(1) A statewide reading research center shall be established under this section to support educators in implementing reliable, replicable evidence -based reading programs, and to promote literacy development, including cooperating with other entities that provide family literacy services. The center shall be responsible for: (a) Developing and implementing a clearinghouse for information about programs add ressing reading and literacy from early childhood and the elementary grades (P-5) through adult education; (b) Providing advice to the Kentucky Board of Education regarding matters relating to reading; (c) Collaborating with the Kentucky Department of Educ ation to assist districts with students functioning at low levels of reading skills to assess and address identified literacy needs; (d) Providing research and data on evidence -based, high -yield instructional practices and coaching strategies for early chi ldhood educators and classroom teachers, including adult education teachers, implementing selected reliable, replicable evidence-based reading programs; (e) Developing and implementing a comprehensive research agenda evaluating early reading models, instru ctional resources, and evidence -based practices needed to accelerate student performance toward proficiency in reading; (f) Assisting middle and high schools in the development of comprehensive adolescent reading plans and maintaining a repository of instr uctional materials or summary materials that identify comprehension best practices in the teaching of each subject area and a list of classroom -based diagnostic reading comprehension assessments that measure student progress in developing students' reading comprehension skills; and (g) Evaluating the reading and literacy components of the model adult education programs funded under the adult education and literacy initiative fund created under KRS 151B.409. (2) The center shall review national research and disseminate appropriate research abstracts, when appropriate, as well as conduct ongoing research of reading programs throughout the state. Research activities undertaken by the center shall consist of descriptive as well as empirical studies. (a) The center may contract for research studies to be conducted on its behalf. (b) The research agenda should, at a minimum, consider the impact of various reading and intervention programs: 1. In eliminating academic achievement gaps among students with differing characteristics, including subpopulations of students with disabilities, students with low socioeconomic status, students from racial minority groups, students with limited English proficiency, and students of different gender; 2. In schools with differing characteristics, such as urban versus rural schools, poverty versus nonpo verty schools, schools with strong library media center programs versus schools with weak library media center programs, and schools in different geographic regions of the state; 3. In terms of their costs and effectiveness; and 4. In maintaining positive student progress over a sustained period of time. (3) The center, in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Education, shall establish annual goals and performance objectives related to the functions described in this section. The center shall submit an annual report of its activities, the effects of those activities on state performance levels in reading and writing, and the outcomes of all annual goals and performance objectives to the Kentucky Department of Education no later than September 1 of eac h year. Based on the annual outcomes, the Kentucky Department of Education shall make programming and funding recommendations to the Governor, the Legislative Research Commission, and the Interim Joint Committee on Education by October 1 of each year. (4) The Kentucky Department of Education shall, through a competitive request for proposals process, select the administrator of the statewide reading research center for approval by the Kentucky Board of Education. The selected administrator shall be contracted for five (5) years, unless funding is not available or the administrator requests to discontinue the contract. For each five (5) year period thereafter, contingent upon funding, the Kentucky Department of Education shall issue a new request for proposals for the administration of the center.
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