|
Dear Colleagues,
Earlier this month, the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) had a robust discussion on student performance trends and the best possible ways to address achievement gaps.
Despite the progress being made in our assessment and accountability results in recent years, achievement gaps persist across every demographic and socioeconomic group. Fortunately, we are seeing growth across all of these areas, we just are not seeing the gaps close between student groups.
KBE and the Kentucky Department of Education are committed to figuring out how to narrow those achievement gaps, which includes promoting evidence-based practices and collaborating with the community. There is certainly more we can do to highlight the opportunities for success that students currently have, and we are already hard at work looking at how to improve opportunities for students through the Kentucky United We Learn Council and the Kentucky High School Transformation Network. Continuing to advocate for more funding to support more opportunities for students also will be part of our efforts.
These conversations will continue as the board expands to having virtual meetings every other month, correlating with months where the board does not have its typical two-day in-person meeting.
We did, thankfully, have a little bit of time during last week’s KBE meeting to celebrate career and technical education (CTE) during CTE Month, which is held every February. This is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of Kentucky’s CTE students and raise awareness of how CTE prepares students for college and career success. KDE’s Office of Career and Technical Education provided a wonderful overview of where Kentucky stands with CTE and how it has grown in the Commonwealth.
Another one of our priorities here at KDE is working on teacher recruitment and retention. The Education Certification Structure Workgroup began work in December 2024 and is made up of principals, teachers, school counselors, human resource officers, leaders with Kentucky’s universities, state lawmakers and other educator stakeholder groups. They’re looking into potential areas of reform, including the grade bands and content areas associated with educator certification.
We have been discussing a series of recommendations with various advisory groups and other education stakeholders to find the best possible way to tear down roadblocks in the way of certification, while maintaining strong standards for our teachers and allowing school districts the flexibility to better address their needs for educators.
The workgroup’s recommendations are:
- Keep preschool and kindergarten certification the same for early childhood educators, but consider an optional endorsement for grades 1-3;
- Expand elementary certification to kindergarten through 6th grade instead of the current K-5 arrangement;
- Expand middle grades certification to grades 4-9; and
- Expand secondary level certification to grades 7-12.
The workgroup is also exploring the possibility of a secondary science certification to address staffing shortages. Based on feedback from teachers, school and district leaders and higher education partners, discussions are focused on the possibility of adding a general science certification for foundational high school courses while preserving specialized credentials for advanced classes.
The group continues to examine academic major requirements and consider broader science degrees with content concentrations as well as academic minors to help increase flexibility and teacher marketability. Overall, the goal is to balance flexibility, strong preparation and instructional quality through a streamlined certification structure aligned to district needs.
As many of you already know, we are working with the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) on teacher recruitment and retention efforts and this is part of that work. The current plan is for the Education Certification Structure Workgroup to present its final recommendations to the EPSB at its meeting in June. If you would like to weigh in on these recommendations, please reach out to KDE’s Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
Applications Open for 2026-2027 Non-Voting Members of Kentucky Board of Education
Applications are now being accepted for the non-voting teacher and student members of the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE). The deadline to apply is Feb. 27.
Each member would serve a one-year term, from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
As mandated by Kentucky law, the KBE develops and adopts the regulations that govern Kentucky’s 171 public school districts and the actions of the Kentucky Department of Education.
The KBE has 15 members. The governor appoints 11 voting members: seven representing the Supreme Court districts and four representing the state at large. The additional members – the president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, the secretary of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, a high school student and an active elementary or secondary school teacher – serve as non-voting members.
Non-voting Teacher Member Application
To be considered for the non-voting teacher position, the applicant must be employed on a full-time basis by a Kentucky public school district in a position for which Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) certification is required, not employed in an administrative role and must reside in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.
Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District includes these counties: Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Carter (partial), Gallatin, Grant, Greenup, Harrison, Henry, Kenton, Lewis, Mason, Nelson (partial), Oldham, Owen, Pendleton, Robertson, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble.
Required materials for the teacher application include the online KBE non-voting teacher application, resume, narrative statement explaining why the applicant wants to serve as a non-voting teacher member of the board, a statement of assurance that the applicant meets the definition of a “teacher” as defined in 701 KAR 5:160, and a description of any pending or final disciplinary action against the applicant by the EPSB.
