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Dear Colleagues,
Last week, I participated in this year's Kentucky Teacher of the Year ceremony where we celebrated educators on their achievements and thanked them for the impact they have made on their students, families and communities.
It was an absolute joy to be a part of and was a great time for all who attended. I was honored to have an opportunity to express my gratitude to all our teachers, who dedicate their days to helping our children and ensuring the next generation is well-educated.
I encourage you, if you haven’t already, to watch the recording of the ceremony on our KDE Media Portal. I would like to congratulate Jennifer Montgomery from Eminence Independent as our 2025 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, Scott Johnson from Red Cross Elementary School in Barren County as our elementary division winner and Hayley Dant from Cooper High School in Boone County as our high school division winner.
In addition to our division winners, we also acknowledged our 2025 Kentucky Teacher Achievement award winners. These educators represent more than 42,000 of their colleagues from every school district in Kentucky who give of themselves every day to help students.
I truly believe that our educators are among the best in the nation, and this is not just a once-a-year celebration, but a chance for us to reinforce what being a teacher is all about and the lasting impact education can have across the state.
I was able to speak with many of you over this last week between meeting with the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA) and our superintendent's webcast.
For those of you who were unable to attend, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the last week in our schools, not only with the tragedy in London and the issues that our school systems are facing with the safety of students but also the various threats that are occurring in our schools.
I released a statement last week along with the Kentucky State Police to help encourage conversations between parents and their children about the very real and serious consequences that can happen if they call in a threat against another student or their school.
With that being said, I have been impressed with how you all have been handling this situation and I want to thank you all for continuing your hard work during these tough times. I have seen firsthand the resources and support you all have given your schools, your staff, students and your communities.
I know oftentimes your position can be the loneliest one in the district, especially during times like this. But I want to encourage you and let you know that you have 170 other superintendents who are also in your corner, along with myself and the department.
As I shared with you during the webcast KDE is inviting you to participate in the Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey Fall 2024.
The purpose of the survey is to gather facts about the number of vacant certified and classified positions and the ways those vacancies were filled, if filled at all. The shortage data will allow KDE to identify shortage areas in Kentucky and to report to the Kentucky Legislature to inform decisions regarding support for recruiting and retaining school personnel. The data focuses on the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.
In order to participate, please review the Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey example to see what the survey will ask for. Be sure to collect all the data before clicking on the actual Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey Fall 2024. Please complete the survey in one sitting as it will not save any of the data you enter until you click “Done” at the end. At that point, you will not be able to revise your survey.
Once again please know that we’re here to help and that I am very thankful for the work that you're doing. The greatest compliment and responsibility that is given to you is when a parent or a caregiver says they trust you with their child and I know that each of you does not take that lightly.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
School Report Card Collection Tool Opens Wednesday, Sept. 18
The School Report Card (SRC) Collection Data tool is being released to districts on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
With this release, schools can:
- Submit collection data for the School Profile Report and other required collector items; and
- Download the School Profile Report to collect signatures of school-based decision- making council members, principals and superintendents.
Districts will also be able to monitor collection progress and enter the superintendent’s message. The access link and additional details will be sent to district assessment coordinators (DACs) and SRC contacts Wednesday morning.
The AnLar team will provide live training to school and district users on Sept. 18 from 9 - 10:30 a.m. ET. This training will be recorded for later viewing by any users that cannot attend. There will also be office hours available to provide school and district users with an opportunity to ask questions about functionality. Time will be available Wednesday – Friday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. ET. Zoom links for the live training and office hours will be shared with district assessment coordinators and school report card contacts on Wednesday morning. Training documentation in the form of quick reference guides will also be available for use by school and district users.
Previous communications and resources are available on the School Report Card Suite Resources webpage.
Resources for Constitution and Citizenship Day Sept. 17
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is Tuesday, Sept. 17. This day commemorates the Sept.17, 1787, the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
Each educational institution that receives federal funds for a fiscal year is required to hold an educational program about the U.S. Constitution for its students.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) does not mandate the use of specific curricula or lesson plans for Constitution Day activities. The information below contains links to learning resources created and maintained by other public and private organizations. This information is provided for your convenience and includes examples of resources for Constitution Day that you might find helpful.
The U.S. Department of Education has assembled a variety of resources that can be used to plan your Constitution Day activity on its Commemorating Constitution Day and Citizenship Day webpage.
