The History Matters Campaign is a project of the Knowledge Matters Campaign. Kentucky recently announced it is developing a statewide knowledge-building K-8 social studies curriculum. Teachers in the Bluegrass State have already been making the transition to follow the science of reading, to positive effect, but leaders know that literacy development doesn’t just happen in English language arts. Rich content in social studies is a big part of the puzzle.
In this episode, host Barbara Davidson discusses the importance of content knowledge with Micki Marinelli, the Chief Academic Officer at the Kentucky Department of Education.
“It’s so easy for us to feel like it’s the ELA teachers that have ownership over literacy strategies and instruction. But I think that we’re seeing more and more—and that what’s so important for us to acknowledge—is that we are all teachers of literacy,” Micki says.
Kentucky’s approach to literacy is rooted in the science of reading, with a strong emphasis on building students’ background knowledge alongside foundational reading skills. Micki argues that literacy cannot be separated from science and social studies, particularly in the elementary grades. While these subjects are often marginalized, they provide the knowledge students need to read, write, and think critically across disciplines.
Statewide investments in professional learning and high-quality instruction guides have helped educators recognize knowledge building as an essential component of reading comprehension. As a result, students are engaging in richer discussions, recalling meaningful content, and sharing what they have learned with their families.
The state’s broader strategy has also included developing curriculum guidance, creating resource evaluation tools, and involving teachers in curriculum selection. Early results are promising: districts with higher rates of science of reading training are seeing improvements in reading proficiency. Ultimately, Micki emphasizes that literacy is every educator’s responsibility and that strong reading skills, grounded in knowledge-rich instruction, prepare students not only for academic success but for meaningful opportunities throughout their lives.
This podcast is produced by Knowledge Matters on behalf of the History Matters Campaign. Follow Knowledge Matters on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X. Search #historymatters to join the conversation.
Production by Tressa Versteeg. Original music and sound engineering by Aidan Shea.
Resources:
“KDE Unveils New Social Studies Curriculum During Superintendent’s Webcast,” Kentucky Teacher, a publication of the Kentucky Department of Education. July 2026.
Episode Transcript
Micki Marinelli
One of our fears was that people might think that topical discussion of science and social studies in an ELA block is enough. And we would argue that that’s a start and that’s that’s wonderful, but it’s not enough to truly allow students to be immersed in that content and in the knowledge that they need to to have that application and transference that we would hope to see.
Kristen McQuillan
Welcome to Season 2 of the History Matters Podcast. I’m Dr. Kristen McQuillan, Executive Director of Knowledge Matters. This season our hosts, Kyair Butts, Barbara Davidson, and Ebony McKiver, along with their guests, will tell the story of how elementary history instruction serves both literacy and civic goals.
Barbara Davidson
Hi, I’m Barbara Davidson, one of the hosts of the History Matters Podcast. I’m also President of StandardsWork, the parent organization for Knowledge Matters.
Today, I’m sharing my conversation with Micki Marinelli. Micki is the Chief Academic Officer for the Kentucky Department of Education and a key leader in developing policies to improve instruction and learning in K-12 schools throughout the state. Micki’s passionate about the role that content knowledge plays in literacy. And it turns out that when I interviewed her for this episode, she was sitting on an exciting announcement that couldn’t yet be shared. But now it can.
The Kentucky Department of Education has just entered into a partnership with the Core Knowledge Foundation to develop a K-8 social studies curriculum that will be freely available to schools. It will be rolled out over the next couple of years. In the state’s words, the curriculum will reflect the design principles in the Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies that “content knowledge and inquiry are inseparable. And that deep knowledge in civics, economics, geography, and history strengthens students’ reading comprehension, vocabulary, and academic language.”
This is a groundbreaking development. When completed Kentucky will be the third state in the country to have developed a rigorous, open-source social studies curriculum. With each state having done so in recognition, not only of history’s role in building strong citizens, but how it supports their literacy goals as well.
We think this episodeーin which Micki shares how the state is rethinking K-12 education from the ground up, how they’re connecting the science of reading to history, science, and civics instructionーis really important. Because it shows what’s possible when cognitive science and policy intersect. Enjoy.
Barbara Davidson
I know Kentucky’s investing heavily in literacy, Mickey, and that this investment includes training teachers in the science of reading. I also know that you all fully get how much thatーof that science is about the importance of building background knowledge.
Can you talk a little bit about how you personally have come about prioritizing the science of reading?
Micki Marinelli
Absolutely. We have had truly sort of a sea change across our state as it relates to what high quality literacy instruction looks like and, and what are the essential components of reading. And knowledge building was one of those essential components. And so we have state level funding to allow educators to engage with approved science of reading professional learning.
