Commissioner's Monday Message

March 4, 2024

Dear Colleagues,

This week is Read Across America week, which coincides with the birth of that famous author of childhood books, Dr. Suess, on March 2.

I am sure you have seen firsthand within your school districts that the child’s ability to read is a critical predictor of both educational and lifelong success. It is important that we provide every student with the opportunity to gain and strengthen this skill and our teachers must be equipped to best support their students. 

Over the past few years, we at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) have come up with initiatives and resources to help ensure more of our state’s youngest students are prepared for their academic and adult life with strong reading skills.

Additional support for our earliest readers has come through the actions of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Reads to Succeed initiative is a part of the Senate Bill 9 (2022), the Read to Succeed Act. This bill supports evidence-based early literacy instruction throughout the Commonwealth by investing in teachers to increase student success in reading.

KDE allotted $10 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding to support the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional learning opportunity. SB 9 provided an additional $22 million to support sustainability.

Through LETRS, teachers gain essential knowledge to master the fundamentals of literacy instruction required to transform student learning and create a more vibrant experience for all young readers.

By now, I hope that many of your educators have been able to participate in the LETRS training. While we understand the time commitment to participate is large, we continue to hear from teachers and administrators who have participated that it was one of the most meaningful professional learning opportunities they ever experienced. While the ARP ESSER funding for the program is running out, we have asked the General Assembly for funding to help spread this training to more teachers.

To continue the learning opportunities for our educators, the KDE Office of Teaching and Learning, Division of Early Literacy, is hosting a free conference this year that will offer focused learning paths to meet the needs of teachers and administrators. The Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference will be held on June 20 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington.

Please encourage your administrators and teachers to take advantage of some of the learning opportunities KDE is offering. While I know there are many things competing for everyone’s time and attention, especially at this time of year, KDE continues to strive to offer you the best in evidence-based strategies to help your students succeed.

Once again, KDE appreciates all you do for your students and education. I hope you have a wonderful week.

Sincerely,

Robin Fields Kinney
Interim Commissioner of Education

Gov. Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear and Lt. Gov Coleman Celebrate Read Across America Week

On March 2, which was Dr. Seuss’ birthday and National Read Across America Day, Gov. Andy Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman shared video recordings of them reading books for students and educators across the Commonwealth to view.

“Reading opens our minds, our hearts and our imaginations – and a good book can teach our children lessons in friendship, kindness and leadership,” the first lady said. “Read Across America Week is the perfect opportunity to instill a love of reading in Kentucky students. I can’t wait to read stories with children across the commonwealth this week.”

“I want to wish Kentucky students and educators a happy Read Across America Week. When we read with our kids, we set them on a path to success,” said Gov. Beshear. “As a dad to two amazing kids, some of my favorite memories involve us reading as a family. So, this week, we wanted to share some books with kids across the commonwealth.”

“Happy Read Across America Week,” said Coleman. “Reading creates so many opportunities for children and sets them on the road to academic and career success. Some of my favorite memories I have with Evelynne come from our daily book time. I love reading to her and seeing how her imagination and creativity comes to life when we open a good book.”

Team Kentucky shared the following readings with Kentucky students:

• Gov. Beshear reads “Even Superheroes Have Bad Days” by Shelly Becker
• Gov. Beshear reads “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers
• Gov. Beshear reads “Dragons Love Tacos” by Adam Rubin
• First Lady Beshear reads “When a Dragon Moves In” by Jodi Moore
• First Lady Beshear reads “Red Apple in an Orange World” by Courtney Beshear Cooke
• Lt. Gov. Coleman reads “She Persisted” by Chelsea Clinton

The complete list of Team Kentucky reading videos is available online.

Science Instructional Resources Consumer Guide Now Available

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has created a consumer guide to support districts in evaluating and selecting high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs) for science.

