This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2015 describes Kentucky's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies Kentucky will implement to address those challenges. Kentucky is pleased to report on progress in the implementation of the state's Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge plan. 2015 was the second full year of implementation and significant milestones and deliverables were met during the calendar year. The plan calls for reform efforts in three areas: Improving the quality of care in early learning and development programs (including supporting a high quality workforce), engaging families as their child's first and most important teacher, and enhancing our ability to measure the impact of our work by improved data collection and integration. 2014 was a foundational year where much of the infrastructure, workforce and necessary agreements were put into place to facilitate implementation of the plan. Kentucky decided to divide the work into seven distinct projects, the largest and most complex of which was the redesign of the state's legacy tiered quality rating and improvement system (called STARS for KIDS NOW). The new system builds on our knowledge and experience since the launch of STARS in 2000. The remaining six projects support the redesign of the rating system by providing additional supports to engage families in their children's early care and education, promoting opportunities for high quality professional learning for early childhood leaders and educators and enhancing data collection. [For "Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Year 2015 Progress Update," see ED583454.]