our mission
Our goal is to bring accessible,
evidence-based research
focused on literacy to Kentucky.
We serve as a clearinghouse and resource hub for anyone committed to closing the literacy gap. Our site offers free, accessible, and evidence-based research designed to support Kentucky learners. We welcome educators, families, policymakers, and community members to explore our resources, share their stories, and join the movement for literacy success across the Commonwealth.
addressing statewide priorities
How the Kentucky Reading Research Center was established
In 2022, State Sen. Stephen West (R-27), chair of the Senate Education Committee, and State Rep. James Tipton (R-53), chair of the House Education Committee, co-sponsored the Read to Succeed Act, which called for a multifaceted approach to improve reading outcomes for all students. The Kentucky General Assembly responded and appropriated $22 million in funding to support the implementation of the act’s comprehensive efforts, among them a statewide reading research center.
During the 2023 Kentucky General Assembly session, Sen. West sponsored Senate Bill 156, which called on KDE to use a competitive bid process to find the next statewide reading research center.
The Kentucky Department of Education selected the University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) to create the Kentucky Reading Research Center to support educators in implementing reliable, replicable reading programs and promote literacy development.
Kentucky Revised Statute 164.0207 requires the following duties of the statewide reading research center (effective July 1, 2024):
- 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:
- Developing and implementing a clearinghouse for information about programs addressing reading and literacy from early childhood and the elementary grades (P-5) through adult education;
- Providing advice to the Kentucky Board of Education regarding matters relating to reading;
- Collaborating with the Kentucky Department of Education to assist districts with students functioning at low levels of reading skills to assess and address identified literacy needs;
- Providing research and data on evidence-based, high-yield instructional practices and coaching strategies for early childhood educators and classroom teachers, including adult education teachers, implementing selected reliable, replicable evidence-based reading programs;
- Developing and implementing a comprehensive research agenda evaluating early reading models, instructional resources, and evidence-based practices needed to accelerate student performance toward proficiency in reading;
- Assisting middle and high schools in the development of comprehensive adolescent reading plans and maintaining a repository of instructional 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
- 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.
- 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.
- The center may contract for research studies to be conducted on its behalf.
- The research agenda should, at a minimum, consider the impact of various reading and intervention programs:
- 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;
- In schools with differing characteristics, such as urban versus rural schools, poverty versus nonpoverty 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;
- In terms of their costs and effectiveness; and
- In maintaining positive student progress over a sustained period of time.
- 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 each 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.
- 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.
Effective: July 1, 2024
History: Amended 2023 Ky. Acts ch. 55, sec. 1, effective July 1, 2024. — Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 40, sec. 7, effective March 29, 2022. — Amended 2020 Ky. Acts ch. 112, sec. 14, effective July 15, 2020. — Amended 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 146, sec. 44, effective June 27, 2019. — Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 42, sec. 3, effective July 15, 2010. — Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 127, sec. 5, effective March 18, 2005. — Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 526, sec. 29, effective July 14, 2000. — Created 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 580, sec. 3, effective July 15, 1998.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 (3/18/2005). 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 127, which included an amendment to this section, KRS 164.0207, provides that the Act shall be cited as the Read to Achieve Act of 2005.
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Kentucky Reading Research Center in the News
Discover the latest updates, insights, and breakthroughs in literacy research from the Kentucky Reading Research Center.
Kentucky Reading Research Center shares first-year progress with Kentucky Board of Education