The Science Instructional Resources Consumer Guide is intended to help decision-makers in Kentucky districts select high-quality science instructional resources aligned to the Kentucky Academic Standards for Science that meet the unique needs of students, educators and local communities. The guide includes:

• An introduction that highlights the importance of HQIRs and how selection of instructional resources fits within the Curriculum Development Process;
• An overview of specific markers and equity “look-fors” of high-quality science instructional resources;
• Four key steps districts may use as they seek resources, evaluate their effectiveness and ultimately select high-quality primary and supplemental resources for use in schools;
• Key questions to consider when working through each step;
• Considerations for navigating the current science market; and
• General and content-specific tools to support local teams in the selection process.

The Science Instructional Resources Consumer Guide is available now on the High-Quality Instructional Resources webpage on KYstandards.org.

CPE Request for Directory Information

In an effort to increase access and participation in higher education across the Commonwealth, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and the public Kentucky institutions of higher education requested your assistance in obtaining high school directory-level information in a letter to superintendents dated Feb. 26.

CPE requested information be provided by March 15. To help with this reporting, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) created a standard ad-hoc report “CPE-College Directory Information” that is available in Infinite Campus with the state published ad-hoc reports. Districts should ensure that disclosure aligns to their local Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act directory definition and any opt-outs are removed from the report before sending to CPE at cpestudentdirectory@ky.gov.

Questions related to the Infinite Campus ad-hoc report can be directed to KDE data services.

Register Now for the Reading and Writing HQIR Implementation Community of Practice

Per amendments to KRS 158.305 as part of Senate Bill 156 (2023), by July 1, 2024, “each superintendent … shall adopt a common comprehensive reading program that is determined by the department to be reliable, valid and aligned to reading and writing standards … for kindergarten through grade 3 for all schools or a subset of schools, with consultation of all affected elementary school councils.”

To assist districts in effectively implementing an approved Tier 1 comprehensive reading program so the resource adopted ultimately leads to high-quality instruction and improved student outcomes, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is offering a community of practice for district and school leaders responsible for supporting curriculum implementation beginning in April. Applicable role groups might include district instructional supervisors, high-quality instructional resource (HQIR) coordinators, building principals and instructional coaches.

The community of practice will build capacity using key tools to support local implementation of an HQIR including:

• KDE’s Curriculum Development Process (Phase 4)
• KDE’s Curriculum Implementation Framework
• KDE’s Curriculum-Based Professional Learning (CBPL) Guidance Document
• Embedded CBPL tools for each stage of implementation

Participants will have opportunities to network with other districts across the state while working through the first year of implementation and also to learn from districts that are further along in their implementation journey. Each virtual session will tentatively meet from 10-11:30 a.m. ET on the following dates:

• April 18
• June 6
• Aug. 8
• Oct. 10
• Dec. 12
• Feb. 13, 2025
• April 17, 2025

The online registration is open through March 29. Please contact Fox DeMoisey or Misty Higgins if you have any questions.

To assist districts in effectively selecting an approved Tier 1 comprehensive reading program, KDE provides the Reading and Writing Instructional Resources Consumer Guide as well as a recording of the one-hour High-Quality Adoption Support webinar offered on Nov. 20, 2023.

2024 Virtual Spring Service Academy Information Fair is April 16

High school students interested in the U.S. service academies may attend the 2024 Virtual Spring Service Academy Information Fair on April 16 at 11 a.m. ET.

To be considered for acceptance to a military service academy, students must obtain a nomination from one nominating source, which can be U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell or U.S. Sen. Rand Paul or their respective U.S. representative. Students also can apply directly to the U.S. vice president.

To be eligible for a nomination each candidate must:

• Be at least 17 years of age, but not yet 22, by July 1 of the year he or she is admitted to the Service Academy. The upper age limit is 25 for Merchant Marine Academy.
• Be a U.S. citizen at the time he or she enters the service academy and a legal resident of Kentucky;
• Be unmarried, not pregnant and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents; and
• Meet the minimum requirements of the academy to which he or she is applying.

Students interested in the information fair may contact Paul’s office at (270) 782-8303.

The last date to submit an application to attend the U.S. service academies is Nov. 15.

You can learn more about the nominations and the event on Paul’s 2024 Virtual Spring Service Academy Information Fair webpage.

