In This Issue of the OSEEL Newsletter
- North Star Priorities: Supporting Parents and Families as part of Stakeholder Engagement
- OSEEL Staff Member Recognized at KBE Meeting
- State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR)
- Indicator 4: Suspension/Expulsion
- Alternate Assessment Aligned with Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS)
- Kentucky Awarded Nearly $36 Million in Preschool Development Funding
- Annual Preschool Evaluation System
- Gifted Education Month Coming Up in Kentucky
- 2022 Special Education Teacher of the Year
- Kentucky United We Learn Council and Purpose in Action
- Specific Learning Disability Guidance
- 2023 East Regional Academic Bowl (Kentucky School for the Deaf in Partnership with Gallaudet University Hosts)
- Kentucky School for the Blind Update
North Star Priorities
Supporting parents and families as part of stakeholder engagement are both critical components of the Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) North Star Priorities.
The annual Indicator 8 Parent Engagement survey is a method used to gather feedback from parents and the survey opened on Jan. 15. The survey is a federal requirement as part of the Office of Special Education Program’s State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR). You can learn more about Indicator 8 in the SPP/APR Indicator Support Guide.
The survey and parent letter are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Swahili and Amish. Electronic access to the survey is available on the Kentucky Post School Outcomes webpage . The parent letter template and a printer friendly version of the survey will be sent via the DoSE and Preschool Coordinator Listserv.
The survey window will close on June 30, 2023. If you have any questions about the Indicator 8 survey, please contact Shasta Hensley.
 Bill Buchanan, second from right, an early learning adviser in the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning, was named the recipient of the 2022 Kevin M. Noland-Mary Ann Miller Award at the Dec. 7 Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) Meeting. Presenting him with the award were, from left, KBE Vice Chair Sharon Porter Robinson, Ed Miller, the husband of the late Mary Ann Miller; and Education Commissioner Jason E. Glass. Photo by Wallace Caleb Bates, Dec. 7, 2022
OSEEL Staff Member Recognized at KBE Meeting
Bill Buchanan, an early learning adviser in the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL), was named the recipient of the 2022 Kevin M. Noland-Mary Ann Miller Award at the Dec. 7 Kentucky Board of Education Meeting.
The award recognizes a Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) employee for significant service to Kentucky’s public schools and for providing inspiration for education. KDE staff submit nominations for the award.
“I’m honored and deeply grateful for every opportunity to be a part of such a fantastic team here at KDE,” said Buchanan. “We have so much more to do. Thank you.”
Buchanan, who has been with KDE for 21 years, has an extensive background in early childhood policy and state-funded preschool programs.
State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR)
The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires each state to develop a State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) that evaluates the state’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of the IDEA and describes how the state will improve its implementation. The SPP/APR includes 17 indicators that measure compliance with the requirements of the IDEA in addition to child and family outcomes.
Included in the SPP/APR is information about how the state performed for each of the indicators and explanations for meeting or not meeting targets. To determine Kentucky's progress, KDE's Office of Special Education and Early Learning collects data from local school districts and parents. These data are reviewed, interpreted and reported in the SPP/APR. Additional information about Kentucky’s SPP/APR can be found on the KDE’s Public Reporting webpage.
KDE will submit the Federal Fiscal Year 2021 SPP/APR to the Office of Special Education Programs on Feb. 1.
Indicator 4: Suspension/Expulsion
The Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) will soon begin desk reviews for the SPP/APR Indicator 4.
Indicator 4A identifies districts with a significant discrepancy in the rate of suspensions and expulsions of greater than 10 days in a school year for children with Individual Education Programs (IEPs). Indicator 4B identifies districts that have a significant discrepancy by race or ethnicity in the rate of suspensions or expulsions of greater than 10 days in a school year for children with IEPs; and policies, procedures or practices that contribute to the significant discrepancy and do not comply with requirements relating to the development and implementation of IEPs, the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports and procedural safeguards.
Districts identified for desk review will receive a notification letter with additional information on Feb. 13. Please direct questions to Allison Johnson.
Alternate Assessment Aligned with Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS)
The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires Kentucky to ensure the total number of students assessed in each subject using the AA-AAAS does not exceed 1.0% of the total number of all students participating in the statewide Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA).
