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Dear Colleagues,
All In for Ag Education Week kicked off this week and I could not be more excited.
This is a great opportunity for our kids to learn more about agriculture and the role it plays in their communities. Agriculture Education Week is an all-encompassing learning experience for students that also equips educators with ready-to-use lessons and fosters community involvement to create hands-on learning opportunities.
Starting All In for Ag Education Week has been a group effort. We at the Kentucky Department of Education joined with Team Kentucky and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to broaden agriculture education and emphasize how important it is.
Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell joined me as we met with students and school leaders at Creekside Elementary School in Hardin County on Monday to begin the week, seeing what their AgSTREAM program for kids K-5 is like. The school really is a model for how to get young children involved in agriculture early so they can learn more about where their food and fuel comes from.
I spoke with some of the older students at the school about their projects, where they’re mapping out and comparing the digestive systems of different animals, and they were all engaged and enthusiastic about what they were learning. Then, we met with 2nd-grade students who showed off their new chicken coop and their outdoor classroom, where they learn about different plants and crops.
These types of learning experiences are critical to our United We Learn vision for public education in Kentucky. Educators are finding innovative ways to engage their students in vibrant learning through agriculture, with help and collaboration with the community around them. At Creekside, local farmers consult with district leaders to determine the best curriculum for their children and the needs of the community.
We have many resources available to help your district integrate more agriculture education earlier in a child’s life, for this week and beyond, on the All in for Ag Education Week website. We hope this will become an annual event and hope you will participate.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
Applications are Open for Kentucky Summer Boost: Reading and Mathematics Program
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Teaching and Learning is accepting applications for this year’s Summer Boost: Reading and Mathematics Program, a partnership between KDE and the Summer Food Service Program.
Summer Boost will promote family engagement in reading and math by giving away free books and fun items, such as bracelets, bookmarks and book bags, intended to motivate and remind families to read every day.
Each of the participating districts will receive high-interest books for grades K-12 to distribute at their meal sites.
Along with the books to give away, the selected districts will receive, at no cost, digital math games for students to play, user-friendly training on how to use the materials to engage students and families, ideas to share with parents and caregivers to promote literacy and numeracy in everyday life, and an opportunity for a guest reader to visit the school and read to students.
To be considered for the Summer Boost Program, a district must have completed an online application to confirm interest. Districts that want to participate should complete the form no later than March 28 at the 2025 Summer Boost: Reading and Mathematics Program Application. For more information, contact Danielle Ward.
Families interested in having their child participate should reach out to their local Summer Food Service Department for more information about meal service sites within their district.
Learn more about the program and find application information on the Summer Boost flyer.
Call for Vendors to Join the Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Division of Early Literacy has an opportunity for vendors to participate in the upcoming Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference, scheduled to take place on June 13 at The Galt House in Louisville.
For this event focused on promoting literacy and educational excellence, KDE is seeking vendors whose products and services align with our mission to improve reading outcomes throughout our state.
The Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference provides a platform for vendors to showcase their offerings to a diverse audience of educators and administrators. This is an opportunity to connect with education professionals, demonstrate the value of your products/services and contribute to the advancement of literacy initiatives in Kentucky.
KDE welcomes vendor applications offering a wide range of products and services, including but not limited to:
- Educational materials and resources;
- Technology solutions for literacy enhancement;
- Books, literature and reading aids;
- Learning tools and aids for different age groups; and
- Community partner services related to literacy and education.
If your organization shares our passion for promoting literacy and educational success, we invite you to apply to become a vendor at the Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference. The cost will be $500 per table. Showcase your products and services, engage with attendees and be a part of this impactful event.
To apply, please visit and complete the Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference vendor application by 4 p.m. ET on March 28. The selection committee will review all applications and notify selected vendors by the end of April.
Do not miss this opportunity to be a part of the annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Conference and contribute to the collective mission of fostering a culture of reading and learning in Kentucky.