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
• 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 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 29: Eddyville, West Kentucky Educational Cooperative, 9 a.m. CT

Some dates have already reached capacity: March 5 in London; March 7 in Louisville; March 11 in Lexington; and March 28 in Bowling Green.

Participants will need to bring a personal device to access documents from the digital meeting folder.

CRDC Reporting Due by March 18

The submission period for the 2021-2022 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) has been extended and will now end on Monday, March 18.

The CRDC is a collection of data from local education agencies. Each district is responsible for entering and verifying the accuracy of its data before certification.

To help districts, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) prepopulated much of the data, but districts remain responsible for completion and the submittal of CRDC data.

For more information, visit the KDE’s CRDC webpage or the Office of Civil Rights CRDC webpage or call the CRDC Partner Support Center at (855) 255-6901.

Applications Open for Non-voting Members of Kentucky Board of Education

Applications are now being accepted for the non-voting teacher and student members of the Kentucky Board of Education (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.

Additional information can be found on the KBE non-voting student application or the KBE non-voting teacher application. Applications must be submitted by March 8 at 5 p.m. ET.

Any questions about the application process can be sent to Kentucky Department of Education Executive Director of Education Policy Meredith Brewer.

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. The individual currently holding the position is not eligible for reappointment.

The KHSAA is 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. Materials should be mailed to Todd Allen, General Counsel, Kentucky Department of Education, 300 Sower Blvd., Frankfort, KY 40601, or emailed to Todd Allen.

The Kentucky Board of Education will review applications for the KHSAA Board of Control at-large position and anticipates appointment at its June meeting.

Schools Encouraged to Submit Best Practices

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Best Practices and Sustainability website is open for submission of best practices from schools and districts.

The Best Practices website is designed to serve as a clearinghouse to promote practices that motivate, engage and provide measurable results in student learning, achievement and school/district processes. Any aspect of a school system that can impact student outcomes through improved instruction or operations can be submitted as a best practice.

Best practices should be submitted to the Best Practices database by May 10 to be considered for acknowledgement at the Continuous Improvement Summit, scheduled for Sept. 23-24. For more information, email Natasha Stein.

Save the Date: Persistence to Graduation Summit 2024

Mark your calendars to attend the annual Persistence to Graduation Summit. Hosted by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Division of Student Success, the summit will be held June 11-12 at the Hilton in downtown Lexington.

During this two-day event, superintendents, district level personnel, school administrators, school counselors, educators, family resource and youth services center coordinators, school mental health and social service professionals, and community partners from across Kentucky will convene to share information and best practices to support students who may experience challenges to reaching graduation.

Engaging and interactive sessions will be led by facilitators from across the state and will include:

• Student Transition and Re-engagement Strategies;
• Alternative Education Programming;
• Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities;
• Safe and Supportive Learning Environments; and
• Effective Use of Education Technology.

Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference Date Announced

The KDE Office of Teaching and Learning, Division of Early Literacy invites you to the Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference on June 20 at the Central Bank Center, formerly the Lexington Convention Center.

Keynote speaker and educational journalist Emily Hanford, host of the Sold a Story podcast, the second-most-shared show on Apple Podcasts in 2023 and one of Time magazine’s top three podcasts of the year, has been covering education for American Public Media since 2008. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Educator Writers Association (EWA) Public Service Award in 2019 and the 2017 Excellence in Media Reporting on Education Research Award from the American Educational Research Association.

The conference will require registration but will be FREE to Kentucky K-12 public educators and will offer focused learning paths to meet the needs of teachers and administrators. Attendees will learn from KDE consultants and partners about:

• Evidence-based instructional shifts for literacy;
• The benefits of structured literacy;
• Why high-quality instructional resources matter; and 
• Available resources for implementing the Read to Succeed Act.

Mark your calendar for this June 20 event and please stay tuned for registration information coming soon.

Those receiving this at the Kentucky School for the Blind and the Kentucky School for the Deaf, please make sure all employees receive it. Also, Area Technology Center (ATC) principals are asked to forward it to their staffs.

Please send your questions, comments and suggestions on the Monday Message to Jennifer Ginn by 10 a.m. Friday to be published in the upcoming week.