Commissioner's Weekly Message

Nov. 14, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will be releasing the 2024-2025 assessment and accountability results next week. Your schools have had individual student assessment data since August, but on Nov. 19, the full assessment and accountability dataset will be released publicly.

With this important event coming up, we want to go over the schedule of our release and what you should expect as district leaders. Your district assessment coordinators and other leaders will have access to the 2024-2025 assessment and accountability results the morning of Monday, Nov. 17. The results will be under an embargo that expires at 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 19.

Our friends in the press will also have access to the results in the afternoon on Nov. 17 under the same embargo conditions, along with a media briefing packet that also will be made available to you and published on KDE’s website when the results are released.

During the embargo period between Nov. 17 and the public release on Nov. 19, district and school staff may discuss the data internally, but the data cannot be shared in public meetings. Reporters may reach out for stories on local assessment and accountability results and you may respond to their requests. Reporters will not have access to the results prior to Nov. 19 unless they have signed an agreement with KDE to not publish their stories until after the embargo expires.

KDE leaders and I are holding a media availability on Nov. 18 for members of the press who have registered for the event.

As with any year, these results will contain a lot of good news and reveal many areas for growth. I look forward to working with you all, as we always have, on addressing those areas and promoting all the great things happening in our classrooms.

Also, as a reminder, we will have the next Superintendents Webcast at 2:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 18. I look forward to seeing you all there.

As always, thank you for being …

All In,

Robbie Fletcher

Commissioner of Education

Family Engagement Week is Next Week, Nov. 17-21

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is pleased to announce the launch of the Parent and Family Connection Hub during Kentucky Family and Community Engagement in Education Week, Nov. 17 -21, 2025. Gov. Andy Beshear has officially proclaimed this week for celebrating and recognizing family and community engagement efforts in our schools across the commonwealth.

The creation of the Parent and Family Connection Hub came about through the Family Partnership Council’s recommendations to KDE. Designed as a one-stop destination for families and parents, the Parent and Family Connection Hub provides easy access for parents and families to locate resources and information of interest from KDE’s homepage. This new resource includes KDE news releases and legislative updates making it easier for parents and families to locate this information.

Key features of the Parent and Family Connection Hub include the following:

• Ways to Get Involved
• Helping Your Child Succeed Academically
• Support for Diverse Needs
• Wellness and Whole Child Supports

To celebrate this week, Monday, Nov. 17 through Friday, Nov. 21, KDE will highlight a different parent/family resource each day from the Parent and Family Connection Hub with a series of media posts highlighting resources for parents and families.

Call for Principals and Assistant Principals: Focus Group Opportunity

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking principals and assistant principals to participate in an important focus group focused on improving Kentucky’s teacher credentialing and certification processes.

Participants will provide feedback and recommendations on:

• Current content credentials and permissions for teaching courses, with a focus on science, mathematics, and special education
• Expanding pathways for earning credentials, such as Highly Qualified and Proficiency Evaluation options
• Streamlining active Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) certifications to make the process more efficient and responsive to school needs

Your insights as school leaders are critical in shaping improvements that strengthen educator support and staffing flexibility. Please consider joining the conversation and sharing your insights regarding this topic.

The focus group will be held virtually on Nov. 21 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. ET. Please fill out the focus group interest form by Nov. 17.

Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Fund: Read to Achieve Grant Deadline Extension

The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Teaching and Learning has extended the application submission date for the fiscal year 2027 Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Fund: Read to Achieve Grant due to changes made within the request for application (RFA).

The updated RFA and FAQ can be found on the Competitive Grants from KDE webpage.

New RFA Schedule

Application submission deadline is Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. ET. All applications must be sent to KDERFP@education.ky.gov.

Review the links within the RFA for further guidance when writing the submission. If you have any questions, please contact KDERFP@education.ky.gov.

Please pay close attention to the blinding/redacted language within the RFA. Improperly blinded grants will be deemed non-responsive and not eligible for award.

Fiscal Year 2026 KY Transition 360 Spark Request for Application Posted

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is issuing a request for applications (RFA) for KY Transition 360 SPARK: Supporting Postsecondary Achievement and Resources for Kentucky Students with Disabilities (SPARK).

Grants will be awarded to 20 districts, with each district receiving $75,000. These funds will strengthen existing systems and build sustainable practices that improve post-school outcomes for students with disabilities.

General Information

Applications will only be accepted from public school districts that submit a complete application, including narrative responses for a comprehensive needs assessment, project design, transition team and budget plan. Applications must clearly describe how the district will strengthen transition programming by increasing interagency collaboration, enhancing family-school partnerships, using high-quality transition assessments and building sustainable systems that continue beyond the grant period.

Grant Period and Contract

The grant is anticipated to begin Feb. 2, 2026, and go through June 30, 2027.