Vendors will be selected based on how well they:
- Describe alignment of the vendor’s products/services with the conference mission and objectives;
- Describe relevance of the vendor’s offerings to the needs and interests of conference attendees;
- Describe quality, validity, reliability and effectiveness of the vendor’s products/services (based on EdReports rating, NCII rating, etc.);
- Provide reviews or testimonials from previous customers/clients regarding the vendor’s offerings (based on Kentucky District Dashboard reporting);
- Provide evidence of how the vendor’s products/services stand out in the market (inclusion on KDE screener/diagnostic list); and
- The vendor’s pricing structure and affordability of the vendor’s products/services.
Each vendor is responsible for submitting all relevant, factual and correct information with their offer to enable the evaluators to afford each vendor the maximum score based on the available data submitted by the vendor.
2025 Approved K-12 High-Quality Instructional Resources for Reading/Writing and Mathematics
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has released approved lists of K-12 high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs) for reading and writing and mathematics, focusing on Tier 1 core comprehensive resources.
A core comprehensive instructional resource is one that serves as the primary means of instruction in a content area for a grade level or course. These lists are designed to assist superintendents in navigating the complex marketplace of educational resources. Kentucky law, specifically KRS 160.345, places the authority for developing local curriculum, including the selection of instructional materials, with local superintendents, following appropriate consultation.
To aid in the evaluation and selection process, the KDE has released the Model Curriculum Framework’s Curriculum Development Process and instructional resource consumer guides for reading and writing and mathematics. The guidance recommends utilizing EdReports.org, an independent nonprofit that provides free reviews of instructional materials that draw upon expert educators, as a starting point for local review teams to research available evidence-based materials.
While all materials on the approved lists meet the KDE standards for HQIRs and have been informed by feedback from the Quality Curriculum Taskforce, districts are encouraged to conduct thorough local reviews to ensure that selected materials align with their specific needs and the local instructional vision. Off-list notification is still protected and allowable per KRS 156.445.
More information about the approved reading/writing and mathematics lists can be found on KDE’s Instructional Resources webpage.
Success Stories of Effective Partnerships with Families
During its 2023 term, Family Partnership Council (FPC) members conducted an in-depth analysis of the latest research on family partnerships and collaborated to create the Family Partnership Council’s recommendations to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
These recommendations would:
- Support every school’s effort to form effective partnerships;
- Promote greater alignment of KDE’s and outside organizations’ family partnership initiatives; and
- Set the goals of the FPC for the next two years.
One of the four recommendations noted that KDE should encourage districts and schools to develop local web pages that include more robust relationship-building and communication metrics regarding meaningful family and community engagement. KDE is seeking to fulfill this recommendation by highlighting districts and schools that are doing family partnerships well and what they are doing with a special focus on innovative practices.
KDE is encouraging all Kentucky districts and schools to utilize the Success Stories of Effective Partnerships with Families form to share their stories of creating trusting relationships with families as partners that are making a positive impact for both students and families. Stories will be shared as a resource and inspiration to other schools across the Commonwealth as we seek innovative and successful ways to partner with our parents, families and our communities.
If you are interested in learning more about those success stories already submitted, please visit the District and School Success Stories website. To learn more about the FPC, please visit the Family Partnership Council website.
KBE Seeking Applicants for KHSAA Board of Control At-large Position
The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE), through the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), is seeking an individual to serve on the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s (KHSAA’s) Board of Control to fill an at-large position that will become vacant on June 30, 2025. The individual currently holding the position is eligible for reappointment.
The KHSAA is the KBE’s designee to manage statewide interscholastic athletic programs.
The Board of Control supervises KHSAA, establishes staff salaries, sets goals for the association, and has the authority to set rules and review proposed changes to the KHSAA constitution and bylaws. Regular attendance at KHSAA Board of Control meetings is a requirement of the position. The KBE appointed Board of Control member must not be a current employee of a Kentucky public school district.
All interested individuals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, a resume and a minimum of two written letters of recommendation to the Kentucky Department of Education. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals with whom the applicant has an established professional or personal relationship and has first-hand knowledge of the applicant’s skills and dispositions.
The deadline for applications is March 30, 2025. Materials should be mailed to Todd Allen, General Counsel, Kentucky Department of Education, 300 Sower Blvd., Frankfort, KY 40601, or emailed to Todd Allen.
The Kentucky Board of Education will review applications for the KHSAA Board of Control at-large position and anticipates appointment at its June 2025 meeting.
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