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Dear Colleagues,
Everyone at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) sends our condolences and best wishes to those who were impacted by the storms in eastern Kentucky on Friday, especially the families of those we lost.
As emergency crews continue assessing the damage and figure out their next steps, we want to restate our commitment to helping our schools and our communities recover from this disaster.
We also want to reiterate what steps districts should take if they have damage. The Kentucky Emergency Management team has told us in the past that school districts should report damages to your county emergency management office as soon as you are able.
When you assess damages, KDE asks that you send an email to kdesafe@education.ky.gov with information about the damage and its estimated costs. This information will help us track relief efforts if funding is provided.
COVID Relief Funding Update
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has approved extending COVID relief funding for two small projects in Boone County – one for almost $26,000 for an interactive online learning platform and another project for almost $18,600 to fund one year of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
USED also denied a further almost $10.6 million in projects in a reconsideration submitted by KDE on behalf of school districts.
While I am pleased that USED will allow for Boone County to continue spending money on these two projects that were previously approved by the department last year, it is unfortunate that Kentucky has been denied more than $10 million – so far – to provide resources and improve the learning environment of our students. We expect the federal government to honor its promises to states and to our students.
While we hope for more good news in the coming days, we stand ready to appeal the projects that have been denied. We will continue to fight for the resources our schools and districts have been promised by USED to continue their mission of providing the best education possible to Kentucky’s students.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
Fiscal Year 2026 District Funding Assurances
The Fiscal Year 2026 District Funding Assurances are currently available in the Grant Management Application and Planning System (GMAP). The assurances are a stand-alone document and not part of the Consolidated Application.
The role of district funding assurances director has been added to complete and approve the assurances. If district staff need the role of district funding assurances director, please contact your district GMAP user access administrator to add the role. A list of GMAP user access administrators are located in GMAP under KDE Resources.
Once the District Funding Assurances have been completed in GMAP, you must print the document to present to your local board for approval. Upon approval by your local board, the superintendent (not the designee) must upload the assurances statement under their GMAP login by Sept. 30, 2025. The district funding assurances statement template is located in GMAP in the District Document Library.
Instructions for completing and uploading the assurances statement in GMAP is available FY2026 District Funding Assurances Upload Instructions.
For guidance on submitting your assurances, please contact Nicole Crosthwaite via email or (502) 564-1979, ext. 4328. For questions regarding GMAP login, please contact Lindsay McCollum via email or by phone at (502) 564-1979, ext. 4368.
Update on Certified Evaluation Plans
Due to the changes required in House Bill 48 (2025), districts must modify Certified Evaluation Plans (CEP) to ensure all teachers, other professionals, principals, assistant principals, and other certified administrators, that have attained continuing service status under KRS 161.740 or continuing status under KRS 156.800(7) are evaluated on a five-year summative cycle.
Updating the District CEP
Districts should convene the district 50/50 Committee to discuss revisions to the CEP to accommodate a five-year summative cycle for all certified personnel. During the 50/50 Committee meeting, members should:
- Discuss any needed changes to sources of evidence
- Discuss frequency or timelines for sources of evidence
- Discuss requirements for formative years
- Discuss any impact or revisions to decision rules
- Discuss other changes that impact practice and policy
- Make recommendations for local board of education approval.
Following approval by the local board of education, districts shall submit to KDE the updated, approved CEP and Certified Evaluation Assurances by Sept. 1 using the provided 2025 Certified Evaluation Plan and Assurances Google form. Please contact Todd Davis with questions related to Certified Evaluation.
Cognitive Coaching Registration Now Open
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Continuous Improvement and Support will be offering its fifth cohort of Cognitive Coaching certification for classroom, school and district leaders. This eight-day intensive training supports leaders in learning how to produce self-directed persons with the cognitive capacity for excellence. Cognitive Coaching is the premier coaching structure for all leaders to utilize and it comes at no cost to participants! This training fills quickly, so please register soon!
