Commissioner's Weekly Message

June 24, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Last week, the Kentucky United We Learn Council held its semiannual convening where members discussed the next steps with the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) efforts to revamp the Commonwealth’s assessment and accountability systems.

The discussions that were had about all the different aspects of assessment and accountability – including how local accountability works, how vibrant learning experiences would be assessed and how interim assessments would be developed – were a joy to be a part of. The comments that were shared included a lot of thoughtful insights about the next steps for Framework 4.0.

We want to ensure local accountability is truly that: local. The vibrant learning experiences and collaboration with the community included in the framework are based on what several communities and districts are already doing within the local accountability space. Having part of this system dedicated to what the community wants ensures that we’ll have the buy-in we need to make this work.

It takes time to engage with our communities. We held several town halls across the Commonwealth earlier this year and continued to hold discussions with various stakeholders, advisory groups and community members as we refined this framework. This input is going to be crucial as we start our advocacy efforts to put these innovative ideas into place.

Many of your districts are already engaging with and collaborating with your communities to ensure students have access to a variety of opportunities, including those vibrant learning experiences we talk about so much that truly enrich a student’s educational experience. This type of collaboration is key if we want assessment and accountability systems that are relevant to the needs of our students and our community members.

If we look at our education system years from now and nothing has changed for our students, we have failed. It’s important we have a system that prioritizes vibrant and meaningful learning experiences so our students have the tools they need to succeed once they graduate.

More information about the current framework and the Kentucky United We Learn Council’s timeline can be found on KDE’s Reimagining Assessment and Accountability webpage.

As always, thank you for being …

All In,

Robbie Fletcher

Commissioner of Education

Apply for 2025-2026 KACTE Leadership Fellows Program

Developing personal leadership skills as well as preparing career and technical education (CTE) professionals for administrative or association leadership positions is the goal of the Kentucky Association for Career and Technical Education (KACTE) Leadership Fellows Program.

Applications now are being accepted for the full-scholarship program that offers 12 professional development or Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) credit hours and a $250 stipend for completion of the program.

Use the web address or QR code on the 2025-2026 KACTE Leadership Fellows Program flier to apply. More details on the program, including the dates of the three in-person sessions in Bowling Green in September, Frankfort in February, and Louisville in July, are in the flier as well. The 2025-2026 cohort will be selected from the submitted applications the first week of August.

Please direct any questions to KACTE Leadership Committee Co-chairs Katy Disney or J.T. Payne.

Fiscal Year 2026 Community Education Request for Application Posted

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is issuing a request for application (RFA) to implement local community education initiatives for a maximum of four grants.

Community education is defined in KRS 160.155 as a program in which a public building – including a public elementary and secondary school – is used as a community center operated by a local education agency in cooperation with other groups in the community, community organizations and local government agencies to provide educational, recreational, cultural, healthcare and other related community services in accordance with the needs, interests and concerns of the community.

Grants will be awarded based on the availability of funds. Four grantees will be awarded $20,000 to employ a full-time community education director. The community education director must implement a comprehensive community education initiative countywide. Only one grant per county will be awarded.

Counties that have more than one school district must collaborate in implementing the community education initiative for all schools and communities. Applicants are required to provide a 25% ($5,000) cash match. Grant and match funds can only be used for salary to hire a full-time community education director.

General Information

Applications will only be accepted from public school districts that submit a plan to implement community education activities countywide. If multiple school districts are located within the county, then all school districts must be involved in the development and design of the application. Only one grant per county may be submitted for consideration. If more than one grant from the same county is submitted, both will be disqualified and not scored.

Current community education grantees are not eligible to apply and do not need to reapply to maintain your grant award.

Grant Period and Contract

The grant is anticipated to begin Sept. 1, 2025. Pending funding availability, community education grants are renewable annually if all grant assurances and requirements are met.

Grant Requirements

A public school district may receive funding for a community school program if the following criteria established in KRS 160.157 are met:

1. Submits an application for approval;
2. Submits a plan to the Kentucky Department of Education, approved by the local board of education, which outlines the proposed community education program, including procedures for obtaining the involvement and cooperation of other agencies and groups in identifying and recommending programs for meeting locally determined needs;
3. Establishes an advisory council to assist in conducting community needs assessments and recommending program priorities to district leaders; and
4. Employs one full-time community education director.

Submission

To assist applicants in preparing a quality application, please review the prerecorded technical assistance webinar that addresses essential grant requirements, budget preparation and state guidance.

The deadline to submit applications is July 17, 2025, at 4 p.m. ET. The application can be found on the KDE Competitive Grants webpage.

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.

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 30. Questions regarding the training opportunity should be directed to Charlotte Jones.

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.

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.