Commissioner's Monday Message

April 15, 2024

Dear Colleagues,

Last week, members of the Kentucky Board of Education discussed the 2023 Impact Kentucky Survey during their April 9-10 meeting.

The Impact Kentucky Survey is administered every two years. Certified educators working at least half-time are given the opportunity to provide input on teaching conditions that can be used to inform improvements within schools, districts and statewide.

On the survey results webpage, you can see the responses to each of the questions from across the state, filter the results by district and even filter the questions by the number of years the respondent has been teaching. Looking at that data more deeply, the KBE members and I found it eye-opening to see the difference in responses between our newest educators, those with five-to-10 years of experience and our more experienced educators.

Data showed that educators who have been in the profession for five-to-10 years felt less favorably on many different topics within the survey than educators who have only been in the field for less than five years. As we discussed during the meeting, this dip in satisfaction could be due to our focus on supporting our newest teachers to help them become effective educators. Once you go past that fifth year, the organized support tends to drop off, leaving educators to feel on their own.

While we have discussed for many years now how to recruit more people to join the teaching profession, it is also important to consider how we keep people teaching once they have reached that five-year mark. Going forward, I encourage you to continue to keep on your radar support, resources and encouragement to those teachers and administrators who have been a part of your districts for years to help keep them in our classrooms.

If you haven’t done a deep dive into your Impact Kentucky Survey results yet, please consider scheduling time to look at your district’s data to see possible areas for improvement specific to your district. Make sure to check out the Impact Kentucky Resources Hub webpage, which has learning modules you can use to help you dig deeper into your results.

I want to thank all of you who were able to take time out of your day to join last week’s Superintendent Webcast. It is always an exciting time when we create and share resources aligned with the United We Learn vision like the Kentucky Innovation Guide.

KDE is here to support each of you and your districts, and we will continue to provide resources like the Impact Survey and the Innovation Guide to improve education throughout the state together.

Thank you for all that you do for your staff, students and community and I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Sincerely,

Robin Fields Kinney
Interim Commissioner of Education

Nomination Deadline for Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program Extended to May 1

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking recommendations of exemplary educators and leaders in the Commonwealth’s public schools to join the 2024 Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program (KEEP). Qualified individuals recommended for KEEP will receive a certificate of excellence from KDE and may be considered for other recognitions and opportunities, including invitations to sit on advisory councils and committees.

District superintendents, district curriculum and professional development supervisors, principals, representatives from teacher training institutions and other education leaders are invited to recommend up to three individuals. Recommended individuals must be certified teachers, teacher specialists, assistant principals and/or principals currently serving in Kentucky’s public schools.

To receive the recognition, recommended individuals should be early- to mid-career professionals with at least five years of experience and whose contributions to education are largely unheralded, yet worthy of the spotlight. Individuals also should demonstrate all of the following:

• Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective and innovative instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;
• Exemplary educational accomplishments and leadership beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;
• Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community; and
• Strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership.

Recommendations for exemplary educators should be submitted via the online KEEP recommendation form by May 1. Refer to the KEEP Information Sheet for required information and additional details about the recommendation process.

For more information, email awards@education.ky.gov or call (502) 564-2000, ext. 4616.

Registration for the Kentucky Reading Academies: Cohort 3 of LETRS Professional Learning Opening Soon

Registration for the third Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) cohort of the Kentucky Reading Academies will be open May 1.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has an exciting partnership that brings the LETRS professional learning to educators across the Commonwealth, called the Kentucky Reading Academies. This course of study was chosen because of its demonstrated success on a national scale in bringing significant increases in literacy achievement.  

The Kentucky Reading Academies is a comprehensive no-cost professional learning opportunity open to all K-5 public school educators.  

Two different courses are being offered through the Kentucky Reading Academies: LETRS for Educators and LETRS for Administrators. Interested educators can join the Kentucky Reading Academies by registering for the course that pertains to their role:  

• LETRS for Educators Cohort 3: This course is recommended for K-5 teachers, interventionists, reading specialists and anyone providing reading instruction or intervention supports to early readers.
• LETRS for Administrators Cohort 3: This course is recommended for district leaders, building administrators and instructional coaches. 

More than 4,000 Kentucky educators and administrators are completing the LETRS professional learning. Participants in both cohorts have stated that LETRS is a comprehensive professional learning that is enlightening, eye-opening and life-changing.

Please note: Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 participants will not need to register for Cohort 3 as they are already enrolled in the professional learning. 

Find out more about the Kentucky Reading Academies on the Kentucky Reading Academies webpage. 

For questions about the Kentucky Reading Academies, please email KDE Director of Early Literacy Christie Biggerstaff. 

