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Dear Colleagues,
As part of our Kentucky United We Learn vision, we are committed to reimagining assessment and accountability so that it is more meaningful for all learners. A key piece of this work is supporting districts in developing local accountability systems that elevate vibrant learning experiences and help create stronger partnerships with families and communities.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is pleased to share the release of the Local Accountability Design Guide and Toolkit. Developed in collaboration with districts, the University of Kentucky’s Center for Next Generation Leadership and the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative’s ElevatED Studios, the guide provides a step-by-step approach, real examples from across the Commonwealth, and practical tools to help schools and communities design accountability systems that reflect local priorities and create vibrant learning experiences for every student.
For additional information or support, please contact KDE Innovative Programs Consultant Rob Collins We plan to share more about the new resources during the next Superintendents Webcast on Sept. 9 from 2-4 p.m. ET.
Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey
KDE also is inviting one representative per school district to complete the Fall 2025 Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey. This survey is designed to collect real-time data on educator vacancies across the state, along with information on district-level strategies for addressing staffing shortages.
The responses submitted will help KDE identify critical shortage areas and fulfill reporting requirements to the Kentucky Legislature. Additionally, survey insights will support the development of policies and initiatives to recruit and retain qualified school personnel.
The Fall 2025 Kentucky Educator Shortage Survey will close on Tuesday, Sept. 16. If you have any questions, please contact KDE Associate Commissioner Meredith Brewer.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
School Report Card Update: Annual Tasks Reminders
The Collection, Preview and Approval tools will close Sept. 24 to prepare for the initial public release without assessment or accountability data Oct. 1. User Guides are available and provide step-by-step instructions on how to use these tools. Districts can use the School Report Card (SRC) Portal tools to track completion of this work. The user guides are available in the Help tool and also available on the SRC Resource Page. Please help to ensure this work is progressing as expected to meet this timeline.
SRC Annual Tasks includes the link to the SRC Portal and detail of the SRC outstanding work. The SRC data entry, review and approval process begins on Page 2. District users should use the Approval Tool to designate that the district and schools’ SRC work is complete. If there are questions or areas that need additional clarification in the SRC Annual Tasks documentation, please send an email to KDE Data Services and we will continue to refine this resource.
Data Availability Updates:
- Educational Opportunity/Advanced Coursework: Cambridge Advanced International exam scores are now available for review.
- Overview/Students/Student Groups/Students with Disabilities – Categories of disabilities are still not displaying.
- Overview/Students/Student Groups/English Learners – top 5 languages are not displaying.
- Education Opportunity/Gifted and Talented Primary Talent Pool is now available; however, the data reflected in the dashboard view is not correct; use the table view to validate table while this issue is resolved.
- Educational Opportunity/Gifted and Talented data for grades 4-12 and Participation by Category are not displayed.
- Faculty, Staff and Community, Disproportionality data for Inexperienced Staff (district level) is in the process of being prepared. We expect that it will be available in the SRC preview tool next week.
- Career and Technical Education and Transition to Adult Life domains will open on Sept. 15 for review.
The School Report Card Resources webpage serves as the central repository for communications and resources. The SRC timeline, resources and all SRC communications are posted to this webpage.
KDE Seeking Applications for Mathematics Standards and Assessment Review Committees
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is accepting applications for the Mathematics Standards and Assessment Review Committee and Advisory Panels.
KRS 158.6453 calls for KDE to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments. The review process for the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Mathematics will begin in fall 2025.
KDE is seeking current K-12 classroom teachers to participate in this work. Applicants will be required to meet approximately five-to-10 days throughout fall 2025 through spring 2026.
If applicable, team members will receive reimbursement for travel expenses and the teacher’s school district will be reimbursed for substitute teacher expenses. Selected applicants will be asked to verify the willingness of their school or district to release them for work dates.
The Mathematics Standards and Assessment Review Committees online application will be posted for 30 days. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 3. Selected team members will be notified by Oct 17.
Questions on this process can be directed to the Kentucky Standards inbox.
