KRS 158.791: Legislative findings and intent regarding reading and mathematics.

(1) The General Assembly hereby finds that:

(a) Reading proficiency is a gateway skill necessary for all of Kentucky students

to achieve the academic goals established in KRS 158.6451. It is Kentucky's

goal that all children learn to read well before exiting grade three (3) and that

all middle and high school students have the skills necessary to read complex

materials in specific core subjects and comprehend and constructively apply

the information; and

(b) Mathematics proficiency is essential for all Kentucky students to achieve the

academic goals established in KRS 158.6451. It is Kentucky's goal that all

children have the skills necessary to demonstrate procedural skill and fluency,

building from conceptual understanding to application, in order to solve real -

world problems.

(2) It is the intent of the General Assembly that:

(a) Every elementary school:

1. Provide comprehensive schoolwide reading and mathematics instruction

aligned to reading, writing, and mathematics standards required by KRS

158.6453 and outlined in administrative regulation promulgated by the

Kentucky Board of Education;

2. Provide a multitiered system of supports, as set forth in and required by

KRS 158.305, to support and engage all students in learning to read at

the proficient level, meaning a level that reflects developmentally

appropriate grade-level performance, by the end of grade three (3);

3. Provide a multitiered system of supports, as set forth i n KRS 158.8402,

to support and engage all students in learning to apply mathematical

content and practices at a proficient level, meaning a level that reflects

developmentally appropriate grade -level performance, by the end of

grade five (5);

4. Ensure quality instruction for reading and mathematics by highly trained

teachers and intervention by individuals most qualified to provide the

intervention; and

5. Provide high quality library media programs;

(b) Every middle and high school:

1. Provide d irect, explicit instruction to students lacking skills in how to

read, learn, and analyze information in key subjects, including language,

reading, English, mathematics, science, social studies, arts and

humanities, practical living skills, and career studies;

2. Ensure that teachers have the skills to help all students develop critical

content knowledge, strategies, and skills for subject -based reading and

grade-level appropriate mathematics;

3. Provide a multitiered system of supports to support and engag e all

students in learning to apply mathematical content and practices at a

proficient level; and

4. Ensure all students routinely have opportunities to experience high -

quality mathematics instruction, learn challenging, grade -level

appropriate mathematics content and practices, and receive the

necessary support to make progress toward proficiency;

(c) The Kentucky Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to

local school districts in the identification of high -quality professional

development, including teaching strategies to help teachers in each subject

area to:

1. Implement evidence -based reading, intervention, and instructional

strategies that emphasize phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,

vocabulary, comprehension, and connections bet ween reading and

writing acquisition, and motivation to read to address the diverse needs

of students;

2. Implement evidence -based mathematics instruction, intervention, and

instructional strategies that emphasize algebraic reasoning, conceptual

understanding, procedural skill and fluency, geometry, data and

measurement, statistics and probability, number sense, place value

understanding, spatial reasoning, and subitizing for multiplicative

reasoning;

3. Identify and teach the grade -level content, practices , and skills that

students need to comprehend the concepts and content of each subject

area; and

4. Use learning experiences and high -quality instructional materials that

will help the students comprehend, meet grade -level expectations, and

constructively apply information based on the unique content of each

subject area;

(d) The Education Professional Standards Board shall review and revise when

deemed necessary the teacher certification and licensure requirements to

ensure that all teachers, regardless of the subject area taught, are prepared to

improve students' subject reading and mathematics skills; and

(e) The department shall collaborate with relevant groups for the purpose of

increasing student outcomes in literacy and mathematics.