This quarter, the Kentucky Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) is spotlighting the North Star Priority: Discipline Practices. 

This North Star Priority emphasizes proactive, systemic approaches to behavioral and social skill instruction and supports tailored to individual student needs. These practices are designed to foster positive developmental, academic and behavioral outcomes for all children. 

For students with disabilities, this focus is especially relevant. The Discipline Practices workgroup addresses key areas identified in Kentucky’s Special Education State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report. Indicators such as dropout rates, suspensions and expulsions and preschool outcomes serve as important tools for districts to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of behavioral supports for students with disabilities. 

To support districts in strengthening these efforts, OSEEL has recently launched a Behavior Resources webpage that includes classroom management resources, evidence-based practices and social-emotional learning tools. It also houses a new video series on Effective Classroom Strategies for Students with Disabilities, developed to provide new special education teachers with strategies to create a supportive classroom environment for all learners.  

For questions or additional information, please contact  OSEEL staff: Discipline and Behavior Data, Amy Patterson; Discipline and Behavior Guidance, Rebecca Turner; and Pyramid Model, Stephanie Ernst. 

KDE's Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) is excited to offer the second cohort a unique learning opportunity designed exclusively for K-12 special education teachers.

Through the Kaleidoscope Community of Practice (CoP), teachers will expand their understanding of Specially Designed Instruction through collaboration and co-creation. Teachers will leave the CoP with a collection of resources, tools and skills that will grow their capacity to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Teachers who complete all five sessions also will receive a classroom manipulatives kit!   

Kaleidoscope will be a series of five CoP sessions for 18 professional development hours. There will be two 6-hour in-person sessions, the kick-off session in October and the closing session in March.

Participants also must attend one monthly virtual session in November, January and February. There will be two options for each monthly virtual session (virtual sessions will be offered 4:30-6:30 p.m. ET and 5-7 p.m. ET). There is no registration fee. 

Kaleidoscope registration closes on Aug. 29. Registration is limited! Questions can be directed to Rebecca Turner or Anne Simpson.  

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) is releasing the Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children (KECSAC) General Supervision and Public Agency Indicators based on the U.S. Department of Education’s Dear Colleague Letter (2014) and the requirements of the Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for students with disabilities in correctional facilities. 

These indicators will help Kentucky school districts ensure compliance with federal and state special education regulations for students with disabilities in KECSAC/Department of Juvenile Justice correctional facilities. They provide a clear framework for monitoring programs and meeting obligations under the IDEA Part B, ensuring a free appropriate public education for all students with disabilities. 

Districts and facilities can use these indicators to ensure they are maintaining compliance for students with disabilities in correctional facilities across the state. 

If you have questions regarding KECSAC monitoring, please contact Brandy Hackney. 

Kentucky’s Regional Training Centers (RTCs) recently hosted their annual Early Childhood Summer Institute and it was a success! Designed to address the evolving needs of early childhood education across the Commonwealth, the event delivered a dynamic lineup of sessions shaped directly by district feedback. 

One of the Institute’s central themes was the Pyramid Model, equipping attendees with practical strategies –and in some cases, ready-to-use materials – for supporting young children’s social-emotional development and addressing challenging behaviors. Educators are left with actionable tools to enhance inclusive practices and implement differentiated instruction in their classrooms. 

Sessions were led by a broad range of experts from across Kentucky, offering participants a rich and varied professional learning experience. A highlight of the event was the keynote presentation by Sasha Long, BCBA, M.A., founder and president of The Autism Helper, Inc., who shared powerful insights on supporting children with autism and other diverse learning needs. 

KDE's Early Learning Unit also contributed to the event by volunteering and presenting two sessions: “Preventing Barriers: Principles and Practices of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)” and “A Collaborative Approach to Supporting Behavior Issues in Preschool Classrooms.” Their involvement not only enriched the Institute’s content, but also highlighted OSEELs commitment to supporting high-quality, developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education. 

Adding to the excitement, some lucky attendees received complimentary resources and materials to support their work.

Thanks to the RTCs' thoughtful planning and strong collaboration, the Early Childhood Summer Institute proved to be a valuable professional development opportunity that empowered Kentucky’s early educators with the knowledge, strategies and tools to support every child’s growth and success. 

Participants' feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to grow professionally through the 360 programs. The support and resources provided have been truly valuable,” remarked Mauricio Martinez, a general education teacher from Ashland.  

Applications for future cohorts continue to be accepted on a rolling basis. Kentucky educators interested in participating in the program may use the KY Transition 360 For Educators application to apply. 

KSB hosted a Summer Enrichment Program, where students participated in a variety of activities, including both recreational and educational experiences. Some of the field trips included visits to Kentucky Kingdom, the Louisville Zoo and St. Matthews Fire and Rescue. 

The KSB Summer Work 2025 Program in the Kentucky Kingdom was a great success! Students gained valuable experience, learned new skills and enjoyed learning about the work their peers were doing.  

Many thanks to all the organizations that helped make this summer possible! 

• Behavior support strategies 

• Math practices with instructional guidance 

• Instructional resources 

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (at the bottom of the page) 

COMING SOON to OSEEL Instructional Resources webpage: 

• Hands-on math manipulative tutorials using everyday classroom materials  

Don’t miss your opportunity to join the Kaleidoscope Community of Practice this fall. Kaleidoscope registration information is available in this newsletter. 

For the upcoming school year, new and returning gifted and talented (GT) coordinators can access updated resources on the GT Coordinator OneStop:  

• New GT Coordinators Training  An overview of GT coordinator responsibilities, gifted education regulations, and key resources for those new to the role. 

• GT Beginning of the Year Training (Available by Sept. 1) Offers guidance and considerations to help coordinators for the start of the school year. 

Gifted Student Services Plan (GSSP) Training Reminder: 

A helpful GSSP training is available to support coordinators in using the system. Learn how to: 

• Automatically populate the GSSP from a GT student’s record; 

• Generate reports showing which students are visible in the Parent Portal; and 

• Use the Portal Update Tool to make all district GSSPs viewable at once 

For questions or support, please contact Lynn Lockard. 

• Aug. 31: YOYO data window closes
• Sept.-Oct.: Indicators 12 and 12 Monitoring
• Sept.-Nov.: Indicator 13 Monitoring
• Oct.-Nov.: Indicators 9 and 10 Monitoring
• Oct. 25: CEIS/CCEIS Q1 expenditure report due
• Oct. 25: CCEIS/CCEIS Q1 student identification due

Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Information  

OSEP Update Newsletters