To assist students and educators in their studies, the National Archives and Records Administration offers a variety of resources on Constitution Day on its Observing Constitution Day webpage. Additional resources include:
Free online resources for Constitution Day are also available from The Library of Congress on its Constitution Day Teacher Resources webpage; the National Endowment for the Humanities on its Commemorating Constitution Day webpage; and the U.S. Senate on its Senate Stories: Celebrating Constitution Day webpage.
For more information, visit the KDE’s Social Studies Laws and Regulations webpage.
Resources for Dealing with Community Traumatic Events
Kentucky schools are grappling with the news of multiple recent acts of community violence, threats of additional attacks at school buildings, as well as recent tragedies within their own school community.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) encourages school and district leaders to attend to the social and emotional wellbeing of students, staff and families and has resources available to assist with this process.
In addition to KDE's Resources for Dealing with Community Traumatic Events and School Crisis and Emergency Response/Recovery webpage, these state and national organizations have tools that can support the school community:
- The Department for Behavioral Health, Intellectual, and Developmental Disabilities (BHDID) Crisis Prevention and Response System works to stabilize or prevent escalation of a crisis, and help individuals find the most appropriate follow up support. The BHDID Kentucky Community Crisis Response Team offers immediate response to critical events, and psychological first aid for ongoing resiliency.
- The University of Kentucky’s Center on Trauma and Children provides training on secondary traumatic stress and resiliency.
- Georgetown University’s TeacherWISE is an empirically supported program that offers resources to help teachers address five domains of well-being: physical, occupational, intellectual, social, and emotional. The TeacherWISE program helps educators assess their own well-being and personalize their learning with specific strategies that enhance their well-being.
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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides support and resources for traumatic events and natural disasters, trauma-informed schools, bullying, and grief.
For additional information, please contact Deborah Sauber.
Required Federal Recording and Reporting Requirements
As we approach the end of the ARP ESSER (American Rescue Plan Act, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund) funding period, the following is a reminder for two critical recording and reporting requirements. These were discussed during our Finance Officer/Auditor Workshop on May 23. If your district has used ESSER funds for facility acquisition, construction, or improvements, please take note of the following:
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Recording Federal Interest (Notice of Federal Interest, NFI):
- By Jan. 28, 2025, districts that have used ESSER funds for renovation, major remodeling, construction or real property projects totaling $1 million or more must record a Notice of Federal Interest (NFI). KDE template for NFI.
- Recording may also be necessary for projects under $1 million if ESSER funds represent the majority of the total value.
- Additionally, if the project is slightly above $1 million and the federal interest is insignificant, an NFI should still be recorded.
- If the U.S. Department of Education (USED) determines that a district is in high-risk status, USED may require an NFI be recorded (to protect the federal interest from other liens that could prevent the building from being used for its educational purpose).
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Real Property Status Reporting:
- Regardless of the amount of ESSER funds invested, districts must report annually on the status of real property for at least the first 15 years.
- To comply, districts shall upload the Federal Real Property Status Report (Cover Page) (SF-429) and SF-429 Attachment A (General Reporting) here each year to KDE. KDE has provided an upload instructions help document to help.
- Annual reporting does not include moveable machinery and equipment (moveable equipment includes HVAC, mobile classrooms and building furniture).
- If your district disposes of property with federal interest, an additional submission of SF-429 Attachment C (Disposition Reporting) is required in the year of disposal.
- Detailed instructions and all forms are available for download at Grants.gov.
Remember that completed Federal Real Property Status Reports must be submitted to KDE by Sept. 30.
For additional guidance and FAQ’s, refer to the USED Reporting and Recording Federal Interest frequently asked questions document.
ARP ESSER Plan Updates
Pursuant to the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, school districts receiving ARP ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds are required to maintain an up-to-date spending plan that is prominently posted on the district website and on file with the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
Plans must be annually revised and updated. Once updated, districts must submit links to their plans to the KDE using the ARP ESSER Plan Updates form by Oct. 1.
Please direct any questions related to this process to Matthew Courtney.
Kentucky’s ESEA Waiver Request Approved
The U.S. Department of Education has approved the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) request to waive the following program requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA):
- Carryover limitation in section 1127(b) of the ESEA for school year 2023-2024 Title I, Part A funds that will become carryover funds on Oct. 1, 2024 (Project K). This waives the requirement that limits KDE’s ability to grant to its local education agencies (LEAs) a waiver of the 15% Title I, Part A carryover limitation in section 1127(a) to once every three years.