ESSER District Data Collection Open

The fiscal year 2023 District ESSER Data Collection in the Grants Management Application and Planning System (GMAP) is open for district entry.

Districts are required to complete this report each fiscal year to comply with the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) requirements in the CARES, CRRSA and the American Rescue Plan acts.

The window for reporting will close on May 3, 2024. For assistance or additional information, please contact Thelma Hawkins or Robin Morley in KDE’s Office of Finance and Operations.

Fiscal Year 2025 District Funding Assurances

The Fiscal Year 2025 District Funding Assurances are currently available in the Grants Management Application and Planning System (GMAP).

The assurances are a stand-alone document and not part of the consolidated application. The role of district funding assurances director has been added to complete and approve the assurances. If district staff need the role of district funding assurances director, please contact your GMAP user access administrator to add the role. A list of GMAP user access administrators is located in GMAP under KDE Resources.

Once the district funding assurances have been completed in GMAP, you must print the document to present to your local board for approval. Upon approval by your local board, the superintendent (not the designee) must upload the assurances statement under their GMAP login by Sept. 30, 2024. The district funding assurances statement template is located in GMAP in the District Document Library.

Instructions for completing and uploading the assurances statement in GMAP are available at FY2025 District Funding Assurances Upload Instructions.

For guidance on submitting your assurances, please contact Nicole Crosthwaite via email or (502) 564-1979, ext. 4328. For questions regarding GMAP login, please contact Thelma Hawkins via email at kdegmap@education.ky.gov or by phone at (502) 564-1979, ext. 4361. 

2024 Persistence to Graduation Summit Call for Proposals and Registration

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Division of Student Success is hosting the 2024 Persistence to Graduation Summit at the Hilton in downtown Lexington on June 11-12.

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.

These sessions are designed to be more engaging than the typical “sit-and-get” format of most conferences and are structured to encourage dialogue and exchanges that leverage the expertise of the session participants as well as the session leaders. Facilitators will engage with participants throughout the session and help cultivate an interactive experience, mirroring the type of interactions that take place in highly engaging classrooms. Participants will have prior access to any materials submitted by facilitators.

Those interested in facilitating a session should submit a proposal in the Persistence to Graduation Call for Proposals portal by April 12. If there are multiple presenters for a single session, only one person needs to complete the form. If you would like to suggest multiple session topics, please access the portal link again and submit a proposal for any additional topic.

Submissions will be reviewed by KDE staff and selected based on content, proposed methods for participant engagement and event needs. Those selected will be notified by email.

Registration for the 2024 Persistence to Graduation Summit is available at no cost to participants through Title IV, Part A funding, but registration is limited to the first 300. For more information, contact Michelle Wilson.

Fiscal Year 2024 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Grant Awards Announced

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program provides academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools to meet the challenging state academic standards.

The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) mission is to partner with districts, schools, families, students, businesses and communities to provide leadership and support to ensure success for every student. Programs must provide a balance of enrichment opportunities that include active, hands-on engagement, with activities that address the needs of the whole child and help meet local and state academic standards. The 21st CCLC program provides students with homework assistance, evidence-based academic and enrichment activities, and meaningful engagement opportunities for families. 

The 21st CCLC Cycle 21 Awards are now posted on KDE’s Competitive Awards website. Please keep in mind that the awards are based on the availability of funding and awarded entities meeting programmatic and budgetary requirements with the 21st CCLC SEA administrator review, an onsite meeting with the fiscal agent and co-applicant, and other conditions as deemed necessary by the 21st CCLC SEA administrator, which may include budget amendments based on requirements outlined in the request for applications. Posting should not be considered final notice of award.

If you have programmatic questions, please contact Brigette Stacy. If you have budget-related questions, please contact Thelma Hawkins. If you have questions related to the application process, please contact Jennifer Bryant

Public Comments Open for IDEA Part B Funds

Each year, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) must submit an application for federal funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

As part of this application process, KDE is required to make the application available for public comment for 30 days prior to its effective date of July 1. The draft application is located on KDE’s IDEA Application for School Year webpage.

Questions or comments may be submitted to Karla Miller in KDE’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning by 4 p.m. ET on April 22.

Registration Open for 2024 Continuous Improvement Summit

The Kentucky Department of Education and Cognia™ invite you to the annual Continuous Improvement Summit on Sept. 23-24 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington. Please join us for an opportunity to explore a variety of topics and engage in conversations that will enrich your understanding of continuous improvement.

Keynote speaker Marck Abraham, the author of “What Success Looks Like,” is a transformational leader with a wealth of experience in education. He is committed to providing a world-class educational experience that ensures all students achieve their goals of post-secondary college and fulfilling careers. His mission has been to create environments that assist students in reaching their maximum potential in life.