Non-voting Student Member Application
For the non-voting student position, the applicant must be enrolled in a Kentucky public high school, be a junior at the time of appointment to the KBE (which means a sophomore at the time of the application submission) and must reside in Kentucky’s 2nd Congressional District.
Kentucky’s 2nd Congressional District includes these counties: Barren, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Daviess, Edmonson, Grayson, Green, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Jefferson (partial), LaRue, Logan (partial), McLean, Meade, Muhlenberg, Nelson (partial), Ohio and Warren.
Required materials for the student application include the online KBE non-voting student application, resume, narrative statement explaining why the applicant wants to serve as a non-voting student member of the board, two letters of recommendation from a teacher, school administrator, employer, coach or volunteer supervisor explaining why the applicant should be appointed to the board; a parent statement of support and an optional school statement of support.
More details can be found in the article about the 2026-2027 KBE non-voting member applications on Kentucky Teacher.
Nominations Open for 2026 Karem Award for Excellence in Education Policy
The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) is accepting nominations for the 2026 Karem Award for Excellence in Education Policy. The award, named for former board chair David Karem, recognizes a state policymaker, education leader or citizen who has made notable, state-level contributions to the improvement of Kentucky’s public education system.
Criteria for the award include:
- Demonstrated leadership in policy development, passage or implementation resulting in increased educational opportunities for students;
- Improved educational, postsecondary or workforce outcomes for students; or
- Increased capacity of teachers or school staff to better meet the academic, social or emotional needs of Kentucky students.
Karem served on the KBE from 2009 to 2016 and from December 2019 to April 2020. He served on education committees in the House and Senate for all but six months of his 33 years in the Kentucky General Assembly. During his tenure in public office, Karem championed the passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) and led the efforts for the 4% school tax levy by school districts.
Nominations for the 2026 Karem Award for Excellence in Education Policy, which will be accepted online, are open through 3 p.m. ET on March 10. The award will be presented at the KBE’s June meeting.
Grant Funds Available to LEAs Enhancing Behavioral Health Services
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services (DMS) is making available grant funding to allow local education agencies (LEAs) to address critical gaps and enhance existing behavioral health services in its school-based Medicaid program.
LEAs throughout the Commonwealth are eligible to apply for funds to build workforce capacity, technology infrastructure, outreach campaigns and more to better meet the behavioral health needs of students.
View the Notice of Funding Opportunity document for more information. The deadline to apply is March 13, 2026. An informational webinar will be held on Feb. 23 to provide additional information and answer questions. You can register for the webinar by visiting the SHINE Local Grants to Support School-Based Services Expansion meeting link.
The Kentucky Department of Education encourages LEAs to take advantage of this opportunity. Any inquiries can be sent to shineky@mslc.com.
Title IV, Part A Revised Allocations Open in GMAP for Fiscal Year 2025
The Title IV, Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment application is open for fiscal year 2025 (L year) in the Grant Management Application and Planning system (GMAP).
Some districts received an increased allocation for fiscal year 2025. Districts are strongly encouraged to begin revising applications now and submit for approval in GMAP by Friday, March 27. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Revised allocations are located on the KDE Federal Grants Webpage.
If you have application-specific questions, please contact the following KDE Title IV, Part A – Student Support and Academic Enrichment staff: Lee Bowling or Morgan Rhodes.
Districts Can Apply for Summer Boost: Reading and Mathematics Program
Applications are open for the Summer Boost: Reading and Mathematics Program, which is designed to help districts provide a boost in reading and mathematics to fight summer learning loss.
The program is a partnership between the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Teaching and Learning and the Summer Food Service Program.
The Summer Boost program promotes family engagement in reading and math by giving away free books and fun items such as wristbands, bookmarks and backpacks. Each awarded site will receive books to distribute at their meal sites to motivate continued learning throughout the summer months.
Summer meal programs can help ensure hunger doesn’t keep students from reaching their full potential. Through the Summer Boost program, districts have the opportunity to feed children while also providing support for reading and mathematics.
To be considered for participation in the Summer Boost Program, districts must complete an online application. If selected to participate, districts will receive, at no cost:
- Books to give away and digital math games for students to play;
- User-friendly training on how to use the materials to engage students and families;
- Ideas to share with parents or caregivers to promote literacy and numeracy in everyday life; and
- An opportunity for a guest reader to visit your site(s) and read to students.
Applications to participate must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 27. They should be submitted by districts’ Summer Food Service Program director or point of contact.
For additional questions, email Danielle Ward.
|