Participants will utilize intentional structures and tools for planning, reflecting and problem resolving, developing higher levels of efficacy, consciousness, craftsmanship, flexibility and interdependence. The coaching tools of pausing, paraphrasing and posing questions, the use of effective feedback and mediating thinking through conversational structure and data will be the main focus.
The eight sessions will take place at the Kentucky Department of Education located at 300 Sower Blvd. in Frankfort on Sept. 5, Sept. 8, Sept. 18-19, Oct. 23-24 and Dec. 11-12.
To register, please complete the Cognitive Coaching registration form. Priority will be given to schools designated for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement or those requiring more rigorous intervention, although all Kentucky leaders are invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Shannon Gullett, KDE educational recovery director.
Registration Now Open for the 2025 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia invite you to a two-day event designed to elevate your impact in education. Registration is now open the 2025 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit on Sept. 22-23 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington!
This year’s keynote speaker is Missy Testerman, the 2024 National Teacher of the Year. She teaches English as a second language to students from kindergarten through 8th grade and is a passionate advocate for her students, their families and fellow teachers. A Tennessee native and first-generation college graduate, Testerman takes pride in her former students’ success and is dedicated to ensuring the next generation receives a broadened education while living in a rural setting. She emphasizes the importance of teachers holding high expectations for all students from the moment they step into the classroom.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your professional learning, strengthen existing relationships or tackle unique challenges with fresh strategies, this conference is for you. Don’t miss this opportunity to spark new ideas, gain insights from KDE leaders and join Kentucky’s continuous improvement movement! Visit the 2025 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit registration page to register.
Persistence to Graduation Summit 2025: Registration Open and Keynote Speaker Announced
Register now to attend the 2025 Persistence to Graduation Summit.
Hosted by the Kentucky Department of Education's Division of Student Success, the summit will be held June 12-13 at the Hilton in downtown Lexington.
We are excited to announce Justin “Jay” Miller, dean of the University of Kentucky’s School of Social Work, as this year’s keynote speaker. At the time of his appointment in 2019, Miller was the youngest dean in the country, aligning with this year’s theme of elevating student voice. Miller is passionate about his work as an educator and scholar, with research and academic interests focusing on child welfare and youth involvement in juvenile systems. His work has shaped practice with foster youth and has informed a myriad of policies and practices related to participatory engagement with youth and families.
During this two-day event, superintendents, district level personnel, school administrators, school counselors, educators, family resource and youth services center coordinators, school mental health and social service professionals, and community partners from across Kentucky will convene to share information and best practices to support students who may experience challenges to reaching graduation.
Engaging and interactive sessions will be led by facilitators from across the state and content will include:
- Student transition and re-engagement strategies;
- Alternative education programming;
- Well-rounded educational opportunities;
- Safe and supportive learning environments; and
- Effective use of education technology.
The full schedule will be available soon and registration is limited to the first 300 participants. For more information contact Lalah Brewer.
Keynote Speaker Announced for Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Office of Teaching and Learning, Division of Early Literacy invites you to register for the second-annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference on June 13 at The Galt House in Louisville.
Keynote speaker and educational consultant to state departments and school districts on explicit instruction and literacy, Anita Archer has presented in all 50 states, all U.S. territories, and many countries, including Australia and Canada, and has received 10 awards honoring her educational contributions. Archer has served on the faculties of three universities, including the University of Washington, the University of Oregon and San Diego State University. She is nationally known for her professional learning, and she has co-authored numerous curriculum materials and a best-selling textbook addressing reading and writing.
The conference, which will require registration but will be free to Kentucky K-12 public educators, will offer focused learning pathways to meet the needs of teachers and administrators. Attendees will learn from KDE Office of Teaching and Learning consultants and partners about:
- Evidence-based instructional shifts for literacy;
- The benefits of structured literacy;
- Why high-quality instructional resources matter; and
- Available resources for implementing the Read to Succeed Act.
Mark your calendar for this June 13 event.
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 2025-2026 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 and 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 2025-2026 school year. If you have questions, please email the Cognia team.
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