The Kentucky Department of 成人直播 (KDE) has tapped UofL鈥檚 College of 成人直播 and Human Development (CEHD) to create the聽Kentucky Reading Research Center, a new entity that will support educators in implementing reliable, replicable reading programs and promote literacy development.聽

The project includes a two-year, $6-million contract鈥攐ne of the largest competitive grant awards in the CEHD鈥檚 history鈥攁nd is renewable for up to five years.

Executive Vice President and University Provost Gerry Bradley and CEHD Interim Dean Amy Lingo, who will serve as executive director of the Kentucky Reading Research Center when it launches July 1, joined state officials and legislators at Bourbon Central Elementary School in Paris, Kentucky to announce the project on June 3.

鈥淜DE looks forward to partnering with the University of Louisville as they establish the statewide reading research center,鈥� said Robin Fields Kinney, interim commissioner of education at KDE. 鈥淚t is truly a united effort as Kentucky continues its efforts to implement evidence-based, high-quality reading instruction and meet the diverse needs of our youngest readers.鈥�

The Kentucky Reading Research Center will deliver research and data on high-yield instructional practices and strategies. It will also partner with KDE to establish a research agenda evaluating early reading models, instructional resources and evidence-based practices needed to help students improve their reading ability. The center will conduct ongoing research on reading programs throughout the state, including their cost, effectiveness and how well they maintain student progress over time. Based on the annual outcomes of the center, KDE will make recommendations about programming and funding to the Kentucky General Assembly Interim Joint Committee on 成人直播 by Oct. 1 every year.

State Sen. Stephen West (R-27), chair of the Senate 成人直播 Committee, sponsored Senate Bill 156, which called for the KDE to establish the new research center, during the 2023 Kentucky General Assembly session.

鈥淭he center will be a welcome addition to our state鈥檚 efforts to focus on evidence-based practices and improving statewide reading proficiency outcomes for students,鈥� West said.

In 2022, West and State Rep. James Tipton (R-53), chair of the House 成人直播 Committee, co-sponsored the Read to Succeed Act, which called for a multifaceted approach to improve reading outcomes for all students. The Kentucky General Assembly responded and appropriated $22 million in funding to support the implementation of the act鈥檚 comprehensive efforts, among them a statewide reading research center.

鈥淓arly literacy is the foundation for life. It is critical for Kentucky students to be able to read at the highest possible grade level by the end of third grade,鈥� Tipton said. 鈥淥ur statewide reading research center and Executive Director Amy Lingo are poised to make a significant a contribution to P-20 literacy efforts in our state.鈥�

Lingo noted that she began her career as a seventh-grade teacher, where she developed a passion for teaching young people to read. Leading the center will bring that passion and expertise full circle.

鈥淚t is a privilege for me to have the opportunity to support our educators and students alike by examining effective strategies and advancing our understanding of literacy education in Kentucky,鈥� Lingo said.

鈥淭he creation of the Kentucky Reading Research Center signifies the university’s proactive stance in addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with literacy education,鈥� she continued. 鈥淭hrough interdisciplinary collaboration, cutting-edge research and community engagement, we will strive to advance our understanding of reading acquisition, comprehension and intervention strategies.鈥�

Bradley conveyed support for the center on behalf of the university and acknowledged the talented CEHD faculty who play a key role in its success.

鈥淎s a premier metropolitan research institution, we leverage our resources and expertise to address the pressing needs of our commonwealth, like reading instruction,鈥� Bradley said. 鈥淭o be entrusted to create the Kentucky Reading Research Center reaffirms our dedication to scholarly inquiry and our unwavering commitment to enhancing educational outcomes for all.鈥�

All of the company鈥檚 participate in UofL Trager Institute鈥檚 network training hub, for example. Our School of Nursing houses a state-of-the-art simulation lab, upgraded just last year thanks to Trilogy鈥檚 $250,000 commitment.

And it just so happens that Trilogy鈥檚 founder, Randall J. Bufford, is one of our most prominent alums. In 2016, he was named the alumni award winner for the College of Business and just last month earned our inaugural Alumni Ambassador Award. The 1981 graduate was a part of UofL鈥檚 1980 national championship men鈥檚 basketball team. He has since been recognized for his leadership in his profession and community, as Trilogy employs over 10,000 people and is considered to be one of the best senior housing companies in the world.

It鈥檚 no wonder, then, that Trilogy would tap into UofL鈥檚 expertise to transform its organization to emphasize diversity, equity and inclusion. The company鈥檚 DEI plan was developed earlier this year with the help of UofL researchers from the College of 成人直播 and Human Development, Geneva Stark, Jeffrey Sun, Heather Turner.

UofL鈥檚 researchers worked alongside Todd Schmiedeler, Trilogy鈥檚 chief engagement and innovation officer, and Priscila Mattingly, Trilogy鈥檚 chief human resources and inclusion officer. The team worked for a year collecting and spoke to every level of employee to capture the company鈥檚 strengths and improve both employee and resident outcomes.

鈥淭rilogy Health Services has an impressive leadership team and has been dubbed one of the nation鈥檚 best workplaces for aging services. They care about their employees who are truly integrated as community members of the organization. They sought to expand their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and building off our existing relationship (which is based on trust and genuine interest in each other鈥檚 success), we also engaged with them on rethinking their practices, policies and priorities to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion actively and visibly became a critical component of their organizational culture and values,鈥� Sun said.

