Specifications include, but are not limited to:Part 1: Early Literacy Curriculum Review KDE seeks a national, independent research vendor proposal for conducting a review of current literacy curriculum being taught in Kentucky's EPPs in the programs of Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education and Special Education. The process shall result in a written report with initial findings determining the effectiveness of the current literacy curriculum, including the extent current practices contribute to success in the classroom and its subsequent impact on student learning outcomes and will offer recommendations for curricular updating and potential changes. Kentucky seeks a proposal for developing and implementing a uniform process for conducting reviews of Kentucky's approved Education Preparation Providers curriculum in literacy knowledge and pedagogy starting in spring 2024. The process shall result in a written report with analytical findings and a holistic rating. This holistic rating will be the score for the preparation program's use of evidence-based reading instructional programming related to reading instruction in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; and (a) The administration of specific assessment processes and programs used to identify student strengths and needs and that are determined by the Department of Education to be reliable and valid; (b) The use of assessment data for designing instruction and interventions; (c) Progress monitoring of student performance; and (d) Instructional strategies that address students' individual differences," (KRS 164.306). The proposal must include a description of the Proposer's approach for each key deliverable of the project listed in the "Deliverables" section. Part 2: Early Literacy Assessment Review KDE seeks a national, independent research vendor proposal for conducting a review of early literacy assessment measures and tools to determine effectiveness in the knowledge of early literacy practices to be completed by pre-service teacher candidates in the programs of Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education and Special Education. The process shall result in a written report with initial findings determining different assessment measures and options for determining early literacy learning and effectiveness as a practicing teacher.
