Kentucky rolls out new literacy initiatives

BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Kentucky hopes to improve literacy rates throughout the Bluegrass State.

The objective is to ensure that every child has the ability to read by third grade.

On Monday, state education leaders met at Bourbon Central Elementary School to discuss literacy initiatives across the Commonwealth.

Twenty-nine districts are participating in the Summer Boost Reading and Mathematics Program. Each district is given 1,000 books to distribute to students at various feeding sites.

They’ll also be doling out other fun items like magnets, bookmarks, and wristbands.

Its goal is to motivate students to read at least 20 minutes per day.

Lawmakers say they have faced challenges trying to get related measures through the capitol.

“We thought, well, this will be a slam dunk,” said Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris. “This will be really easy. Everybody should believe in the idea that all kids should know how to read by third grade. But that wasn’t to be. We had some politics, we had some funding issues, we had to convince some of our fellow members, ‘Hey, this is a good idea.’”

Senate Bill 9 was passed in 2022, named the Read to Succeed Act. It empowers Kindergarten through 5th-grade educators to improve student literacy through evidence-based professional learning.

Senate Bill 156 was passed in 2023, which kickstarted the competitive bid process for a statewide reading research center.

The Kentucky Department of Education says they have partnered with the University of Louisville in a five-year contract.

Incoming Commissioner of Education Dr. Robbie Fletcher and Rep. James Tipton read to a dozen students.

The Kentucky ‘Reads to Succeed’ summer conference will be held in Lexington on June 29th.

It is free for public educators. More than 400 teachers have already registered, and others are invited to attend.