Standards Family Guides

The Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) Family Guides have been developed to help families familiarize themselves with the content of each grade level’s standards. Each guide contains a standards overview for Reading & Writing, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

GOEC Family Guides

The Governor’s Office of Early Childhood (GOEC) provides Family Guides that act as a companion to the Kentucky Early Childhood Standards, which are housed in the GOEC. The Family Guides align directly to the Standards and the best practices of Kentucky Educational Television’s Let’s Learn Kentucky.

Student Assessment 

Literacy Skill Checklist

This interactive online assessment, developed by the National Center on Improving Literacy and designed for students in grades K-5, guides caregivers and educators through a series of questions about children’s literacy skills. Upon completion, the assessment provides a tailored set of resources for filling in gaps in children’s reading, writing, and language skills.

Read At Home Plan Family Guide

Per Read to Succeed Act amendments to KRS 158.305, beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, if a student’s rate of progress toward proficiency in reading needs accelerated interventions as demonstrated by the results of an approved universal screener and reading diagnostic assessment, the local school district shall provide families of identified students with a Read At Home Plan.

The Read At Home Plan Family Guid​e includes learning experiences families can have with children at home to support their reading skills development. Additionally, the guide includes information about Senate Bill 9 (2022), Reading Improvement Plans and the key role families play in student success. A glossary of literacy terms and general tips for reading at home also are included. The at-home learning experiences contained in this document are organized into the five essential components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension).

KDE is happy to partner with district and school administrators and teachers to offer support through the “Read at Home Plan Family Guide” to help districts effectively implement Read At Home Plans.  ​

Read At Home Plan Guidance

Per Senate Bill 9, the Read to Succeed Act, beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, if a student’s rate of progress toward proficiency in reading needs accelerated interventions as demonstrated by the results of an approved universal screener and reading diagnostic assessment, the local school district shall provide the families of such identified kindergarten through grade three students with a “Read at Home” plan (KRS 158.305). To help districts effectively implement “Read At Home” plans in collaboration with families, the KDE has partnered with the KY Collaborative for Families and Schools to develop guidance for ensuring high-impact, research-based family engagement best practices for relationship building and two-way communications.

National Center for Families Learning:
Family Resources with Wonderopolis

The revised Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing emphasize building knowledge. Current research and best practice suggest that students comprehend texts best when they are able to activate schema, make meaning and recognize vocabulary. Exposing students to multiple texts and interdisciplinary content provides opportunities to build knowledge in meaningful ways.

Check out this guest webcast with John MacLeod, the Community Manager for Wonderopolis, who shares some ways teachers and families can utilize Wonderopolis, a free web program developed by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) that allows students to explore their wonders and build knowledge. The NCFL also offers free online resources and more to educators and families.

For more information on Family Literacy Resources, please visit the Family Literacy Resource Links webpage.

Thank you for your interest in these resources!

Please email the standards team at standards@education.ky.gov with any feedback or questions.