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Dear Colleagues,
The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) received 15 applications for the new commissioner of education when applications closed on Friday, Feb. 16. The position posting and minimum requirements for the applicants may be found within the job posting packet.
The KBE interview committee will meet March 7-8 to review the applications toward the identification of finalists.
In-person interviews with finalists will be conducted on March 18-19 to determine the selected candidate. The KBE’s intent is to announce the new commissioner at a special called meeting at a date yet to be determined. The KBE’s goal is to notify the Kentucky Senate of its decision for commissioner of education as required by KRS 156.148 for consideration of confirmation.
The board’s goal is to have a new education commissioner in place by July 1.
The KBE and the Kentucky Department of Education are committed to being fair and transparent as we continue the search for a new commissioner. As always, continued updates and more information on the search can be found on the KDE 2023-2024 Commissioner of Education search webpage.
I’d also like to remind you of an opportunity your students or teachers may have to provide valuable input to the KBE. Applications are still being accepted for the non-voting teacher and student members of the KBE. Each member would serve a one-year term, from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
To be considered for the teacher position, the applicant must be employed on a full-time basis by a Kentucky public school district in a position for which Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) certification is required, not employed in an administrative role and must reside in Kentucky’s 2nd Congressional District.
For the student position, the applicant must be enrolled in a Kentucky public high school, be a junior at the time of appointment to the KBE and must reside in Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District.
Please share and encourage educators and students within those districts to apply! Additional information can be found on the KBE non-voting student application or the KBE non-voting teacher application. Applications are due by March 8 at 5 p.m.
Sincerely,
Robin Fields Kinney
Interim Commissioner of Education
KBE Seeking Applicants for KHSAA Board of Control At-large Position
The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE), through the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), is seeking an individual to serve on the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s (KHSAA’s) Board of Control to fill an at-large position that will become vacant on June 30, 2024. The individual currently holding the position is not eligible for reappointment.
The KHSAA is the KBE’s designee to manage statewide interscholastic athletic programs. The Board of Control supervises KHSAA, establishes staff salaries, sets goals for the association, and has the authority to set rules and review proposed changes to the KHSAA constitution and bylaws. Regular attendance at KHSAA Board of Control meetings is a requirement of the position.
All interested individuals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, a resume and a minimum of two written letters of recommendation to the Kentucky Department of Education. The KBE appointed Board of Control member must not be a current employee of a Kentucky public school district.
The deadline for applications is March 30, 2024. Materials should be mailed to Todd Allen, General Counsel, Kentucky Department of Education, 300 Sower Blvd., Frankfort, KY 40601, or emailed to Todd.Allen@education.ky.gov.
The Kentucky Board of Education will review applications for the KHSAA Board of Control at-large position and anticipates appointment at its June 2023 meeting.
Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services Seeking Feedback
The Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services (DMS) expanded reimbursement for school-based health care in 2019 with the direct goal of reaching more young people in need of health care services, including behavioral health care. This program also is intended to provide an additional funding stream for school systems working to provide health services and employ licensed providers within their districts.
DMS would like to get more feedback about school districts’ experiences with this program; the extent personnel are aware of services and how DMS can help school systems learn more about school-based health services so they might be more broadly utilized.
Responses to this survey will help DMS evaluate the effectiveness of the program so that the department can design better outreach and support. It is very brief and will only take about 5 minutes to complete.
Participation in the survey is completely voluntary and all responses will be kept confidential. DMS and the Kentucky Department of Education collaborated to develop this survey with support from the Office of Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman.
For comments or questions, please feel free to contact Erica Jones.
National Lieutenant Governors Association Sponsors STEM Scholarship Program
To support STEM education, the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Lt. Governors’ STEM Scholarship Program will award up to $1,000 to 12 schools in 12 states and territories to support STEM-related programming, projects, equipment, curriculum and other endeavors. The application period is open until March 15, and scholarship applications are welcome from pre-K-12th grade.
“As the lieutenant governor and the highest elected educator in the Commonwealth, I know that our future workforce is in our classrooms today,” said Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman. “Many of our recent economic development announcements will require significant technical skills and we must prepare our students for these opportunities.”
Applications should be submitted by a teacher or project supervisor for STEM-related expenses by March 15. Funding will be awarded directly to chosen schools in spring 2024, with receipt of the funding to be acknowledged by the school within 90 days.
To apply:
- Visit the NLGA awards platform website and register with an email address and password. A verification email will be sent to you. Click the link in that email to begin your submission. If you have already registered, login using your email address and password.
- After logging in, click “START APPLICATION.” Under “CATEGORY,” select “NLGA Lt. Governors’ STEM Scholarship Program” from the pull-down menu and review the information on the page. Give your application a name.
- Complete the fields within the application. You have the option to submit attachments in support of your application for funding.
- Click “SUBMIT APPLICATION” when complete.
- Contact kritters@nlga.usfor assistance.
For more information, visit the NLGA State Strategies in STEM website or contact NLGA at (859) 283-1400.
Effective Strategies to Address Youth Vaping
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) and Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) are partnering to provide more information and supports to address youth vaping.
The latest Kentucky Incentives for Prevention (KIP) survey results found one in four Kentucky high school seniors reported vaping at least once within the past year. More than 20% of sophomores, 13% of 8th grade students, and 5% of 6th grade students in Kentucky schools reported vaping.
In 2022, Kentucky’s attorney general announced that the state will receive at least $14 million from electronic cigarette manufacturer JUUL Labs because of the company’s unlawful marketing and sales practices towards youth. For all districts currently allocating resources to address youth vaping, including the funds from the JUUL settlement or other federal funds, information is provided below on effective ways to use your resources:
To receive more information on evidence-based resources or to share effective strategies your school or district is implementing, reach out to the following contacts:
Kentucky Teacher of the Year Applications Due Feb. 23
Applications for the 2025 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Awards Program have been emailed to nominated educators. Presented by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), these awards celebrate some of Kentucky’s most outstanding educators.
KDE invites eligible candidates to submit a formal application by Feb. 23 to be considered for the award. Email awards@education.ky.gov to request an application. Refer to the 2025 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Awards Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.
Register Now for 2024 March Leadership Meetings
In order to provide equitable learning environments for all students, it is important for schools and districts to translate the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) into a guaranteed and viable curriculum. The regional educational cooperatives, in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education, will host in-person meetings in March for district and school leaders to explore new resources available to support effective implementation of local curriculum supported by high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs).
The purpose of the meeting is to provide the following:
- HQIR Implementation Support
- Curriculum Implementation Framework
- Curriculum-Based Professional Learning Guidance Document
- Structuring Professional Learning Cycles
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Kentucky Academic Standards for Science Resources
- Science Instructional Resources Consumer Guide
- New Science Module
- Academic Standards Update
- KAS for Visual and Performing Arts
- KAS for Health Education and Physical Education
Click on the date to learn more and register for the live, in-person three-hour session of your choice:
- March 5: London, Southeast/South-Central Educational Cooperative, 9 a.m. ET
- March 7: Louisville, Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative, 9 a.m. ET
- March 11: Lexington, Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative, 9 a.m. ET
- March 21: Ashland, Kentucky Educational Development Corporation, 9 a.m. ET
- March 22: Hazard, Kentucky Valley Education Cooperative, 9 a.m. ET
- March 26: Cold Spring, Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services, 9 a.m. ET
- March 28: Bowling Green, Green River Regional Educational Cooperative, 9 a.m. CT
- March 29: Eddyville, West Kentucky Educational Cooperative, 9 a.m. CT
Participants will need to bring a personal device to access documents from the digital meeting folder.
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