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Dear Colleagues,
Each week provides opportunities to build new relationships and to collaborate with talented educators from across the Commonwealth. This week’s opportunities include professional learning with colleagues, data collection for legislators and other stakeholders, and continued input in the study phase of our next accountability system.
Continuous Improvement Summit in Lexington
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Continuous Improvement and Support continues to provide support for educator training through events like the annual Continuous Improvement Summit happening this week at the Central Bank Center in Lexington.
I, along with the staff here at KDE, have a strong commitment to providing our teachers with the tools, resources and support they require to empower our kids.
During this event, participants will join thousands of educators across the Commonwealth to enhance their professional learning, make new connections, build upon existing relationships with peers across Kentucky, and hear up-to-date information from KDE leaders, including assessment and accountability updates.
These sessions are designed for elementary and secondary educators, administrators and central office staff with a focus on continuous improvement at both the district and school levels.
Topics include data-driven decision-making, high-quality career and technical education, community schools as an improvement strategy, the role of leaders in multi-tiered systems of support, among other timely topics.
Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey
We’re seeking participation in the Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey Fall 2024 and feedback on the latest assessment and accountability proposed model.
The purpose of the Kentucky Educators Shortage 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.
Be sure to collect all the data first by visiting the Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey example 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.
The Study Phase for Prototype 4.0
As for the prototype input, KDE is now entering a study phase of the prototype, which involves seeking input from all districts through Kentucky’s education cooperatives and conducting focus groups with 36 school districts to provide feedback. So, please make sure you are on the lookout and communicating with your cooperatives.
Thank you for all that you do and thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
School Report Card Portal Update
The School Report Card (SRC) Collection Data tool was released last week for schools to begin entering data. Unfortunately, there were a few issues with erroneous data or data not populating in the School Profile Report. The known issues have now been resolved and schools can continue entering data into the collection tool and print the School Profile Report to begin collecting signatures after verification of data.
The School Profile Report is a requirement of KRS 158.6453 Section 3 (20), which requires schools to make their annual School Profile Report available in the local board office by Oct. 1. With the short turnaround time this year, schools are encouraged to do the best they can and may need to have an unsigned copy available until the school-based decision making (SBDM) council meets and all signatures can be obtained.
The SRC Portal’s Preview and Approval tools are scheduled to be available Sept. 30. Training and Quick Reference Guides will be available to familiarize school and district staff with the new tools. With this release, data in the Overview, Education Opportunity, Transition to Adult Life, and School Safety domains will be available for review and approval.
Please continue to report any issues found to AnLar helpdesk by email. Prior communications, resource materials, and contact information is available on the KDE SRC Resource Webpage.
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.
Nominations open for the 2025 Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award
Gov. Andy Beshear’s office, in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education, has opened the nomination window for the 2024-2025 Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award.
The top two nominees also will be considered for the national 2025 Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award. Enacted by Congress in 2019 and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education (USED), the RISE Award recognizes classified school employees who have displayed exemplary service to students in pre-kindergarten through high school.
From driving students to school or preparing their meals to working with partner agencies to ensure essential needs are met, classified employees serve in a variety of vital and often overlooked roles.
“Our schools simply could not function without our classified employees. They often are unsung heroes in the schools, but fulfill such crucial roles,” said Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher. “This is an opportunity to shine a light on the dedicated staff who are ‘all in’ when it comes to ensuring our students have the safest and healthiest environments in which to learn.”
Eligible candidates must work in any of the following occupational specialties: paraprofessional; clerical and administrative services; transportation services; food and nutrition services; custodial and maintenance services; security services; health and student services; technical services; and skilled trades.
Nominees must illustrate excellence in each of the following areas:
- Work performance;
- School and community involvement;
- Leadership and commitment;
- Local support (from co-workers, school administrators, community members, etc.); and
- Enhancement of classified school employees’ image in the community and in schools.
The nomination period will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 30. Each nominator can submit up to two candidates for consideration via the 2024-2025 RISE Award Nomination Form.
Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman have put together a committee of key education stakeholders who will review and score this year’s nominations.
Beshear will forward the names of the top two classified employees to USED as Kentucky’s nominees for the national RISE Award by Nov. 1. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will select a single classified employee from among all nominees to receive the national 2025 RISE Award.
FY 2025 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Cycle 22 RFA posted
As authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Title IV, Part B, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is issuing a Request for Applications (RFA) for local school districts, community and faith-based organizations, as well as other qualifying private and governmental organizations to design and implement effective out-of-school programs that improve student achievement and social development.
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program provides academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for children, particularly students who attend high–poverty and low-performing schools, to meet state and local standards in core academic subjects such as reading, math and science. Programs provide students with homework assistance and a broad array of activities that can complement their regular academic programs and promote youth development; and offer literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.
Programs must ensure that the academic services they provide are aligned with the school’s curriculum in the core subject areas. The RFA is located on the KDE Competitive Grants webpage.
To assist applicants in preparing a quality application, KDE will host three technical assistance sessions. Sessions will address essential grant requirements, budget preparation and state and federal guidance.
Participation in a session will be the only opportunity for applicants to ask face-to-face questions. Participation is highly recommended as the Cycle 22 RFA will be discussed in detail. Sessions will be offered on the following dates:
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Thursday, Sept. 26 at the Holiday Inn Sloan Convention Center at 1021 Wilkinson Trace in Bowling Green from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT.
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Friday, Sept. 27 at the Kentucky Department of Education, 300 Building Sower Blvd. in Frankfort from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET.
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Monday, Sept. 30 at the Kit Carson Commons Bldg. Eastern Kentucky University, 4462 Kit Carson Drive in Richmond from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET.
The deadline to submit questions is Monday, Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. ET. All questions must be sent to the KDE RFP email inbox. The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. ET.
Integrating HQIRs and Deeper Learning to Strengthen Tier 1 Instruction
The first big idea of United We Learn’s vision for the future of public education in Kentucky is “creating a more vibrant experience for every student.” How do educators provide vibrant student learning experiences? What is needed to establish a system that equitably supports these types of learning opportunities within Tier 1 instruction?
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is creating a series of resources designed to build understanding of the interaction between deeper learning and a local curriculum through the lens of learning science to help promote access to vibrant learning experiences for all students. Specifically, these resources aim to:
- Examine deeper learning and the role of a local curriculum anchored in high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs) in enabling deeper learning experiences in Tier 1 instruction;
- Explore how understanding of education research and learning science can inform effective integration of deeper learning and HQIR within a local curriculum; and
- Provide modules to support curriculum integration according to learning science.
The first resource in this series is an introduction: Integrating HQIRs and Deeper Learning to Strengthen Tier 1 Instruction. The modules to follow will be released for each of four stages–Priming for Learning, Surface Learning, Deep Learning and Transfer Learning–to support district curriculum teams in applying educational research and learning science in order to strengthen their local curriculum for Tier I instruction. Each module will build understanding of learning science principles for its phase, establishing connections to deeper learning and then providing indicators for analyzing the local curriculum and making smart adjustments.
Please watch the Standards Newsletter for more information and to access the modules as they are released.
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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