Commissioner's Weekly Message

June 5, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to present our latest assessment and accountability framework, Framework 4.0, to the Interim Joint Committee on Education.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and the Kentucky United We Learn Council have been working on a new assessment and accountability framework for years. We have landed on a model that is truly innovative, encourages vibrant learning experiences and involves collaboration with local communities.

This framework represents the voices of thousands of Kentuckians and their hopes for assessment and accountability systems that are relevant to the needs of our students and our communities. More details about the framework and our work can be found on the Reimagining Assessment and Accountability webpage.

Listening to our friends in Bullitt County and Fleming County explain the innovation occurring within their districts in the assessment and accountability space was exciting. Many of you have already started embarking on the kind of work we’re hoping to build on with this framework, and as we begin the advocacy phase of our work, your voices are critical to ensuring the systems we’re trying to build reflect the needs of every community in the Commonwealth.

Once again, if you have any questions, please contact me via email or Jennifer Stafford, the incoming associate commissioner in our Office of Assessment and Accountability.

As always, thank you for being …

All In,

Robbie Fletcher

Commissioner of Education

National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program and Application

The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) – formerly the National Title I Association – selects examples of superior, federally funded school programs for national recognition through the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program.

Every year, states can identify up to two Distinguished ESEA Schools in three possible categories:

• Category 1: Exceptional student performance and academic growth for two or more consecutive years
• Category 2: Closing the achievement gap between student groups for two or more consecutive years
• Category 3: Excellence in serving special populations of students (e.g. homeless, migrant, English learners, etc.)

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is now accepting applications from schools for Categories 1, 2 and 3. Schools interested in applying for consideration must submit a completed application signed by the school principal and district superintendent by the deadline of Aug. 8. If selected as a finalist, KDE staff will conduct a site visit to interview the principal, selected staff and students.

Two National ESEA Distinguished Schools from Category 1, 2 and/or 3 will be notified by email of their selection in November. For more information, email Tara Rodriguez or call (502) 564-3791, ext. 4042.

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.

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.

New High School Feedback Reports Are Available for Review

The Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS) is providing High School Feedback Reports (HSFR) for the graduating class of 2023 for district review. The review window is through Tuesday, July 1, with the public release planned for early July.

This year, districts are asked to review the report on college going and success for the high school graduating class of 2023. The report compares: student outcomes including in-state college-going rates, types of schools attended, how students performed in their first year at in-state public colleges and universities and financial aid received by students.

District assessment coordinators are being provided with URLs and passwords to access the reports and are asked to download these reports and share with principals and superintendents for review.

These reports should be considered DRAFT; all district reports are currently viewable through the link but reports may change if data issues are found. These draft reports are for internal review only and should not be shared until public release.

To access the reports, visit the KYSTATS HSFR website.

Title II, Part A Survey Due June 30

Under section 2104(b), the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires local education agencies (LEAs) to report how they spend Title II, Part A funds each year.

In the past, the U.S. Department of Education’s (USED’s) annual survey on the use of funds under Title II, Part A, “Supporting Effective Instruction – Subgrants to LEAs,” was administered by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), but due to federal budget cuts, this requirement has been assigned to every state to administer.

Collecting this data is crucial for USED’s annual budget discussions in Congress and reporting on Title II, Part A program performance indicators. The survey covers financial data, professional development plans and staffing allocations to ensure compliance with the Title II, Part A program requirements.

District Title II, Part A Coordinators will receive an email providing a link to the web-based survey. The deadline for completion of the 2024-2025 school year survey is June 30, 2025. Please note: The information provided for this survey may be stored without identifying information and may be used for studies in the future without additional informed consent.

Please contact Dana Kelly with any questions.

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.

Schools and Districts Encouraged to Submit Best Practices

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Best Practices and Sustainability webpage is open for submission of best practices from schools and districts.

The Best Practices website is designed to serve as a clearinghouse to promote practices that motivate, engage and provide measurable results in student learning, achievement and school/district processes. Any aspect of a school or district system that can impact student outcomes through improved instruction or operations can be submitted as a best practice.

Best practices should be submitted to the Best Practices database by June 6 to be considered for acknowledgement at the Continuous Improvement Summit, scheduled for Sept. 22-23.

For more information, email Natasha Stein.

Free Leadership Development Through National Institute for School Leadership

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Continuous Improvement and Support has partnered with the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) to implement its National Institute for School and System Leadership (NISL) program.

This nationally recognized leadership development program was designed to help school and district leaders transform schools into high-performing learning environments and has been in place in Kentucky for the past 14 years. NCEE’s NISL program is the most widely used research-proven professional learning program for school leaders in the country.

Built on decades of research into the world’s emerging and highest-performing education systems, NISL equips leaders with the skills, strategies and vision to drive meaningful and sustainable change. This experience prepares leaders to explore global education trends, set a clear strategic vision and design rigorous instructional systems and build a culture of continuous improvement, ethical leadership and long-term school success. The monthly interactive experience focuses on the key themes for capacity-building and for transforming the school as an organization while improving student success.

School and district staff interested in participating in this free professional learning are encouraged to complete the NISL interest form no later than June 6. Questions regarding the training opportunity should be directed to Charlotte Jones.

Those receiving this at the Kentucky School for the Blind and the Kentucky School for the Deaf, please make sure all employees receive it. Also, Area Technology Center (ATC) principals are asked to forward it to their staffs.

Please send your questions, comments and suggestions on the Commissioner's Weekly Message to Joe Ragusa by 4 p.m. Monday to be published that week.