Last Updated on Tuesday, August 02, 2011 at 5:14 AM
In April 2007, the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) invited Kentucky to become part of an Adolescent Literacy Network. Kentucky was one of ten states chosen to become part of this network because of the commitment to adolescent literacy development the state has already shown in its present initiatives and its readiness to take this commitment to a higher level. Kentucky was also one of five states from this network to receive an adolescent literacy grant from NASBE. On September 20, 2007, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), the Kentucky Reading Association (KRA) and the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) held an Adolescent Literacy Forum in Lexington, Kentucky. The purpose was to discuss adolescent literacy in Kentucky and develop ideas for a comprehensive literacy plan to help readers and writers in grades 4-12 achieve. Various role groups consisting of teachers, administrators, business representatives, government agencies and youth organizations participated in the Adolescent Literacy Forum. The KBE, KRA and KDE then collaborated to develop a state Adolescent Literacy Task Force to create this position statement and articulate the need for a comprehensive adolescent literacy plan for the state of Kentucky.
This position statement shares with state policymakers what we need to do to ensure students in grades 4-12 can meet the literacy demands required in a knowledge economy and graduate college-ready.