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. nd 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 158.30 5, 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, ams; (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 stud ies; 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 developm ent, including teaching strategies to help teachers in each subject area to: 1. all provide technical assistance to local school districts in the identification of high -quality professional developm ent, 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 understand ing, 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 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. Effective: July 15 , 2024 History: Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 222, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2024. -- Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 40, sec. 1, effective March 29, 2022. -- Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 42, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2010. -- Created 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 127, sec. 2, effective March 18, 2005. Legislative Research Commission Note (7/15/2024). 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 222, sec. 8, provides that the Act, which amended this statute and KRS 158.840 and 158.842 and created KRS 158.8401, 158.8402, 158.843, and 164.3061, may be cited as the Kentucky ). 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 222, sec. 8, provides that the Act, which amended this statute and KRS 158.840 and 158.842 and created KRS 158.8401, 158.8402, 158.843, and 164.3061, may be cited as the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act. Legislative Research Commission Note (3/29/2022). 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 40, sec. 10, provides that the Act, which amended this statute, may be cited as the Read to Succeed Act. Legislative Research Commission Note (3/18/200 5). 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 127, which created this section, KRS 158.791, provides that the Act shall be cited as the Read to Achieve Act of 2005.
Kentucky Legal Code