And so we started with LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training. And a lot of people, when they think about LETRS, they focus on the phonics push, they focus on the instruction around phonemic awareness. But in year two, there is much discourse and learning around knowledge building and how that supports students and being able to equitably engage with whatever we’re asking them to read and to write and to have communication around. And so, you know, it really, it really started there.
But we also know it’s not just a singular professional learning that’s going to do all the things. And so really for us, it was about not only aligning the professional learning, but with the curriculum that schools and districts would be implementing that are aligned to the evidence basis.
And so many of our districts have adopted high quality instructional resources. Weーit’s HQIR in our states. In many states, they refer to that as HQIM. But within our HQIR on our approved list for reading and writing, we’re able to signal quality around those knowledge building curriculums. And so for us that was very important.
And we’re hearing from districts that what students are engaging in is adding to their experience, not only in terms of qualitative discussions and quantitative outcomes but they’reーthey’re going home and they’re talking to their parents about what they’re actually learning. So instead of saying to that question: “What did you do in school today?” or “What did you learn today?” You know, “Mmm, nothing,” or “I don’t know.” They have actual content that they’re able to recall and point to.
Barbara Davidson
So how do you think about the relationship between literacy and knowledge building when it comes to history and social studies in the elementary classroom in particular?
Micki Marinelli
I feel like it’s just so critical. We know that it’s a marginalized subject. And I think that in a lot of ways people with positive intent, you know, they’re working so hard with master schedules to find the time for what each individual HQIR requires, both for literacy and for numeracy in our state.
And even in my own experience, the children that are a part of my family that I know and love, from them I know they haveーthey haven’t engaged with social studies and science each and every year in the way that the standards really intend.
And so, you know, it means something for us to be able to support educators in understanding that it is possible, that it is manageable, and that there is a pathway forward for high-quality instruction in both science and social studies.
One of our fears was that people might think that topical discussion of science and social studies in an ELA block is enough. And we would argue that that’s a start and that’s that’s wonderful, but it’s not enough to truly allow students to be immersed in that content and in the knowledge that they need to to have that application and transference that we would hope to see.
So we’re working very hard to signal quality to set our educators up for success in both of those content areas. And we’re taking some serious moves to ensure that resources exist to provide high quality instruction in both of those content areas, in addition to literacy and numeracy.
Barbara Davidson
I’m so grateful to you for making that point. Is there a light bulb moment when any of this started feeling urgent for you? When I say “this,” I’m talking specifically about, you know, the need to do more with science and social studies in particular?
Micki Marinelli
You know, I think it’s something that I have, have known and believed from the beginning. But when we’re looking at our outcomes, we are seeing growth in our state, in both reading and math. And I’m just so proud that recently the Education Scorecard was released, and it showed that based on recovery from COVID, Kentucky is fifth in reading and eighth in math among other states.
But for us, you know, I also believe very strongly that we’re not where we want to be. And part of that is because I know that we need to better support students in both science and social studies to ensure that there is additional support to expand upon their literacy knowledge and ability to engage in informational text and in complex grade level text across all of the disciplines.
We want to see student writing improve and that, that they are supported in thinking and writing like, is appropriate to that discipline. And the only way that can happen is if there is dedicated, consistent, high quality instruction in both of those content areas to supplement what students are receiving in literacy as well.
Barbara Davidson
So I suspect that there’s a playbook from having done this work in literacy that you might at some point hope to apply to these other disciplines. But can you lay out what your work looked like in terms of this movement toward high quality curriculum?
Micki Marinelli
Well I think thatーyou know what, what we first started doing, so back in 2020, we became a part of that Instructional Materials Professional Development network. And so I think now we are one of sixteen states who are a part of that CCSSO network.
Barbara Davidson
And CCSSO is the Council of Chief State School Officers. Right?
Micki Marinelli
Yes, thank you.
Barbara Davidson
Yeah. And I’m very familiar with the work of that network, the IMPD, as you say, the Instructional Materials and Professional Development Network. It’s a great collective of states.
Micki Marinelli
And so, it was those conversations that really supported our thinking about how in a local control state, as as most states are, we could signal quality around instructional materials. And the vision that we would want to establish for what high quality instruction looks like for particular content areas.
And so we startedーwe have a model curriculum framework in our state that’s required in law. And the whole first section we revised and focused on curriculum development and a process for local schools and districts that would curate feedback from multiple stakeholders. You know, I think that when teachers have a seat at the table, when they’re given a voice in that selection process, itーthere’s greater buy-in across the full system.
We also built out consumer guides that supported schools and districts in how to make that selection and really evaluate the resources. And then we needed some form of external validation. And so, you know, beyond what a publisher would provide, something from Ed Reports or or West Ed or you know, our student achievement partners. So that’s where we started.