- Period of availability of funds in Section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). This will allow KDE to extend the period of availability of school year 2022-2023 (Project J) funds for the programs listed below in which Kentucky participates under its approved consolidated ESEA state plan. The period of availability will be extended until June 30, 2025. School and district staff who work with these programs must continue to provide assistance to the same populations served by the respective programs. The programs are:
- Title I, Part A of the ESEA (Improving Basic Programs Operated by LEAs), including the portions of the state’s Title I, Part A award used to carry out section 1003 school improvement, and Title I, Part D, Subpart 2;
- Title I, Part C of the ESEA (Education of Migratory Children);
- Title I, Part D, Subpart 1 of the ESEA (Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At Risk);
- Title II, Part A of the ESEA (Supporting Effective Instruction);
- Title III, Part A of the ESEA (English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement);
- Title IV, Part A of the ESEA (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants); and
- Title V, Part B, Subpart 2 of the ESEA (Rural and Low-Income School Program).
The revised 2022-2023 award notifications will be posted to the KDE Federal Grants website by Sept. 30.
Please contact the following KDE staff with program-specific questions:
Transportation Services Policy Guidelines
KRS 158.148 was amended to include the requirement that the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) create Statewide Student Transportation Services Policy Guidelines.
The intent is to assist school districts in developing or enhancing current policies to ensure the safety of students, vehicle operators, and passengers using district-provided transportation. These policies shall be updated at a minimum every two years, starting with the 2024-2025 school year. These policies should be used in conjunction with the your Student Discipline Policies.
Please contact Elisa Hanley if you have any questions.
National Suicide Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a dedicated time to come together with collective passion and strength around a difficult topic. We can all benefit from honest conversations about mental health conditions and suicide because just one conversation can change a life.
Suicide is a major public health concern. More than 47,500 people die by suicide each year in the United States; it is the 10th leading cause of death overall and the second leading cause for people ages 10-34.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has declared Sept. 8 as national 988 Day. 988 Day is a national initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and for emphasizing the importance of mental health and suicide prevention. For more information, including how to promote 988 Day, please visit the SAMHSA website.
Kentucky Youth Data
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is completed every two years, shows that in 2023, 18.6% of Kentucky high school students seriously considered attempting suicide, and 8.6% of Kentucky’s high school students attempted suicide in the previous 12 months.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Since its inception in July 2022, 988 has received more than 9 million contacts. When people call, text or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors who are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, provide support and connect them to resources if necessary. In the past year, 988 has expanded to provide specialized services for veterans, Spanish speakers and members of the LGBTQI+ community.
Kentucky Specific Resources
Available Training
The Kentucky Department of Education, along with the Department for Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities, offer Sources of Strength training for schools throughout the state. Sources of Strength is a best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying and substance abuse.
For information on Sources of Strength training, please contact Sheila Barnard.
Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches adults how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18.
Mental Health First Aid for Adults teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults ages 18 and older, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary.
Those interested in more of these free training opportunities should contact Elizabeth Freeland.
Accepting Applications for Diagnostic Review Team Members
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia are accepting applications for diagnostic review team members to serve during the 2024-2025 school year.
The Cognia diagnostic review process is a performance-driven approach that relies on data from student performance, stakeholder feedback, classroom observations and a review of documents, artifacts and school practices.
Diagnostic reviews yield a comprehensive analysis of an institution in an extensive report intended to energize and guide continuous improvement planning for underperforming schools/districts.
All diagnostic review team members must have experience or expertise in the following areas:
- School or system administration with a specific emphasis on instructional leadership such as superintendent, principal, instructional supervisor, director of curriculum and instruction, assessment, special education, etc.
- Leading or supporting turnaround/ improvement initiatives at the school, system or state department levels.
- Familiarity with the analysis and use of data as a driver for improvement.
Diagnostic review team members are required to complete specialized training. While there is no compensation for participating as a diagnostic review team member, all expenses associated with travel for an onsite visit will be reimbursed by Cognia.
If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please begin by submitting your contact information on the diagnostic review team member interest form.
We will send next step information to support you through the training process. We will have multiple training options available throughout the next few months in preparation for reviews scheduled for the 2024-2025 school year. If you have questions, please email the Cognia team.
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