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Dear Colleagues,
We are finally at the end of the school year! This is a time to celebrate our students and all the progress they have made towards their goals, even if it’s also a time of transition that’s filled with bittersweet moments as our children graduate and move on to the next stages of their lives.
This summer will be busy for us at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) as we proceed with the advocacy phase of our new assessment and accountability framework, Framework 4.0. As many of you already know, KDE and the Kentucky United We Learn Council have been working on a new assessment and accountability framework for years, and we have landed on a model that is truly innovative, encourages vibrant learning experiences and involves collaboration with local communities.
More details about the framework itself and the history of our work can be found on the Reimagining Assessment and Accountability webpage. If you have any questions about the framework, please contact me via email or Jennifer Stafford, division director in our Office of Assessment and Accountability. Your voices are important when discussing the work we’re doing to revamp our assessment and accountability system in your communities, so we want to make sure you’re informed about the process, what we plan to advocate for and the impact it will have on students.
In some related news, KDE Office of Assessment and Accountability Associate Commissioner Rhonda Sims will be retiring June 30. Her work on the framework has been crucial, and her decades of experience with Kentucky’s assessment and accountability systems will be sorely missed. As we wish Sims a happy retirement, I also want to extend the same wishes to everyone in your districts that is retiring at the end of the year. More broadly, I hope you all have a wonderful summer.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
Join us for this fall’s All In for Ag Education Week: Sept. 15-19!
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is excited to announce the fall All In for Ag Education Week, happening Sept. 15-19, and we’re inviting school districts across the state to participate in this celebration of agriculture in the classroom.
This initiative is about getting students excited about agriculture, connecting learning to the food they eat and the careers that make it possible. Whether it’s planting a classroom garden, hosting a guest speaker, incorporating agriculture into a lesson or taking a virtual field trip to a farm, there are countless ways to get involved and show that your school is All In for agriculture education!
We also want to extend a huge thank you to all who participated in the spring All In for Ag Week, which was a tremendous success. Thanks to your enthusiasm and support, more than 63% of counties took part in this statewide effort, helping us reach thousands of students with the message that agriculture matters.
As you begin planning for fall, please remember each school is invited to designate an Ag Education Week school coordinator. This person should be selected by the principal and will serve as the main point of contact for all Ag Education Week communications, including resources, updates, and activity ideas.
Submit your school’s coordinator ASAP by visiting the All In for Ag Education Week school coordinator application form.
Let’s keep the momentum going this fall! Mark your calendars, start planning, and be on the lookout for resources and activity ideas to help make your Fall Ag Week engaging and impactful.
Together, let’s go All In for Ag Education — again!
End-of-Year Technical Education Database System (TEDS) Data Review – Key Reminders
As the academic year draws to a close, it’s essential to ensure all Technical Education Database System (TEDS) data is accurate and complete. Please take the time to carefully review the following items to avoid data discrepancies and potential funding issues:
- Confirm Your School’s Infinite Campus Closure Date
- All TEDS data must be validated prior to Infinite Campus closure.
- Review TEDS Tab End Date Guidelines
- Do not remove an end date on the TEDS tab in Infinite Campus unless the student is currently enrolled in a course within the same pathway.
- If the end date is removed during the current Infinite Campus year (2024–2025) and the student is not enrolled in a valid pathway course, this will result in a data violation and may impact funding.
- If the end date is removed after Infinite Campus has closed for the current year, the student will appear as active in the 2025–2026 school year — even if they are not enrolled in a valid pathway course — resulting in a data violation and a potential funding violation.
- Verify Transcripted Credits
- Ensure that all credit information in TEDS reflects the student’s official transcript. This should be completed through the final export/import process before the summer break.
- Confirm Student Objective Status
- Verify that each student’s objective (e.g., Explorer or Concentrator) is accurately recorded in TEDS.
- This information must align with the data in the TEDS tab in Infinite Campus and be updated through the export/import process.
- Validate Industry Certification Data
- Confirm that all industry certification attempts have been entered into TEDS.
- Ensure that all instructors have reviewed and submitted the necessary certification data.
Resources for Districts Impacted by Recent Natural Disasters
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) School Crisis and Emergency Response/Recovery webpage has resources that schools and districts can use to provide school-based supports to students, families, and staff who have experienced loss and trauma due to the recent natural disasters.
These resources can be used in conjunction with existing district emergency operations and trauma-informed plans that are in place at the local level. The following may be helpful in the school community recovery efforts:
Additionally, some resources from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, including pages dedicated to trauma from disasters and complex trauma, are also available.
KDE, regional educational cooperatives and the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (BHDID) have collaborated to establish regional school crisis response teams across the state to provide assistance to school districts in need of external support. Amy Potts is the disaster response program administrator with BHDID and can help connect districts with regional school crisis response teams organized through the co-ops. Potts can be reached by email or by phone at (502) 229-6439.
Local education agencies that were directly impacted by the recent disasters may also be eligible for additional federal funds through the U.S. Department of Education’s (USED's) Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) grant program. District leadership can contact Maria Rowan in USED’s Disaster Recovery Unit (DRU) directly for more information. For information on applying for a Project SERV grant following a natural disaster, read the Project SERV Quick Guide.
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.
Persistence to Graduation Summit 2025: Registration Open
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.
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, 2025, 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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