The goal of Senate Bill 9 (2022), the Read to Succeed Act, is to support evidence-based early literacy instruction throughout the commonwealth by investing in teachers to increase student success in reading. A child’s ability to read is a critical predictor of both educational and lifelong success. Students must have every opportunity to gain and strengthen this skill, and teachers must be equipped and empowered in the teaching of reading to best support their students.
Per KRS 158.791, it is the intent of the General Assembly that every elementary school:
Provide comprehensive schoolwide reading instruction aligned to reading and writing standards required by KRS 158.6453 and outlined in administrative regulation promulgated by the Kentucky Board of Education;
Provide a multi-tiered system of supports 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);
Ensure quality instruction by highly trained teachers and intervention by individuals most qualified to provide the intervention; and
Provide high quality library media programs.
Additionally, KRS 158.806 requires the Kentucky Department of Education to “create a literacy coaching program.” The Literacy Coaching Handbook outlines the goals, roles, expectations and resources of Kentucky’s literacy coaching program. The handbook provides guidance to State Literacy Coaching Specialists (SLCS), SLCS partnership schools and local education agencies interested in developing or refining coaching models of their own.
New Kentucky Reading Improvement Plan Form Now Available in Infinite Campus
To assist districts in effectively developing and implementing Reading Improvement Plans, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has developed a template as an example that incorporates the requirements of KRS 158.305. Districts may modify the template to fit the local context as needed. This template can be used during the problem-solving process to document intervention plans, progress monitoring data and parent notification. An existing student intervention plan developed, implemented and monitored as part of a multi-tiered system of supports may also meet the requirements of the reading improvement plan if it addresses the components required by Senate Bill 9 – The Read to Succeed Act (2022).
A new version of the Reading Improvement Plan, entitled “Kentucky Reading Improvement Plan Form” is now available in Infinite Campus (IC) for use in the 2025-2026 school year. The word “Template” has been removed from the title per district request, but otherwise, the form itself is exactly the same as the prior version. The form may be added to a student record which allows multiple users to access the same form, allows schools to share the form with parents/guardians through the Parent Portal, and allows the form to travel with a student should they transfer within or to another district. Please see the Guidance Document for Adding a Reading Improvement Plan to a Student Record in Infinite Campus for instructions.
The new form has added functionality in that information entered into the fields on the form will populate into a database, making it possible for schools and districts to run a report that consolidates all Reading Improvement Plan forms assigned to students in one place for quick and easy review. The KDE is currently developing this report, and further communication will follow with how to use the report once it is completed. For those not using Infinite Campus to record Reading Improvement Plan forms, no action is needed.
Communication Error Regarding New Kentucky Reading Improvement Plan Form in IC
It was communicated in error through the Early Literacy Newsletter on Aug. 19, 2025, that both the old and new forms would be available for the 2025-2026 school year, and the old form was not going to be sunset until June 30, 2025.
What changed per IC
The old form, “KY Reading Improvement Plan,” will be sunset on Sept. 10, 2025. After that date, you cannot add it to new students. We are so sorry this change has not been communicated in a more timely manner.
What this means
Good news - If a student already has the old form for 2025–2026, you can still edit it all year. You won’t lose this form.
However, any data kept on the old form will not appear in the new consolidated report.
What you need to do
Haven’t used the old form yet this year? No further action is required, but please consider communicating to your teams that they will need to use the new “Kentucky Reading Improvement Plan Form” if your district houses the plans in IC.
Teachers have used the old form, and you don’t need/want to use the new report? No further action required.
Teachers have used the old form, and you do want to use the new report? Consider recreating the student’s plan on the new form (even if you started on the old one). The old form can also be end dated by a district KSIS administrator prior to the Sept. 10 sunset date to prevent teachers from continuing to use the old form.
If you or your KSIS administrator have any questions, please reach out to Office of Teaching and Learning Data Controller Caryn Davidson at caryn.davidson@education.ky.gov.
Accelerated Intervention in Reading Required for Students in Grade 4 Beginning in 2024-2025
Per the Read to Succeed Act amendments to KRS 158.305, beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, if a student does not score in the proficient performance level or higher in reading on the state annually required grade three assessment, the local school district shall provide accelerated intervention that includes evidence-based reading instruction and intensive instructional services, progress monitoring measures and supports to students in grade 4. Written notification of the interventions and supports must be provided to the parent or legal guardian of the student to include a reading improvement plan, as defined under KRS 158.305(1)(i), for students in grade 4. For more information about the Reading Improvement Plan, visit Early Literacy Resources.
KDE Approved List of K-12 HQIR for Reading and Writing & Instructional Resources Consumer Guide Available for KRS 158.305 District Implementation
Per amendments to KRS 158.305 as part of Senate Bill 156 (2023), each superintendent or public charter school board shall adopt a common comprehensive reading program that is determined by the department to be reliable, valid, and aligned to reading and writing standards required by KRS 158.6453 and outlined in administrative regulation promulgated by the Kentucky Board of Education for kindergarten through grade three (3) for all schools or a subset of schools, with consultation of all affected elementary school councils." Senate Bill 156 (2023) requires superintendents adopt this common comprehensive reading program by July 1, 2024.
To assist districts in evaluating and selecting a KDE approved K-3 common comprehensive reading program, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) published a list of K-12 approved Tier 1 core comprehensive high quality instructional resources (HQIRs) for reading and writing and a consumer guide specific to evaluating HQIRs for reading and writing. The guide is intended to help decision-makers in Kentucky districts select high-quality reading and writing instructional resources aligned to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Reading and Writing and their local priorities in order to meet the unique needs of students, educators and local communities.
The KDE further recommends districts consider both an explicit, systematic, cumulative, multisensory reading foundational skills supplemental resource as well as a rich, knowledge-building curriculum, such as Core Knowledge/Amplify, EL Education and Wit and Wisdom.