Feedback Sought on Kentucky Academic Standards for Mathematics
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking feedback on the current Kentucky Academic Standards for Mathematics.
KRS 158.6453 calls for KDE to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. The schedule calls for one or two content areas to be reviewed each year, and every six years after that on a rotating basis.
Standards outline what students are expected to learn in each grade to successfully transition to the next level of learning. The curriculum or methods and resources used to teach the standards is a separate issue and decided at the local level.
Please fill out the Kentucky Academic Standards for Mathematics feedback survey to participate. Due to the amount of text within the survey, it is recommended that surveys be completed on a full-size computer or laptop screen. Participants are provided with the opportunity to give feedback on all standards or self-selected areas of interest.
Feedback on the current mathematics standards will be collected by the American Institutes for Research through Oct. 3.
Questions on this process can be directed to the Kentucky standards inbox.
Evidence of K-12 Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Implementation Survey Open
Per 704 KAR 3:095 (3), superintendents must report to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), no later than Oct. 1 of each year, evidence demonstrating district-wide implementation of a comprehensive multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), including evidence provided by the district to address implementation requirements as provided in section 704 KAR 3:095, Section 2 for grades K-12 and implementation for K-3 required by KRS 158.305(2).
The submission window for the required Evidence of K-12 MTSS Implementation Survey is now open and will close Oct. 1. Each district’s MTSS point of contact or designee is required to complete the Evidence of K-12 MTSS Implementation Survey during this time. Only one response is needed per district. If the designated point of contact has changed, the role should be updated in the Person Role Manager so the correct individual receives the survey details.
This submission is an important part of ensuring that KyMTSS promotes coherence under one comprehensive framework to more efficiently use resources while focusing on improving outcomes for every student. If you require clarification or have any questions regarding the survey, please contact Melissa Wainwright.
Improvement Planning 2025-2026
Planning for the 2025-2026 academic year is now underway. A collaborative approach that brings together diverse stakeholders is essential to identifying priority needs and determining the most effective resources and strategies to address them. Schools and districts will engage in this collaborative process with the shared goal of advancing student success and strengthening their communities.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will continue using the Cognia Continuous Improvement Platform (CIP), and the diagnostics for 2025–2026 are now available. Since schools and districts are required to develop an annual improvement plan, new diagnostics must be initiated. When completing diagnostics in the CIP, please verify that you have selected the correct level (system or school) and the appropriate school year.
The process and timeline for comprehensive school and district improvement planning, as outlined in 703 KAR 5:225, remain unchanged and are detailed on the Comprehensive Improvement Planning webpage. Please note the addition of a new diagnostic for districts this year as required by Senate Bill 2 (2024).
The District Trauma-informed Approach Plan diagnostic will be part of Phase Two which is to be completed by Nov. 1. For more information regarding this new diagnostic, please contact Christina Weeter, Division of Student Success director in the KDE Office of Continuous Improvement and Support.
Improvement planning is a continuous process, and plans may be updated throughout the year. However, the established timeline outlines all required diagnostics for each phase and their statutory deadlines.
We also encourage you to attend the Continuous Improvement Summit, taking place Sept. 22-23 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington. This event will dive deeper into improvement planning practices, highlight continuous improvement initiatives, and unveil the recently updated Comprehensive District Improvement Plan and Comprehensive School Improvement Plan goal building templates.
For questions about the CIP platform, please contact Veronica Boller. For additional guidance on improvement planning, visit the Comprehensive Improvement Planning webpage.
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.
Family Friendly District Certification Opportunity
To support districts in a continuous improvement process in family engagement, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence has been piloting a Family Friendly District certification process to complement the Family Friendly Schools and Early Care and Education certification processes.
Washington, Daviess, Harrison and Rowan County school districts have already been piloting the new process, which will be public starting in Nov. 2025. Interested district leaders are encouraged to submit their name and information to the Family Friendly District certification information form to receive updates.
Family Friendly District certification process is designed to show that a mass of schools have met Family Friendly School certification and the district has established the norms and structures at the district level to institutionalize family and community partnership as a core element of effective education practice at every level within the district.
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