New Resources to Help Kentuckians Prepare for Exciting Opportunities in Education Under House Bill 257

July 16, 2026
Contact: Lisa McKinney, Communications Director, The Prichard Committee
(cell) 859-475-7202
lisa@prichardcommittee.org

Guidance for Communities to Bring ‘Vibrant Learning’ to Life

LEXINGTON, Ky—As Kentucky schools prepare to implement one of the most significant changes to the Commonwealth’s K-12 assessment and accountability system in decades, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence has released a new suite of resources to help community members, families, educators and business leaders understand House Bill 257 and their role in making its promise a reality.

The resources, available at prichardcommittee.org/vibrant, explain the law’s major changes and provide practical guidance on how communities can support writing across the curriculum, vibrant learning experiences, locally developed indicators of quality and new accountability measures. Together, the resources underscore a central message of HB 257: lasting improvements in student learning will depend on communities working alongside schools, not simply on changes in state policy.

“House Bill 257 is Kentucky’s shot at going from good to great in the state’s education reform story,” said Brigitte Blom, president and CEO of the Prichard Committee. “The success of HB 257 will depend on Kentuckians embracing their vital role in responding to the unique needs of students and families locally – community by community. HB 257 is Kentucky’s opportunity to build on the legacy and impact of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act and to make the next giant leap and land among the top states in the nation.”

Passed during the 2026 legislative session, HB 257 builds on years of work through Kentucky United We Learn by creating new opportunities to measure student success beyond standardized testing while expanding authentic, real-world learning experiences. The legislation requires districts to create writing programs across the curriculum; gives districts the option to develop locally designed indicators of quality; and updates Kentucky’s accountability system with new measures of student growth, engagement and targeted quality.

The resource collection includes guides that explain:

• Writing across the curriculum and how communities can support stronger communication skills across every subject area.
• Vibrant learning experiences that connect classroom learning with students’ interests, families, communities and future careers.
• Locally developed indicators of quality that give communities new ways to recognize and measure student success.
• New accountability measures that change how Kentucky reports school performance.

“Kentucky has made a bold decision to place more responsibility, and more opportunity, in the hands of local communities,” said Travis Marcum, Partnership Schools Director at the Prichard Committee. “When communities understand these changes and actively participate in implementing them through partnerships with schools, Kentucky can create vibrant, real-world learning experiences that better prepare all students for college, careers, citizenship and life.”

The Prichard Committee’s Annual Meeting on Saturday, Aug. 1 in Louisville will include a session on House Bill 257. Attendance at that session is free. Register at https://prichardcommittee.org/annual-meeting/.

About the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence 

The Prichard Committee believes in the power and promise of public education –early childhood through college– to ensure Kentuckians’ economic and social well-being. We are a citizen-led, non-partisan, solutions-focused nonprofit, established in 1983 with a singular mission of realizing a path to a larger life for Kentuckians with education at the core.