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Dear Colleagues,
At its meeting last week, the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) approved a final list of priorities for additional budget requests.
The board typically drafts a list of additional budget requests every two years ahead of the legislative budget-making sessions. These are items that require funding beyond what KBE typically receives in its budget.
The additional budget requests will be submitted to the governor’s office by Oct. 1, a process that was sped up by House Bill 360 (2023), which changed the previous deadline of Nov. 15 among several other tweaks to the legislative budget-making process.
KBE conducted a survey of its members and ranked the top priorities, which are listed in order of priority:
- SEEK base funding increase;
- Universal preschool;
- Educator Workforce Recruitment and Retention;
- SEEK transportation;
- Kentucky Educational Recovery Fund;
- Kentucky Educational Technology Systems funding; and
- Read to Succeed additional funding.
I know that many of these items also top your list of priorities. Increases in basic funding and for transportation, universal preschool and more money to both recruit and retain our educator workforce are what we hear consistently from you that could make real improvements in the classroom and in the functioning of your districts.
While submitting these additional budget requests is by no means a guarantee that they will be funded, I want you to know that we will continue to advocate on your behalf for what you need to ensure the education our public school students are receiving will prepare them for the world after they graduate. We’ll keep you informed as this process moves forward.
Kind regards,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Commissioner and Chief Learner
DPH: Pertussis Cases Are on the Rise
The Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) has stated that Kentucky is experiencing an increase in pertussis cases, also known as “whooping cough.”
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, which causes a prolonged cough illness. The cough frequently occurs in fits that can cause the “whooping” sound or result in vomiting. Recent cases have occurred primarily in central Kentucky, but cases are being seen throughout the Commonwealth, mainly in unvaccinated children.
Important information to be aware of is:
- Outbreaks of pertussis can occur in schools. Individuals diagnosed with pertussis should be excluded from school until they have completed five days of antibiotics.
- There are vaccines that protect against pertussis (DTaP* for children and Tdap* for adolescents and adults). Most people are vaccinated against pertussis, though immunity from both vaccine and infection wanes over time.
- Five doses of DTaP are required by the ages of 5-6 for school entry. A booster dose of Tdap is required for children 11-12 years old for school entry.
- Anyone can get pertussis. Young infants are at highest risk for severe disease and death.
- Tdap boosters are recommended for pregnant women during each pregnancy.
- Tdap boosters are recommended for all adults.
- School personnel should be aware of pertussis and have a conversation with their local healthcare provider to ensure they are up to date with recommended vaccinations, including Tdap, COVID-19 and influenza.
- These vaccines can also be obtained at many healthcare clinics, the local health department and many pharmacies.
- Additional information and resources as we children go back to school can be found on the Back to School Outreach Toolkit.
Further questions should be directed to Amy Herrington at the Department for Public Health, Immunization Branch,
2023-2024 Comprehensive Improvement Planning for Districts and Schools
Improvement planning for the 2023-2024 academic year is underway. A collaborative process involving multiple stakeholders is essential to identifying priority needs and the resources and actions to best address them.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will continue to use the Cognia Continuous Improvement Platform (CIP), and the 2023-2024 diagnostics are now available. Schools and districts must annually develop an improvement plan and therefore must begin new diagnostics. When creating and completing your diagnostics within CIP, please ensure that the correct level (system or school) and current year are chosen.
The process and timeline for comprehensive school and district improvement planning outlined in 703 KAR 5:225 remain unchanged as outlined on the KDE’s Comprehensive Improvement Planning webpage. While comprehensive improvement planning is a continuous process and plans may be reviewed and revised at any time, the timeline identifies the diagnostics included in each phase of the planning process and their statutory due dates.
We hope you will join us for the Continuous Improvement Summit, scheduled for Sept. 25-26 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington, to learn more about improvement planning and continuous improvement.
For additional information about CIP, contact Ruth Swanson. For more information regarding improvement planning, visit KDE’s Comprehensive Improvement Planning webpage.
School Report Card Collector Items Now Open
The Kentucky School Report Card (SRC) Data Approval Tool is now open for districts to enter all collection items – Community, Safety, Access to Technology and School Profile Report – by Sept. 29.
The collection items go beyond safety data and may require a team approach to complete at each school. The full list of collection items are available on the KSIS (Kentucky Student Information Systems) SRC resource webpage. The bulk of the questions are for the School Profile Report required by KRS 158.6453 (20).
School Profile Report
KRS 158.6453 (20)(b) (Senate Bill 1, 2017) requires all principals to have a signed School Profile Report available in the local board office by Oct. 1 each year. This report includes information on visual and performing arts, health education and physical education (practical living), career studies and world languages programs in schools.
The School Report Card satisfies the requirement of KRS 158.6453 (20)(b), which requires the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to include a link to each school’s profile report on its website. The link to each school’s profile can be found at the bottom of the organizational landing page of the School Report Card.
