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Dear Colleagues,
Tomorrow I will have the opportunity to explore the world of robotics by touring the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. After discussions with the head of the museum’s education program, we are going to explore a collaboration with the museum to implement robotics activities.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is excited about the potential connection to the Kentucky Portrait of a Learner and the Kentucky Academic Standards with the museum through robotics. We, as a department, are working to create experiences for the children who come through the National Corvette Museum tours to promote these skills.
It is exciting to see businesses, such as the museum, working to understand the importance of creating vibrant learning experiences for students outside of the classroom. These experiences will align with the three big ideas of the United We Learn vision: vibrant learning experiences, innovation and collaborating with community members.
Opportunities like this can give students experiences that promote real-world competencies and prepare them for lifelong success. These skills are necessary for students to be prepared for an ever-changing world that is driven by technology.
I encourage you to reach out to your local chambers of commerce and businesses to help develop these vibrant learning experiences and partnerships. Kentucky schools should be collaborating with their communities to build positive relationships to help create opportunities such as these to make sure our students are getting the best education possible both in and out of the classroom.
As many of you know, this will be my last Monday Message as interim commissioner before Dr. Robbie Fletcher takes over next week. I have appreciated and valued your opinions during my time as commissioner and for allowing me into your schools and sharing with me firsthand the wonderful job your staff, administration and students are doing to improve education in Kentucky.
I am excited to be alongside Dr. Fletcher as he steps into his role next Monday. He brings an exciting vision and dedication to bringing new heights of success and innovation to every one of your districts.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Robin Fields Kinney
Interim Commissioner of Education
Declaration of Participation Work Transitioning to Division of School and Program Improvement
Please take note: work associated with the Declaration of Participation will transition to the Division of School and Program Improvement (DSPI) beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
Goals for this work are to:
- Transition ownership of the webpage to DSPI, which will result in a URL change;
- Ensure a timelier data collection, with an anticipated date of collection to begin in October, allowing for more efficient calculation and issuance of federal allocations;
- Provide clarity and efficiency with data collection processes; and
- Ensure more thorough and efficient processes for data review and follow up with districts.
In preparation for the transition, DSPI recommends your Grant Management Application and Planning (GMAP) access and role coordinator ensures system access permissions and roles are up to date. It is also recommended your district’s Web Apps Admin Point of Contact (WAAPOC) ensures that Person Role Manager is up to date. District roles to review can be found in the District/School Directory of Open House.
You may contact David Millanti, Neil Watts, Amanda Reifsnyder or Windy Spalding with questions about the transition process. Additional information will be communicated as available.
School Resource Officer Funding Available to Districts
Included in the budget state lawmakers passed in April is $16.5 million in fiscal year 2024-2025 and $18 million in fiscal year 2025-2026 for the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to assist local districts in funding salaries for school resource officers (SROs), as defined in KRS 158.441, on a reimbursement basis.
KDE shall reimburse local school districts up to $20,000 for each campus employing at least one on-site full-time certified school resource officer. Any portion of the money not expended for this purpose shall lapse to the state's budget reserve trust fund account.
In order to meet the reporting requirement outlined in the budget, KDE is requesting districts that will seek reimbursement to complete the School Resource Officer (SRO) Funding Intent to Participate form by July 31.
Information provided in the survey will determine funding amounts available to districts for each school campus employing at least one on-site full-time certified SROs.
For questions, please contact Karen Wirth or Lalah Brewer.
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