鈥淚n fact, they revised their whole Environmental, Social & Governance structure so diversity, equity, and inclusion were not simply words or temporal concerns, but a lived experience where employees felt a sense of belonging and are hopefully having rich and valuable encounters across the company, even with their vendors and partners. It鈥檚 likely no organization has reached these aspirations, but Trilogy Health Services is trying, and we are honored to be partners with such a caring and focused company,鈥� he added.

Together, the UofL and Trilogy team identified four key areas to advance Trilogy鈥檚 DEI efforts: Accountability, recruitment, retention and development, and culture.

Accountability: The DEI plan tasks Trilogy鈥檚 leaders to develop unit-specific and measurable annual diversity goals. The goals are also to be monitored quarterly, so leaders can assess progress and readjust if necessary. Leaders are also tasked with holding regular campus town halls to ensure all employees have a voice in enacting these changes.

Further, Trilogy is conducting an audit of its suppliers to ensure their values are consistent with Trilogy鈥檚, and the organization will revise supplier contracts to include this consideration.

Recruitment: Trilogy will analyze job postings for content and placement to identify language or phrasing that may deter applicants. The company is also strengthening partnerships with organizations 鈥� such as universities and nonprofits 鈥� to help facilitate a recruitment pipeline. Finally, the company plans to establish a business resource group for networking 鈥� all with an objective of increasing the diversity of its applicant pools.

Retention and development: Trilogy is creating individualized employee growth plans to provide employees with steps for advancement into leadership roles. The plans are paired with advancement and mentorship programs that include training, resources and mentoring.

Culture: Trilogy aims to break down siloes by creating employee resource groups (ERGs) to focus on connecting people with similar interests across campuses and creating a stronger sense of belonging with the company.

This plan has been published in and will be presented next week at the 2021 annual conference of the Association for the Study of Higher 成人直播. This isn鈥檛 likely the last of the UofL/Trilogy partnership, however.

鈥淚n the College of 成人直播 and Human Development, our commitment is to our community, and since 2019, we have been working with Trilogy to build and enhance its workforce through innovative learning designs such as apprenticeships and workforce diversity,鈥� Sun said. 鈥淯nder the leadership of (CEHD) Dean Amy Lingo, we plan to continue expanding our private/public partnerships to learn from each other and increase community engagement.鈥�

Natalie Hewlett, CEHD’s coordinator for development and communications, contributed to this story.

She endured a tumultuous childhood, peppered with uncertainty as her father struggled to make ends meet and moved frequently, often causing Megan and her sister to switch schools.

鈥淚 thought, 鈥業 love going to school,鈥欌�� said Baskerville. 鈥淚t was the only thing stable in my life. It was a place I could be a productive member of society just like everyone wants to be. That鈥檚 when I knew what I wanted to do.鈥�

Baskerville鈥檚 journey to become a teacher comes at a good time: the College of 成人直播 and Human Development has kicked off a that helps aspiring teachers by giving them access to experienced educators and opportunities to earn college credit while still in high school.

The Teaching and Learning Career Pathway Program is a collaboration with the Kentucky Department of 成人直播.

For the fall 2017 semester, the college has signed memorandums of understanding with three Kentucky school districts 鈥� Jefferson, Bullitt and Gallatin counties 鈥� and expects to sign agreements with more districts soon. The contracts leverage the , a statewide initiative administered by the Kentucky Higher 成人直播 Assistance Authority that funds college-level courses for high school students.

Although Baskerville embarked on her academic journey before the program was 鈥渙fficially鈥� off the ground, she was able to use college credits earned at Atherton High School toward her UofL degree in elementary education. She said the program at Atherton was demanding.

鈥淏y your senior year, you could be teaching several hours a day,鈥� Baskerville said. 鈥淵ou are expected to develop lesson plans, build a portfolio and are graded on your performance.鈥�

Amy Lingo, the CEHD鈥檚 associate dean for academic affairs and unit effectiveness who worked closely with the school districts to solidify the agreements, is thrilled to find students like Baskerville.

鈥淲hen a high school student expresses an interest in teaching, we want to do our part to help and inspire that student,鈥� said Lingo. 鈥淭hose who earn college credits during high school have a big leg-up because they have already saved time and money and are better prepared for the academic rigors of college.鈥�

Dean Ann Larson said the partnerships with the schools dovetail nicely with the college鈥檚 focus on learning by doing, recruiting, and supporting high school students into a teaching pipeline to jump-start their education career.

鈥淭hese agreements represent the best of both worlds,鈥� Larson said. 鈥淭hey combine traditional education with a strong mentoring component. We鈥檝e learned that when an aspiring teacher, beginning at the high school level with earned college credits, actually walks in the shoes of a seasoned teacher, it鈥檚 a powerful and inspiring聽theory-to-practice聽learning tool.鈥�

University officials expect about 100 students to take part in the teacher education-focused curriculum during the 2017-2018 academic year. High school students will enter the pathway as freshman with a sequence of courses that include The Teaching Profession, Foundations of Instruction and Building Learning Communities.

UofL is one of four institutions participating in the pilot program. The other universities are Murray State, Northern Kentucky and Kentucky State.