School Profile Report Requirements and Timeline
- Principals can begin completing the items for the School Profile Report in the School Report Card Collector Tool based on information from the 2022-2023 school year. All collection items are due no later than Sept. 29; however, KDE recommends that this be completed, when possible, by the end of August to allow time to obtain the signatures of school-based decision making (SBDM) members, the principal and the superintendent before the Oct. 1 due date.
- After ensuring accuracy, print the School Profile Report for signatures. Printing of the School Profile Report can be done from the school’s downloads function of the School Report Card Approval Tool.
- Senate Bill 1 (2017) requires the School Profile Report be approved by the SBDM council and include signatures of its members, the principal and the superintendent. If the school does not have an SBDM, it should be signed by the principal and superintendent.
- Once complete, schools should post the document to the school(s) website.
- A hard copy must remain on file at central office and be available upon request.
School Profile Report Resources and Additional Notes
- The School Profile Report Instructions document provides technical instruction for completion of the collector items in the School Report Card collection tool. The School Profile Report Guidance document provides clarification on how to answer the questions.
- The School Profile Report does not have to be electronically submitted to KDE; data entry in the School Report Card satisfies this requirement.
- The School Profile Reports are only required at the school level, there is not a district level School Profile Report.
- Schools classified as an A6 – Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children (KECSAC) facility do not have to complete the School Profile Report.
Demographic Information Review
Please review to ensure school demographic information and the current principal is correct while in the Approval Tool.
Select “Preview Dashboard” on the top right side of the screen to see this information. To update the current principal name/email displayed on the SRC, please have the district’s Web Application Administrator Point of Contact (WAAPOC) make the update in People Role Manager and then notify Jessi Carlton of the change.
U.S. Department of Education (USED) Releases Title VIII Equitable Services Non-Regulatory Guidance
The USED has released new guidance titled Title VIII, Part F of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESSA) of 1965: Equitable Services for Eligible Private School Children, Teachers, and Other Educational Personnel, Non-Regulatory Guidance.
The guidance consolidates and updates information previously included in multiple documents to support state educational agencies, local educational agencies and private school officials in the implementation of the equitable services requirements under Title VIII, Part F of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Note: the guidance covers the following programs under the ESSA, but is not applicable to Title I, Part A, which has its own requirements and guidance document.
- Title I, Part C: Education of Migratory Children;
- Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction;
- Title III, Part A: English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement and Academic Achievement;
- Title IV, Part A: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants; and
- Title IV, Part B: Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
As you review the document, please reach out to your Kentucky Department of Education program contacts with questions.
USED Offering Free Webinar on ESEA Title VIII Equitable Services Non-Regulatory Guidance
At 2 p.m. ET on Aug. 22, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) is hosting a webinar on the recently released guidance, Title VIII, Part F of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965: Equitable Services for Eligible Private School Children, Teachers and Other Educational Personnel, Non-Regulatory Guidance.
The webinar will provide an overview of the guidance, including frequently asked questions on ESEA Title VIII covered programs, such as Title II, Part A, and Title IV, Part A, and will include staff from USED’s Office of Non-Public Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and Office of the General Counsel.
Participants must register for the free USED webinar in order to participate. Please complete the online registration form as soon as possible to ensure that you receive a link to participate.
For more information, please contact David Millanti.
Sign Up for Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Paint the Plow Program
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is holding its first statewide Paint a Plow program to promote safe driving during snow and ice season, and we want your participation!
Winter weather can create hazardous conditions for all that share the road. Paint a Plow is an opportunity for your students to paint one of our snowplow blades to promote safe driving habits for your community during inclement winter weather and prepare your students to operate vehicles responsibly as they become eligible to drive.
Plow availability is limited, so please reach out to your county’s corresponding highway district contact.
- District 1: Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken and Trigg: Contact Keith Todd for more information.
- District 2: Caldwell, Christian, Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union and Webster: View the District 2 newsletter.
- District 3: Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, Todd, and Warren: Contact Wes Watt for more information.
- District 4: Breckinridge, Grayson, Green, Hardin, Hart, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Taylor and Washington: View the District 4 invitation.
- District 5: Bullitt, Franklin, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble: View the District 5 invitation.
- District 6: Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Harrison, Kenton, Owen, Pendleton and Robertson: View the District 6 invitation.
- District 7: Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Scott and Woodford: View the District 7 invitation.
- District 8: Adair, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Lincoln, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell and Wayne: View the District 8 invitation.
- District 9: Bath, Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas and Rowan: View the District 9 invitation.
- District 10: Breathitt, Estill, Lee, Magoffin, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Powell and Wolfe: View the District 10 invitation.
- District 11: Bell, Clay, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Leslie and Whitley: View the District 11 invitation.
- District 12: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Martin and Pike: Contact Shantana Woodward for more information.
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