In 1998, the Kentucky legislature established the Collaborative Center for Literacy Development (CCLD), housed at UK, to unite all eight public universities around literacy initiatives and professional development in literacy. In 1999, the Kentucky Reading Project (KRP) was born as a CCLD initiative with the project at the University of Louisville being instrumental in the conception and design of KRP at the state level.

Each state university holds a two-week institute in the summer where teams of elementary teachers are immersed in research-based best practices in literacy instruction. The participants create a Literacy Action Plan for their classroom or school, implement their plans during the year, and work with the university directors who provide support and coaching during site visits to each teacher's classroom. Teachers also participate in follow-up sessions, and share what they have learned at a state-wide Share Fair in the spring.

In June 2009, the UofL site finished its 11th summer KRP institute. At UofL, the director and a team of teacher leaders design an experience based on the principles of social justice as well as research-based literacy practices. The director shares the theoretical and research base for the topic of the day, and teachers then meet in small groups led by knowledgeable and experienced teacher leaders who have designed instruction and teaching demonstrations based on the stated needs of the teachers. The UofL evaluations are always excellent and cite small group experiences and knowledgeable facilitators as high points of the experience. It is not unusual for a participant to say that this experience has "changed my professional life!"

For more information about KRP, contact Brenda Overturf.

Read about KRP 2009 on the CEHD news site!

Learn more about the Kentucky Reading Project and see footage from the 2009 institute.