Name of the Project

Kentucky Statewide Family Literacy Initiative]

Grantee Contact

Debbie Schumacher

Kentucky Department of Education

500 Mero Street

Frankfort, KY 40601

Tel: (502) 564-7056 and Fax: (502) 564-6952

E-mail:dschumac@kde.state.ky.us

Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Coordinator

Cindy Read, Statewide Initiative Coordinator

National Center for Family Literacy

325 West Main Street

Louisville, KY 40202

Tel: (502) 584-1133

E-mail: cread@famlit.org

Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Project Goals

• To develop a strong and appropriate accountability system to improve local family literacy programs
• To coordinate Statewide efforts to strengthen and expand family literacy programs and services to areas and families most in need
• To build local and State capacity for family literacy through professional development, staff training, and technical assistance
• To develop and implement a Statewide awareness and marketing campaign to increase public support and participation in family literacy
• To evaluate results through changes in delivery systems

Project Description

As part of this initiative, the Kentucky Family Literacy Consortium will enter into a formal relationship with the National Center for Family Literacy to create the Kentucky Institute for Family Literacy. The Institute will facilitate State level coordination and alignment of requirements, regulations, professional development, and technical assistance across three Cabinets that administer or support family literacy. It will also serve as a state-of-the-art resource center and base for a Statewide public awareness campaign.

Kentucky has been field-testing draft performance indicators with Even Start and PACE, the State-funded family literacy program. Professional development and technical assistance will focus on helping programs meet the indicators. During the second year of the pilot, programs not meeting standards will be required to write improvement plans. Those that do not make sufficient progress in improving performance will risk losing funds.

Priorities

• Using research on reading and literacy in program planning
• Implementing a professional development plan for staff
• Increasing the intensity of family literacy activities for school-age children (up to 7 years old)
• Improving local evaluation methods and practices
• Absolute Priority: Family Literacy Performance Indicators