Kentucky Revised Statutes Title XIII. Education § 156.555.Center for Middle School Academic Achievement; duties; location at college or university

(a) Foster collaboration between the center, the Department of Education, the Education Professional Standards Board, postsecondary institutions of education, postsecondary departments or colleges of arts and sciences, and other entities to develop content-based teacher preparation programs and ongoing professional development programs for middle school teachers, aligned with the Department of Education's core content for assessment;

(b) Assist school districts in assessing and addressing their needs and deficiencies in middle school curriculum and instruction;

(c) Assist grant recipients of the Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program established under KRS 158.848 with professional development for participating teachers;

(d) Assist middle school teachers in establishing and maintaining networks of communication to share information regarding middle school instructional practice, curriculum development, and other areas of common interest, building upon existing networks;

(e) Develop and maintain a clearinghouse for information about:

1. Educational models addressing content knowledge and skills of middle school students, based on reliable, replicable research;

2. Core content achievement levels of Kentucky students in relation to students in other states and other countries; and

3. The relationship between student achievement levels and curriculum content, curriculum structure and alignment with content, teacher training, and teaching methods;

(f) Develop and implement a research structure, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to evaluate the effectiveness of different middle school instructional models; and

(g) Submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislative Research Commission by September 1 of each year. The report shall include information outlining the center's activities, information provided by the Kentucky Department of Education regarding the use of money from the Teachers' Professional Growth Fund, and other information regarding efforts to improve the quality of middle school instruction in Kentucky.