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KDE cites reading and math gains; links improvements to Read to Succeed and Numeracy initiatives
Summary
Kentucky Department of Education officials told the committee the state ranked among the top states for post-pandemic reading gains and reported measurable reductions in novice students tied to implementation of high-quality instructional resources, LETRS training and targeted coaching.
Kentucky Department of Education officials presented statewide data showing post-pandemic gains in reading and mathematics and described the state strategies that they said helped produce those results.
"Between 2022 and 2025 Kentucky ranked 5th out of 35 states in reading," Commissioner Dr. Robbie Fletcher told the committee, summarizing the Education Scorecard results. Chief Academic Officer Micky Marinelli credited implementation of the Read to Succeed Act, adoption of high-quality instructional resources and scalable professional learning such as LETRS for improvements in classroom practice and student outcomes.
Marinelli said third-party evaluation showed teachers who completed LETRS improved their assessment knowledge (she cited a pre/post increase from 65% to 95% on an attest assessment) and that coaching and HQIR adoption correlated with reductions in novice-level students across partner schools. For mathematics, KDE described the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act supports (teacher and principal academies, coaching grants) and reported decreases in novice rates: 13 points at grade 3, nine points at grade 4 and 14 points at grade 5 in Mathematics Achievement Fund partner schools.
KDE officials said expansion of literacy coaching, family engagement materials and middle/high-school literacy supports are next steps. Marinelli also said KDE will expand a repository of approved high-quality instructional resources required under recent legislation.
