KRS 158.792: Definitions for KRS 158.792 and 164.0207 -- Reading diagnostic and

intervention fund -- Grants for reading intervention programs --

Administrative regulations -- Use of grant funds -- Information and reports

provided by Department of Education.

(1) As used in this section and KRS 164.0207, unless the context requires otherwise:

(a) "Comprehensive reading program" means any print, nonprint, or electronic

medium of reading instruction designed to assist students. For students in

kindergarten through grade three (3), program instructional resources shall

include instruction in five (5) key areas: phonemic awareness, phonics,

fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension;

(b) "Reading diagnostic assessment" means an assessment that measures a

student's skills against established performance levels in essential components

of reading and identifies students that require intervention in at least one (1)

of those components to accelerate the student's progress toward proficient

performance in reading;

(c) "Reading intervention program" means short -term intensive instruction in the

essential skills necessary to read proficiently that is provided to a student by a

highly trained teacher. This instruction may be conducted one -on-one or in

small groups; shall b e evidence -based, reliable, and replicable; and shall be

based on the ongoing assessment of individual student needs; and

(d) "Reliable, replicable evidence" means objective, valid, scientific studies that:

1. Include rigorously defined samples of subjects that are sufficiently large

and representative to support the general conclusions drawn;

2. Rely on measurements that meet established standards of reliability and

validity;

3. Test competing theories, where multiple theories exist;

4. Are subjected to peer review before their results are published; and

5. Discover effective strategies for improving reading skills.

(2) The reading diagnostic and intervention fund is created to help teachers and library

media specialists improve the readi ng skills of struggling readers in kindergarten

through grade three (3) and to assist schools in employing reading interventionists

who specialize in providing those services. The Department of Education, upon the

recommendation of the Reading Diagnostic a nd Intervention Grant Steering

Committee, shall provide renewable, two (2) year grants to schools to support

teachers and reading interventionists in the implementation of reliable, replicable

evidence-based reading intervention programs that use a balance of diagnostic tools

and instructional strategies that emphasize phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,

vocabulary, comprehension, and connections between writing and reading

acquisition and motivation to read to address the diverse learning needs of those

students reading at low levels. Any moneys in the fund at the close of the fiscal year

shall not lapse but shall be carried forward to be used for the purposes specified in

this section.

(3) (a) The Kentucky Board of Education shall promulgate administrati ve

regulations, based on recommendations from the Department of Education

that shall include but not be limited to a school selection process with a focus

on those with the most need, professional learning supports in literacy, and

early reading instruction to:

1. Identify eligible grant applicants, taking into consideration how the

grant program described in this section will relate to other grant

programs;

2. Specify the criteria for acceptable reading and literacy diagnostic

assessments and intervention programs;

3. Specify the criteria for acceptable ongoing assessment of each child to

determine his or her reading progress;

4. Establish the minimum evaluation process for an annual review of each

grant recipient's program and progress;

5. Identify the annual data that must be provided from grant recipients;

6. Define the application review and approval process;

7. Establish matching requirements deemed necessary;

8. Define the professional development and continuing education

requirements for teachers, lib rary media specialists, administrators, and

staff of grant recipients;

9. Establish the conditions for renewal of a two (2) year grant; and

10. Specify other conditions necessary to implement the purposes of this

section.

(b) The board shall require that a grant applicant provide assurances that the

following principles will be met if the applicant's request for funding is

approved:

1. An evidence-based comprehensive schoolwide reading program will be

available;

2. Intervention services will supplement, not replace, regular classroom

instruction;

3. Intervention services will be provided to struggling kindergarten through

grade three (3) readers within the school based upon ongoing assessment

of their needs; and

4. A system for informing parents of strugglin g readers of the available

family literacy services within the district will be established.

(c) The board shall not restrict how a grant applicant utilizes grant funds as it

relates to the applicant's use of funds for professional development, resources,

tools, employment of reading interventionists, and other expenses authorized

by this section. The grant applicant shall have discretion in allocating grant

funds for purposes authorized by this section; however, the board may

consider the effectiveness of those uses in reviewing the application.

(4) In order to qualify for funding, the school council, or if none exists, the principal or

the superintendent of schools, shall allocate matching funds required by grant

recipients under subsection (3) of this sec tion. Funding for professional

development allocated to the school council under KRS 160.345 and for continuing

education under KRS 158.070 may be used as part of the school's match.

(5) The Department of Education shall make available to schools:

(a) Information concerning successful, evidence -based comprehensive reading

programs, diagnostic tools for pre - and post -assessment, and intervention

programs, from the statewide reading research center established under KRS

164.0207;

(b) Strategies for successful ly implementing early reading programs, including

professional development support and the identification of funding sources;

and

(c) A list of professional development providers offering teacher training related

to reading that emphasizes the essential co mponents for successful reading:

phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and

connections between writing and reading acquisition and motivation to read.

(6) The Department of Education shall submit a report to the Interim Joint Committee

on Education no later than November 1 of each year outlining the use of grant

funds. The annual report for an odd -numbered year shall include an estimate of the

cost to expand the reading diagnostic and intervention fund.

(7) The Department of Education shall report program data to an external evaluator for

analysis of the program's success in meeting the goal of increasing early literacy

student outcomes.