States that anticipate exceeding 1.0% participation in the AA-AAAS must submit a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education (USED) 90 days before the beginning of the AA-AAAS testing window. KDE submitted a waiver to the USED on Aug. 15, 2022. For additional information about the AA-AAAS waiver, visit Kentucky Alternate Assessment Participation Waiver webpage.
As part of the AA-AAAS 1.0% waiver requirements, KDE is obligated to determine if admissions and release committees made eligibility decisions for AA-AAAS participation that were consistent with federal and state laws and regulations. To determine if a district is in compliance with federal and state requirements, it is necessary for KDE's Office of Special Education and Early Learning to conduct desk reviews for students currently eligible to participate in the AA-AAAS.
Districts identified for AA-AAAS desk reviews will be notified on March 22. Please direct questions to Lauren Thieneman.
Annual Preschool Evaluation System
The Grant Management Application and Planning System (GMAP) system is now open for districts to submit their annual preschool application. As a reminder, this application will be completed in the fiscal year 2024.
Please note the following about the application approval sequence:
- Once the draft application is started, there are four reviewers in the approval chain: preschool coordinator, KDE preschool consultant, school district finance officer and superintendent.
- When a review is completed, the application moves forward to “Draft Complete,” allowing the subsequent reviewer access to the application. The application must move back through the approval chain if any changes are made.
- The superintendent must approve the final application by March 31, 2023.
A new section has been added to the GMAP application entitled “Preschool Quality.” This section aligns with the Kentucky All STARS quality rating system and provides informational data to the School Readiness Branch for planning purposes. This is not a new All STARS rating.
Resources are available on the Preschool Administrative Resources webpage and additional support for preschool coordinators may be accessed with permissions at the Preschool Coordinator OneStop website.
For more information, email Taysha Oglesby. You also may schedule a Microsoft Bookings appointment for assistance.
 2022 Special Education Teacher of the Year
The 2022 Special Education Teacher of the Year is Shiloh Stanley, a moderate and severe disabilities lead teacher at Paint Lick Elementary School, Garrard County.
She received $500 from the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children, along with a scholarship to attend the Special Education Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. In addition, Stanley also received recognition with a legislative citation as a keepsake for this honor.
Watch a video about the 2022 Special Education Teacher of the Year finalists.
Specific Learning Disability Guidance
KDE's Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) has completed this year’s review of the Specific Learning Disability Guidance. The 2022 revisions include:
- Updated the Kentucky Department of Education logo;
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Added the OSEEL logo;
- Added hyperlinks to regulations throughout the document;
- Updated links to reflect the most recent resources throughout the document;
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Removed call out boxes and embedded content within the document to improve accessibility; and
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Updated appendices. OSEEL will continue to have checklists and observation forms available upon request.
2023 East Regional Academic Bowl
On March 9-12, the Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) in partnership with Gallaudet University will host the 2023 East Regional Academic Bowl.
This competition was established by Gallaudet University Youth Programs to foster academic excellence, healthy competition and sportsmanship among Deaf and Hard of Hearing youth – all while making lifelong friends. KSD is honored to take part in spotlighting the academic skills of some of our very own high school students along with 20 other Deaf/Hard of Hearing teams from across the nation.
Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) Update
On Dec. 16, KSB’s elementary and high school students performed the first in-person holiday concert open to the public since December 2019.
Music instructors Brian White and Wade Honey wrote an original program for the elementary students, while the high school group performed various holiday songs on the piano, drums and string instruments. After the concert, students, parents, KSB alumni and members of the audience enjoyed a brunch provided by Christopher Cakes and a visit from Santa. All students received a gift from Santa.
 A smiling student stands next to Santa.
 An elementary student plays the tambourine next to a smiling teacher.
KSB has three new Advisory Board Members that were approved by the Kentucky Board of Education in October: Virren Malhotra, parent representative, Melanie Peskoe, KSB alumni and Nicole Gaines, community partner. They will join Janell Turner and Tricia Bronger at the March 16 meeting on the campus of KSB.
KSB will be hosting the 2022-2023 North Central Association of Schools for the Blind Wrestling and Cheer Conference on Jan. 20-21 KSB cheerleaders and wrestlers will compete against athletes from schools for the blind, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Iowa and Kansas. More than 200 athletes, families, coaches and onlookers are expected for this exciting event.
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