Literacy is the foundation of education. It is the ability to read, write, and communicate effectively and a critical indicator of educational achievement and lifetime success. This foundational principle is the effective goal of our education system. With this in mind, it begs the question: Are Kentucky students literate?
Literacy is measured in Kentucky schools by student success on state math and reading assessments. Here are the most recent statewide and local district results from the 2023-2024 academic year:
Statewide/3rd Grade: 47% of students are proficient in reading, 43% in math.
Adair County Public Schools/3rd Grade: 45% of students are proficient in reading, 37% in math.
Cumberland County Public Schools/3rd Grade: 37% of students are proficient in reading, 28% in math.
Metcalfe County Public Schools/3rd Grade: 33% of students are proficient in reading, 35% in math.
Monroe County Public Schools/3rd Grade: 58% of students are proficient in reading, 54% in math.
Statewide/8th Grade: 41% are proficient in reading, and 37% are proficient in math.
Adair County Public Schools/8th Grade: 30% are proficient in reading, and 39% are proficient in math.
Cumberland County Public Schools/8th Grade: 48% are proficient in reading, and 48% are proficient in math.
Metcalfe County Public Schools/8th Grade: 29% are proficient in reading, and 11% are proficient in math.
Monroe County Public Schools/8th Grade: 32% are proficient in reading, and 40% are proficient in math.
Statewide/High School: 46% of 10th graders are proficient in reading, 36% in math, and only 6% of 11th graders meet science proficiency standards.
Adair County Public Schools/High School: 41% of 10th graders are proficient in reading, and 37% in math.
Cumberland County Public Schools/High School: 44% of 10th graders are proficient in reading, and 41% in math
Metcalfe County Public Schools/High School: 28% of 10th graders are proficient in reading, and 18% in math.
Monroe County Public Schools/High School: 51% of 10th graders are proficient in reading, and 38% in math.
According to the state standard, less than half of our students are literate at grade level. Additionally, 94% of 11th graders cannot apply their reading and math skills to science testing, which requires reading and math literacy.
In 2022, the General Assembly passed SB 9, the Read to Succeed Act. This legislation was modeled after reforms taken by the state of Mississippi, which boosted their reading scores from the bottom of the nation to near the top of the national rankings. These reforms focused on early intervention, supporting students to read at a proficient level by the third grade.
Early intervention in education supports a child to grade level proficiency before they fall behind in education. Once a student falls behind, a sizeable achievement gap forms between them and their peers. This legislation emphasized early intervention and equipped Kentucky schools with multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). MTSS engages every student in learning to guide them to grade-level proficiency without falling behind their peers, consisting of screenings, multi-level preventions, progress monitoring, and data-based decision-making. In 2024, the legislature passed HB 162, the Numeracy Counts Act, which applies these principles to math education.
In 2025, the legislature shifted to foundational early intervention with the passage of HB 240. This measure strengthens early education by encouraging schools to hold back unprepared kindergarteners and first graders who lack the foundational literacy, math, and language skills needed to advance. This measure utilizes the universal screener from the Read to Succeed Act (SB 9, 2022) to assess student progress in kindergarten and first grade. Kindergarten students may be held back, but first-grade students must be held back if they do not progress adequately. The goal is to intervene early when the most significant impact can be made on the student’s performance.
Our students must be literate when they graduate. They must attain foundational literacy skills in early grades, such as kindergarten and first grade. If a student cannot read, write, or communicate, they will not be prepared to succeed in later grades as learning standards expand to challenge and prepare students at higher levels. Early intervention is critical to closing the achievement gap and preventing our students from falling behind.
The General Assembly remains dedicated to improving the way we educate our students. If our schools fail to support early learners in grasping the foundational literacy skills they need, they fail to impact the students later in education. Legislation like the Read to Succeed Act, Numeracy Counts Act, and HB 240 of this year prepares our education system to support the foundational needs of their students. Without early intervention, there will be no meaningful progress for students who fall behind, and the achievement gap will continue to grow between them and their peers.
While we work on the state level and our educators work in the classroom, it is so important to remember that parents and guardians are their child’s first and best teachers. Did you know that reading aloud to your child at home is one of the biggest indicators of their success in school? Study after study shows that, yet according to a national study released this week by Nielsen and HarperCollins, reading to children has declined by almost 25 percentage points.
As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via email at Amy.Neighbors@kylegislature.gov and keep track through the Kentucky legislature’s website at legislature.ky.gov.
(HD21 – News From the Office of Rep. Neighbors)