 <br>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 <br>mentors in reading with a focus on improving student achievement in their <br>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, <br>school administrators, and school councils in helping students achieve proficiency <br>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 <br>technical support among schools to ensure that students are academically prepared <br>to move to the next level of schooling. Effective: July 15, 2010 <br>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. ]]>