And then over time, we were able to work with our quality curriculum task force, and we started building out what is now our approved list for reading and writingーwe have that for mathematics. But we’ve not been able to do that in the same way for social studies because our state standards are very, very specific and they include multiple social studies disciplines. And so we were legitーlegitimately struggling to be able to identify the materials that would meet the full needs of our Kentucky academic standards for social studies.
And I really wanted us to start thinking about if we had the opportunity, what could those materials look like? But in that conversation, I knew that it was very important for us to consider knowledge building as the underlying approach to high quality social studies and science instruction as well.
And it’s a great need in our state. I mean, people ask us, “When are you gonna signal quality around social studies? What are HQIR for social studies in our state?” And so that’s what we’re working to address now.
Barbara Davidson
Great. Yeah. Well, can you share a little bit about what you’re seeing in the classroom? I guess I’m interested, Micki, in both the teacher reaction, which we spoke a little bit about, and the student response to this more content-rich experience in school.
Micki Marinelli
Yes, from my observation, you know, we have Kentucky versions of the instructional practice guides. We have embedded some of the key instructional shifts that we hope to see across those content areas. And I think one of the most important parts of that is around student engagement and students taking ownership of the learning and having opportunities to use their voice and to demonstrate their thinking in different ways.
And so when you go into a classroomーyou know, it’s really interesting because we’re able to see, even with the same lesson, that the teacher is able to put his or her own moves into that to best meet the needs of the students who are in the classrooms. And so it’s justーit’s also interesting to hear from the students and asking them questions around, you know, “What are you learning? What do you enjoy about this particular lesson?” And they are able to speak to very tangible things. But it goes back to how they’re equipped with the knowledge to engage successfully with that learning.
And so, you know, that’s where you hear conversations around human anatomy, or there there’s some units around birds in, in one of our instructional resources on the approved list. And sometimes educators have, have had it up to here with conversations around birds, but for the students, they are fully enraptured and engaged with that content. And it’s such a joy to hear from them and to see their experiences. The war of 1812ーlike things that you know you would never expect sometimes for elementary school students. But it’s the curriculum and those resources that are preparing them to engage with that knowledge and content. And again, that they carry that forward with them. It’s so inspiring. It really is.
Barbara Davidson
So Micki, what have been the results of this investment that you all have made in literacy in particular in recent years?
Micki Marinelli
I am happy to report we are starting to see a real impact on student outcomes. And so when we even just think about teachers who have gone through LETRS training, we can very clearly say that in those systems who have higher percentages of LETRS trained teachersーand really when I say that, it’s that learning around the science of readingーwe’re we are seeing increases in student proficiency. So we’re seeing gains in proficiency. And, equally as important, reductions in novice scores.
And so high quality instruction is having an impact across our state and it’s to be celebrated. And districts are working very hard, and we have the opportunity to partner with them with our school based literacy coaches, in our Kentucky Early Literacy Leadership Network, and all of that is really meant to be support to them because thisーit’s hard work. It is hard work. And seeing growth and gains, it takes time. And so we want to be able to support folks in staying the course and in keeping the main things, the main things for the benefit of that student experience.
Barbara Davidson
Well, as we wrap up, I’d like to ask you, I guess what your biggest wish is, Micki, or one big idea about teaching and building knowledge that you wish. you know, more elementary educators understood.
Micki Marinelli
So for me, it’s always aboutーit’s about the student experience. And, you know, when I think about literacy and the doors that are open and the opportunities that can be available when students are strong readers, when they’re proficient readers, that’s what we want for each and every student.
And I think it’s so easy for us sometimes to feel like it’s the ELA teachers that have ownership over literacy strategies and instruction. But I think that we’re seeing more and moreーand that what’s so important for us to acknowledgeーis that we’re all teachers of literacy. And that it hasーthat while it is appropriate for specific disciplines, that you know, the strategies and the approaches that are connected and even the text for that discipline, we have a responsibility to set students up to be successful, to engage in that learning.
And again, it’s a life skill. They’re going to be able to translate that regardless of their career, regardless of their future context. And we have a finite amount of time to make that impact on students. And that’s what I want for Kentucky students. You know, Iーmy dream is that that each and every kid will be on grade level and that they’ll be reading and engaging in text in a way that sets them up to be successful in life. Not just for a report card score or for a testing situation, but really about life and their ability to experience joy and success beyond their graduation.
Barbara Davidson
To learn about the Kentucky Department of Education and Micki’s work as Chief Academic Officer, visit the links in our show notes.
Kristen McQuillan
This podcast is produced by Knowledge Matters. You can learn more about our work at www.knowledgematters.org.
To catch all of the History Matters Podcast, make sure you subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening.