Registration open for LETRS Cohort 5
Registration is now open for Cohort 5 of LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) as part of the Kentucky Reading Academies and will remain open through August 21.
The Kentucky Reading Academies is a comprehensive no-cost professional learning opportunity open to all K-5 public school educators. More than 8,000 Kentucky educators and administrators have participated or are currently participating in the LETRS professional learning opportunity.
Two different courses are being offered through the Kentucky Reading Academies: LETRS for Educators and LETRS for Administrators. Descriptions of each are following:
LETRS for Educators Cohort 5: This course is recommended for K-5 teachers, interventionists, reading specialists, instructional coaches and anyone providing reading instruction or intervention supports to early readers.
LETRS for Administrators Cohort 5: This course is recommended for instructional coaches who have completed LETRS for Educators, district leaders and building administrators.
Registrants will indicate which course they are enrolling in when completing the registration form.
PLEASE NOTE: Limited licenses are available for Cohort 5. Registration will be first come, first served. Once we reach capacity, registrants will be placed on a waitlist and invited as licenses become available. Registration does not guarantee enrollment into the professional learning.
Also of note: Cohort 4 participants will not need to register for Cohort 5 as they are already enrolled in the professional learning.
Kentucky Reading Research Center 2026 LETRS Implementation Study
A new analysis of Kentucky’s Reading Academies shows that Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training is making a difference. Drawing on data from 574 elementary schools across 135 districts, the study found that schools with LETRS-trained educators saw meaningful gains in students reaching the Proficient level in reading on the Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA).
Data on Educator Practice and Student Learning Outcomes as a Result of Read to Succeed
In 2023, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) partnered with ICF, an independent research firm, to conduct an evaluation aimed at addressing four key research questions. These questions were designed to help the KDE and other stakeholders understand how Read to Succeed, specifically Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) offered through the Kentucky Reading Academies and the school-based literacy coaching model are shaping educator practices and student learning outcomes.
The 2025 evaluation, similar to the 2024 report, revealed participants benefited from new and increased knowledge and implemented new or modified literacy strategies into their classroom practice. The 2025 data included these practices were implemented through the use of High-Quality Instructional Resources (HQIR) and with the support of State Literacy Coaching Specialists (SLCS). Promising indicators of student growth were a result.
For more detailed insights in relation to the specific research questions, explore the following documents:
2025
2024
Read more about LETRS Participants' Experiences here.
Timeline and Registration Information
The Kentucky Reading Academies will be implemented in phases:
- Cohort/Phase 1 - Fall 2022 – Spring 2024
- Cohort/Phase 2 - Fall 2023 – Spring 2025
- Cohort/Phase 3 - Fall 2024 – Spring 2026
- Cohort/Phase 4 - Fall 2025 – Spring 2027
- Cohort/Phase 5 - Fall 2026 – Spring 2028
The 2-Year LETRS for Educators PL Course of Study
Each cohort group will engage in professional learning over two years and cover eight professional learning units on topics essential for literacy instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, writing and assessment. Each unit will include asynchronous, self-paced study and six hours of facilitator-led learning. Participants must commit to completing the full two-year course and will devote approximately an hour each week plus six hours for each unit for live training to complete the program.
The 1-Year LETRS for Administrators PL Course of Study
LETRS for Administrators enables leaders to effectively support educators as they engage in the LETRS course of study and work to implement the learnings in their classrooms. LETRS for Administrators is a professional learning opportunity designed to guide state, district, and building administrators and instructional leaders in creating adaptable and suitable literacy initiatives using systems thinking and implementation science. The program defines the systems and infrastructures required to successfully implement a sustainable literacy program aligned to scientifically based research.
LETRS For Administrators Program Overview
A Systematic Approach
We strongly encourage a systemic approach wherein the entire school/district staff; entire vertical and/or horizontal professional learning communities; and administrators participate together. We recognize that participating in this systemic training will take time. Therefore, we encourage leaders to work thoughtfully to outline the best plan for their building/district. Yet, we will allow for maximum flexibility needed for participation: Individual teachers may choose to participate.
The KDE is committed to supporting the success of this initiative. Districts and schools with a commitment to building sustainability may reach out to Christie Biggerstaff, Director of Early Literacy, at christie.biggerstaff@education.ky.gov, for additional information on the Kentucky Reading Academies.
“This has been the best learning experience I have had in 19 years of teaching. I wish that I had access to this experience when I first started teaching. I will be recommending this to all of my teaching colleagues!”
~Mark Gaskins, Fort Thomas
“LETRS is a rigorous course that has provided me with so much information about teaching foundational skills. I have been able to apply my knowledge almost immediately after each self-guided and live virtual session I have completed.”
~Christy Rhodes, Jefferson County
“The interventionists have been bragging on my tier 3 students and how much better they are at decoding since using some of the sound wall components! It is truly making a difference in the reading confidence and abilities of my students.”
~Neryssa Crisp, Scott County
“LETRS training has been a valuable experience for me as an educational leader. It has given me a deeper understanding of the essential knowledge necessary for transformational change with reading instruction in our primary grades. “
~Kristy Nelson, Livingston County
“I have many credentials to teach a student to read. However, there have been students for whom I have not made the difference I wanted to make. I am a quarter of the way through the LETRS training. This is the training I have been seeking for decades. Every teacher should have this training. It is, hands down, the best training I have ever received. It does take time, BUT, this training is well worth making the time to take. This is the training that will help us help our students. I am so glad I signed up.”
~Cindy Kennedy, Rockcastle County
Kentucky Early Literacy Leadership Network (KyELLN)
The KyELLN empowers districts in developing and implementing effective strategies for K-5 literacy grounded in high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs). The network focuses on:
- Building sustainable district-level models for implementing early literacy instructional programs connected to HQIR;
- Developing strong systems and structures for early literacy instruction in schools and districts; and
- Leadership support of teacher professional learning communities and effective planning practices.
Overarching goals of the network are to:
- Provide an opportunity for district and school leaders to connect and learn from one another;
- Support improved teaching and learning experiences for K-5 teachers and students; and
- Increase access to grade-level learning in K-5 literacy.
Regional Principal Support Leaders (RPSL) are available to coach and mentor principals who participate in the KyELLN. The RPSL collaborate with KDE-selected professional learning partners as part of the Kentucky Reading Academies, develop and implement strategies aligned to Senate Bill 9 (2022) and ensure local education leaders understand and are supported in implementing the provisions outlined in SB 9 (2022), the Read to Succeed Act.
Questions?
