An investigation into why Kentucky's kids can't read
When other states recognized trouble with their children’s reading levels, they took action, adjusting their reading curriculum to a more phonics-heavy approach. And they got results.
But in Kentucky, where 1 in 3 middle schoolers failed the 2018-19 state reading test, much of the commonwealth is standing firm with the method other states are dumping.
In this five-part series, The Courier Journal takes a hard look at why so many Kentucky kids can’t read, uncovering a tangle of entrenched beliefs fueled with a steady stream of tax dollars that is leaving many children behind.
Thousands of Kentucky kids can’t read. Are they being taught how?
Chapter One: Kentucky is holding fast to a form of reading instruction that's being criticized across the nation as potentially harmful to kids' long-term reading abilities. Read the story.
Why Kentucky reading teachers focus on feelings over science
Chapter Two: Upset over reading scores and the training their teachers received, some districts scattered across Kentucky are taking matters into their own hands. Read the story.
Kentucky keeps throwing money at a controversial reading program that may not even work
Chapter Three: Reading Recovery’s critics say it encourages kids to adopt poor reading habits. Two states even banned a teaching strategy related to the program. Read the story.
1 in 5 children may have dyslexia. Kentucky doesn’t seem to care
Chapter Four: Kentucky's 2018 dyslexia law gave school districts an option to create dyslexia policies. Only one public district out of 171 has taken them up on it. Read the story.
Why Kentucky’s reading crisis can’t be solved by phonics alone
Chapter Five: As some Kentucky school districts go all in on phonics, they are quick to realize there's much more to making kids proficient readers. Read the story.
Oldham County moms fight for Science of Reading
Watch: Kentucky moms fight for reading solutions for their children with learning disabilities, believing school districts don't provide proper reading instruction. Watch the video.
What Kentucky parents should know to help kids read
Q&A: Parents share with The Courier Journal what they wish they had known when they first became concerned about their children's reading abilities. Read the story.
Hancock photo gallery
Photo gallery: In rural Hancock County, teachers put their new reading instruction training to the test in their classrooms. See the photos.
Hancock County changes the way it teaches reading
Video: The school district is training all of its teachers in the Science of Reading, a body of research that emphasizes phonics-based learning. Watch the video.
Reading Recovery training
Photo gallery: Reading Recovery has long been used in Kentucky classrooms, and although its "balanced literary" approach has drawn criticism across the nation, teachers continue to be trained in the method. See the photos.
What Kentucky can do to change course
Possible solutions: This list of potential changes touches on everything from local school districts to teachers unions to colleges. Read the story.
Mississippi photos
Photo gallery: Science of Reading training has led to a sharp increase in Mississippi reading scores. Kentucky, however, has not taken the same approach. See the photos.
The hidden ways Kentucky's reading battle is costing us
Costly crisis: Kentucky could reap huge economic gains if it solves its reading problems. Read the story.
Why The Courier Journal decided to investigate
How we did it: How what was supposed to be a single news story turned into a five-part investigation. Read the story.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Between the Lines: Read the entire Courier Journal investigation
