KRS 164.0207: Statewide reading research center -- Duties -- Report -- Selection of

administrator.

(1) A statewide reading research center shall be established under this section to

support educators in implementing reliable, replicable evidence -based reading

programs, and to promote literacy development, including cooperating with other

entities that provide family literacy services. The center shall be responsible for:

(a) Developing and implementing a clearinghouse for information about

programs add ressing reading and literacy from early childhood and the

elementary grades (P-5) through adult education;

(b) Providing advice to the Kentucky Board of Education regarding matters

relating to reading;

(c) Collaborating with the Kentucky Department of Educ ation to assist districts

with students functioning at low levels of reading skills to assess and address

identified literacy needs;

(d) Providing research and data on evidence -based, high -yield instructional

practices and coaching strategies for early chi ldhood educators and classroom

teachers, including adult education teachers, implementing selected reliable,

replicable evidence-based reading programs;

(e) Developing and implementing a comprehensive research agenda evaluating

early reading models, instru ctional resources, and evidence -based practices

needed to accelerate student performance toward proficiency in reading;

(f) Assisting middle and high schools in the development of comprehensive

adolescent reading plans and maintaining a repository of instr uctional

materials or summary materials that identify comprehension best practices in

the teaching of each subject area and a list of classroom -based diagnostic

reading comprehension assessments that measure student progress in

developing students' reading comprehension skills; and

(g) Evaluating the reading and literacy components of the model adult education

programs funded under the adult education and literacy initiative fund created

under KRS 151B.409.

(2) The center shall review national research and disseminate appropriate research

abstracts, when appropriate, as well as conduct ongoing research of reading

programs throughout the state. Research activities undertaken by the center shall

consist of descriptive as well as empirical studies.

(a) The center may contract for research studies to be conducted on its behalf.

(b) The research agenda should, at a minimum, consider the impact of various

reading and intervention programs:

1. In eliminating academic achievement gaps among students with

differing characteristics, including subpopulations of students with

disabilities, students with low socioeconomic status, students from racial

minority groups, students with limited English proficiency, and students

of different gender;

2. In schools with differing characteristics, such as urban versus rural

schools, poverty versus nonpo verty schools, schools with strong library

media center programs versus schools with weak library media center

programs, and schools in different geographic regions of the state;

3. In terms of their costs and effectiveness; and

4. In maintaining positive student progress over a sustained period of time.

(3) The center, in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Education, shall

establish annual goals and performance objectives related to the functions described

in this section. The center shall submit an annual report of its activities, the effects

of those activities on state performance levels in reading and writing, and the

outcomes of all annual goals and performance objectives to the Kentucky

Department of Education no later than September 1 of eac h year. Based on the

annual outcomes, the Kentucky Department of Education shall make programming

and funding recommendations to the Governor, the Legislative Research

Commission, and the Interim Joint Committee on Education by October 1 of each

year.

(4) The Kentucky Department of Education shall, through a competitive request for

proposals process, select the administrator of the statewide reading research center

for approval by the Kentucky Board of Education. The selected administrator shall

be contracted for five (5) years, unless funding is not available or the administrator

requests to discontinue the contract. For each five (5) year period thereafter,

contingent upon funding, the Kentucky Department of Education shall issue a new

request for proposals for the administration of the center.