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 Nov. 25 at 4 p.m. ET. The application and technical assistance webinar can be found on the KDE Competitive Grants webpage.

New Data Verification for the Technical Education Database System (TEDS)

As we grow in our data collection processes, there is a need to adjust our data validation. Infinite Campus no longer requires a social security number, and it has been removed as a collection point for the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).

Beginning Oct. 1, TEDS import data will be validated based on the State Student Identification (SSID) number, date of birth (DOB), first name and last name.

If there is a mismatch, you will see the following message:

• Error: The specified SSID and DOB combination does not match the SSID and DOB stored on the existing TEDS student Demographic record. Verify DOB.

Please test your import early and often until you are prepared to complete an official import.

If you see an error, it is because the data already in TEDS does not match what you are attempting to import. Please do the following:

• Verify the SSID.
• Use documentation, other than Infinite Campus, to verify date of birth and name.
• Correct any errors discovered in Infinite Campus, then create new export files from Infinite Campus and test the import into TEDS.
• If data is verified and there is still an error on import, email KDE CTE Data Services.

An import can be tested at any time. Please do not finalize an import until the data is error-free. If an import is finalized with errors, any records with identified errors will not be imported into TEDS.

Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference 2026 Save the Date

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Division of Early Literacy (DEL) invites you to the third annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference June 8-9.

The conference, which will require registration but will be free to Kentucky's K-12 public school educators, will offer focused learning paths 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 8-9 event, and stay tuned for registration information coming in the new year.

2025 Kentucky School Laws Book

On an annual basis, the Kentucky commissioner of education publishes the complete school laws of the Commonwealth pursuant to KRS 156.240.

Historically, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) printed copies of the Kentucky School Laws book for distribution to local school districts. However, due to reduced appropriations and the availability of an electronic publication, KDE moved from print distribution of the Kentucky School Laws book to local school districts, to an annual electronic distribution.

You may access an electronic copy of the 2025 KY School Law Book on KDE’s website. If you wish to purchase a paper copy of the Kentucky School Laws Book, you may order online from the publisher, LexisNexis.

CTSO Affiliation Deadline for Perkins – for November

With the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Act in July of 2018, a district or school may use funds from the Perkins Act for teacher travel expenses and substitute reimbursement expenses related to any career and technical student organization (CTSO).

To use Perkins funds, each of the CTSOs must be an integral part of the career and technical education program and be affiliated at the state and national levels of the organization. Each career and technical education program area must have a sequence of courses that align to at least one career pathway per program area to use Perkins funds to assist with teacher expenses.

To use Perkins funds for the current year per program, you must affiliate with the appropriate CTSO by Dec. 1, 2025. More information on the appropriate affiliations may be found on the Kentucky Department of Education's CTSO webpage.

New Waiver Request Submission Process

Several changes have been made to the waiver request process, 701 KAR 5:170 and 701 KAR 5:170E, as a result of Senate Bill (SB) 207 from the 2025 regular legislative session.

SB 207 provides a new process for requesting waivers from the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE). Local school boards may request waivers from the requirements of an administrative regulation promulgated by the KBE or from a statute over which the KBE has enforcement authority. Certain regulations cannot be waived, including any statue or regulation relating to health and safety, civil rights, compulsory attendance or anything required by federal law.

The new regulations outline four major types of waiver requests – new applications, renewals, amendment applications and special education maximum class size waiver applications.

District leaders can find more information and relevant waiver forms on the KDE Kentucky Laws and Regulations webpage. All forms should be submitted to the KDE waiver requests inbox.

Forms must be complete when submitted so double-check that all of the required information is provided. The statute states waiver requests will be considered during the next KBE meeting, but if they are submitted less than 45 days prior to the next meeting, the waiver request will automatically be recommended for denial. Kentucky Department of Education staff members will work with districts to ensure requests submitted within this time window are still considered at a future meeting.

Cognitive Coaching Registration

Shannon Gullett from the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Continuous Improvement and Support and Keith Griesser from KDE’s Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness will be offering the sixth cohort of Cognitive Coaching certification for classroom, school and district leaders in the spring of 2026.

This eight-day intensive training supports leaders in learning how to produce self-directed persons with the cognitive capacity for excellence. 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. Cognitive Coaching is the premier coaching structure for all leaders to utilize, and it is being offered free of charge! This training fills quickly, so please register soon!

The eight required sessions will take place at the Kentucky Department of Education located at 300 Sower Boulevard on Feb. 5, 6, 17, 18, March 25, 26 and April 23 and 24. 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 and schools working with the Principal Partnership Project (P3), although all Kentucky leaders are invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Shannon Gullett by email or Keith Griesser by email.

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.