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Dear Colleagues,
Once again, Kentucky found itself at the center of strong storms and tornadoes on Sunday. According to the governor’s office, the hardest hit areas of the state were Hopkins and Muhlenberg counties, and several of our school districts are in areas that were impacted.
I was texting with Dawson Springs Superintendent Lenny Whalen on Monday, who shared that his district was still without power. This week is supposed to be their last week of school, so they are trying to make do and get their students to the finish line for this year. My heart hurts for this community, which was struck by the severe tornado outbreak in 2021.
So far, we know there has been damage in Caldwell, Hopkins, Lyon, Mercer and Muhlenberg counties. Members of our Office of Finance and Operations are starting to contact schools in the counties where we know there was damage to see if the school districts were impacted. If you are in one of those districts, Robin Morley will be your point of contact.
Since taking on this job as interim commissioner, I have a new perspective when I hear that severe storms may strike the state. My first thought is that I hope all of our schools and districts are OK.
Unfortunately, we have had experience in recent years of helping our schools and districts recover from damage caused by severe storms. I have seen your kindness in reaching out to our western Kentucky districts after the 2021 tornadoes and to our eastern Kentucky districts after the flooding that followed a few months later. I thank you for always looking out for your fellow superintendents and school districts, and I know we can all count on each other as we work to recover from Sunday’s tornadoes.
Sincerely,
Robin Fields Kinney
Interim Commissioner of Education
Reminder: 15-Passenger Vans Illegal in Kentucky School Districts to Transport Students
Over the past several months, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has seen an increase in school districts purchasing passenger vans that are not in compliance with federal and state regulations. All vehicles must comply with the SAFETU-ACT and 702 KAR 5:030. In addition, there are other options instead of a passenger van that do not require a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
School districts may not purchase passenger vans with seats removed to make it a nine-passenger vehicle. The vehicle must be built and manufactured, meaning it had to start in the factory as a nine-passenger vehicle. Dealers cannot remove a seat to make it a nine-passenger vehicle. These vehicles also must have occupant restraints/seat belts. A school district may not rent or purchase a 15-passenger van and pull out seats to make it hold fewer passengers. It must be designed and built as a nine-passenger or less vehicle.
Districts may reach out to their local bus dealers to see if they sell multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs). These are buses that are built like school buses with all of the same Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), except they do not have the stop arm, crossing gate or eight-way warning lights. These are not to-and-from-school vehicles. In addition, if they are 10,000 pounds or less, they do not require a CDL.
The safest form of transportation to transport school children to and from school or school activities is a school bus. Per the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school bus instead of traveling by car. Buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road. They’re designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries; and in every state, stop-arm laws protect children from other motorists.
There are federal guidelines for 15-passenger vans that are set forth by NHTSA. The Safety Act prohibits a school or school system from purchasing or leasing a new 15-passenger van if it will be used significantly by or on behalf of the school or school system to transport preprimary, primary or secondary school students to or from school or related events. A school in violation of this requirement may be subject to substantial civil penalties under the Safety Act.
The Kentucky Revised Statute 156.153 prohibits the use of passenger vans that transport more than nine passengers.
The Kentucky Administrative Regulation 702 KAR 5:130 further provides guidance on the requirements for vehicles that carry nine passengers or less.
If you have any questions, please contact KDE’s Elisa Hanley.
Career and Technical Education Deadlines Extended
The deadline for submission of required information for the Industry Certification grant (project 15JK) and for LAVEC (106K) have been extended until the close of business June 7.
Industry Certification requests for reimbursement should be submitted to the SharePoint site, per information provided in the guidance document. The original deadline was April 15.
The LAVEC 3rd Quarter MUNIS report, the deliverable that releases the remainder of the FY24 allocation, should be emailed to Lea Lewis.
COVID-19 Testing Supply Program Update from KDPH
The Kentucky Department for Public Health’s (KDPH’s) COVID-19 Testing Supply Program for K-12 schools will conclude with the 2023-2024 school year. While the last day for school districts to request COVID-19 antigen testing supplies from KDPH is June 15, a new opportunity to provide free tests for your school district has become available.
For the 2024-2025 school year, Kentucky K-12 school districts are encouraged to order over-the-counter rapid antigen COVID-19 self-tests made freely available directly from the federal government through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
To register, school districts should designate one primary contact to complete the registration form to include the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) District ID found on the NCES’ Search for Public School Districts webpage. The primary contacts will receive two emails: one to activate HHS’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s Health Partner Ordering Portal account and one with training on how to order test kits.
Please email KYCOVIDTesting@ky.gov if you have any questions.
2023-2024 School Counselor and Mental Health Provider Use of Time Report
KRS 158.4416(3)(e)(3)(e) requires local superintendents to annually report to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) data related to school-based mental health services providers, including school counselors.
The reports provide information related to the position held, placement in the district, certification or licensure held, the source of funding for each position, a summary of the job duties and work undertaken by each school-based mental health service provider, and the approximate percent of time devoted to each duty over the course of the year. Report details can be accessed at:
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