During this two-day event, you will enhance your professional learning, make new connections and build upon existing relationships with peers across Kentucky, hear up-to-date information from KDE leaders, and learn how Cognia can help address your unique challenges in your journey of continuous improvement.

To receive early bird pricing, please register before Sept. 2.

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.

Registration Open for Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Office of Teaching and Learning, Division of Early Literacy invites you to register for the Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference. The conference will take place 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 requires registration but is 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.

Please share this message and the Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference flyer with your colleagues.

Guidance on Unpaid Fees

Generally, a district cannot withhold grades due to unpaid fees. KRS 160.330 and 157.100, along with OAG 82-386, indicate that a school cannot withhold grades, diplomas or records as leverage to force a student to pay fees.

Taking part in a graduation ceremony – or “walking” – is somewhat more problematic, since the act of the ceremony itself doesn’t confer graduate status. Instead, the diploma confers graduate status whether or not the student participates in a graduation ceremony. So long as the student is not prevented from receiving the diploma, using the graduation ceremony as leverage may be technically permissible. However, that strategy is not best practice and, in keeping with the spirit of OAG 82-386, is discouraged by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).

Any fee charged for participating in a graduation ceremony should be reasonable and permissible. If a graduation fee is for caps, gowns, et cetera (items incidental to the ceremony), these are reasonable fees. If the fee, however, is for the district to raise funds, this would be problematic.

As to the question of in-school detention as a consequence for a student’s failure to pay fees, this should be discouraged. Student code of conduct violations should be the only sources of student discipline such as in-school detention or in-school suspension. In-school detention or suspension deprives the student of the full instructional opportunity provided in the ordinary school day. Detention for a student who is unable to pay a fee is reminiscent of debtor’s prison and does not lead to the desired outcome for either party: payment of the fee.

The usual routes for recoupment of funds owed should be pursued, such as small claims court. This is in keeping with the Kentucky law prohibition on a school lowering a student’s grades as a punishment for misconduct, including as a punishment for unexcused absences or tardies.

See OAG 96-28, which outlines this conclusion and describes the analysis when a student is suspended (the missed schoolwork may not be made up since that is the essence of the punishment). A school may, however, prohibit a student’s participation in a graduation ceremony since taking part in a graduation ceremony – or “walking” – doesn’t confer graduate status. Again, restricting the student’s participation in graduation may be technically allowable as leverage, but that strategy is not best practice and not recommended by KDE in keeping with the spirit of this OAG opinion.

Participation in Illegal Passing Survey

The National Association for State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) and the Kentucky Department of Education will again be conducting the annual Illegal Passing Survey.

KDE will report the total number of passes statewide to NASDPTS. It is very important to have as many districts as possible to participate! The participation rate the past couple of years has been very low and does not accurately reflect the issue in the Commonwealth.

We ask that if a district cannot participate with all their buses, please consider having a portion of the buses participate. This information is not only for the national survey, but also for inquiries received regarding stop-arm cameras, research by other agencies such as the Kentucky State Police, considerations for laws by legislators, and inquiries from media and the community.

School buses remain the safest way for students to get to and from school. However, student riders are most vulnerable when they are outside of a bus. Since the pandemic, student and motorist behavior has changed, and collecting a current measurement of illegal passing of stopped school buses is vitally important.

On Wednesday, April 17, we are asking that volunteers be on each of your district’s school buses and observe and report any instances of motorists illegally passing the school buses using the forms that have been sent to transportation directors. Chosen volunteers should be reliable students, monitors, teachers, parents or other community members.

The survey should be done during each of the runs for the day. Even bus drivers who have no illegal passes on the day of the survey should turn in their forms so we can have accurate data. If your district is unable to participate on that day but would like to choose a different day, please complete it by May 1 and enter the date into the survey.

Once data is collected from each bus, enter the compiled data into the online 2024 Illegal Passing Survey no later than May 1. If you are unable to participate or have concerns about the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Elisa Hanley or call (502) 564-5279, ext. 4406.

Deadline Approaching For Work-Based Learning Applications For Accountability

To be included in 2023-2024 accountability reporting, the deadline for a school or district to apply to the Kentucky Board of Education to earn accountability for a student’s school-sanctioned individual work experience that was not associated with a course code is May 1.

To be considered for approval, the school must demonstrate direct involvement in the preparation and technical skill attainment the student received prior to and throughout the student’s work experience. Verification of hours worked, an employer evaluation and signatures from the employer, principal, student and parent or guardian are required with the application submission. 

Fill out the non-course cooperative or internship approval request form and submit it to SharePoint. For cooperative education and internship placements that are associated with a valid course code, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Co-ops and Internships for State Accountability Document and adhere to traditional accountability data reporting requirements.

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.

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.