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Dear Colleagues,
We are now past the halfway point of the Kentucky legislative session. We have already seen a good amount of movement on several important pieces of legislation and the two-year budget bill, which everyone at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is watching closely to see what it will mean for Kentucky’s students, educators and school staff members.
Last month, the House passed House Bill (HB) 257, a bill to reimagine Kentucky’s state assessment and accountability systems, by a nearly unanimous vote. The bill now moves to the Senate, and we have been in communication with our legislative partners in that chamber to see where the bill will go from here as we work to get this legislation across the finish line.
I truly believe we’re moving toward our moonshot of launching an accountability system that is meaningful and useful to all our learners.
Our communications team wrote a summary of the bill when HB 257 passed out of a House committee earlier this month that includes more details about the legislation and how it differs from the current assessment and accountability system, including changes that have been made to the bill since it was filed. We have also produced videos highlighting the work and success of local accountability, including what Shelby County is doing with its Profile of a Graduate.
Some other legislation we have been following, among more than 200 bills that we are tracking so far in Frankfort, is House Bill 562, related to alternative high school diplomas. The legislation would require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate regulations for alternative high school diplomas and modified high school diplomas and requires the Kentucky Department of Workforce Development to compile a list of employers willing to employ individuals with these diplomas.
We want to make sure students receive a diploma that is valuable to both them and the businesses who may be employing them, and we are working with lawmakers to ensure HB 562 provides that value.
We are also following legislation to help give districts some relief with their calendars, including House Bill 631 and House Bill 635. As winter weather and the illnesses associated with the season have taken a toll on all of us, we will keep you up to date on efforts to provide flexibility for districts to ensure you have the ability to provide a quality education while keeping students, educators and staff safe and healthy.
As always, KDE will continue meeting with legislators in Frankfort about these pieces of legislation and other matters of importance to you and we will keep you informed about what is happening at the Capitol.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
Application Deadline Extended for 2026-2027 Non-Voting Members of Kentucky Board of Education
The application deadline has been extended for the next non-voting teacher and student members of the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE). The new deadline is March 31 at 5 p.m. ET.
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.
High School and College Graduation Certificates for Military Members
The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs awards certificates to high school, college and university graduates who are serving in the military, parents are or were in the military, or spouse was or is in the military, while they matriculated through grade school, or college/university at any time.
This certificate is an important gesture if we consider the additional circumstances the students deal with such as parents or spouses deploying or their own responsibilities for those that are serving in the military. The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs will provide the certificates and get them to the school in April or the best timeframe for the schools.
Submit the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs high school certification form to retired Army Maj. Silas Session, executive director of the Office of Kentucky Veterans Services, no later than March 15 for a summer graduation. Submit no later than Oct. 15 for a fall graduation.
Upcoming Impact Kentucky Webinars
Session 1: Impact Kentucky 2025-2026: From Insight to Strategic Action, Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET.
Session Overview
As districts and schools begin shaping their 2026-2027 strategic and school improvement plans, this 60-minute session offers leaders a structured opportunity to translate 2025-2026 Impact Kentucky Working Conditions survey results into focused, actionable next steps.
Rather than simply reviewing data, participants will engage in a facilitated process designed to help them:
- Identify high-leverage trends and priority areas within their results
- Reflect on progress since prior survey cycles
- Surface strengths to sustain and scale
- Determine strategic focus areas for the upcoming planning year
- Align survey insights with district and school improvement planning processes
Through guided analysis, collaborative discussion, and structured planning time, leaders will leave with clearer priorities and concrete strategies to inform their 2026–2027 plans.
Why Attend?
Impact Kentucky results provide powerful insight into staff experiences, organizational conditions, and opportunities for growth. This session supports leaders in moving from inquiry to implementation — ensuring survey results meaningfully inform decision-making, resource allocation, and improvement planning.
Participants will:
- Strengthen alignment between survey findings and strategic goals
- Identify actionable steps that can be embedded into existing planning cycles
- Learn from peer leaders’ approaches and best practices
- Consider how to leverage internal and external supports to elevate adult well-being and organizational effectiveness
This session is most impactful for districts and schools that are prepared to integrate survey-driven action steps into established improvement planning routines and communication structures.
Session 2: Impact Kentucky 2025-2026: From Insight to Strategic Action, Thursday, March 17 at 3 p.m. ET.
Session Overview
As districts and schools begin shaping their 2026-2027 strategic and school improvement plans, this 60-minute session offers leaders a structured opportunity to translate 2025-2026 Impact Kentucky Working Conditions survey results into focused, actionable next steps.
Rather than simply reviewing data, participants will engage in a facilitated process designed to help them:
- Identify high-leverage trends and priority areas within their results
- Reflect on progress since prior survey cycles
- Surface strengths to sustain and scale
- Determine strategic focus areas for the upcoming planning year
- Align survey insights with district and school improvement planning processes
Through guided analysis, collaborative discussion, and structured planning time, leaders will leave with clearer priorities and concrete strategies to inform their 2026-2027 plans.
Why Attend?
Impact Kentucky results provide powerful insight into staff experiences, organizational conditions, and opportunities for growth. This session supports leaders in moving from inquiry to implementation — ensuring survey results meaningfully inform decision-making, resource allocation, and improvement planning.
Participants will:
- Strengthen alignment between survey findings and strategic goals
- Identify actionable steps that can be embedded into existing planning cycles
- Learn from peer leaders’ approaches and best practices
- Consider how to leverage internal and external supports to elevate adult well-being and organizational effectiveness
This session is most impactful for districts and schools that are prepared to integrate survey-driven action steps into established improvement planning routines and communication structures.
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.
Student Transcripts Webinars
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) encourages counselors, registrars and other staff assisting with student transcripts to join one of the Kentucky-specific Parchment end-of-year transcripts trainings.
There are two opportunities to attend: Thursday, March 19 at 10 a.m. ET and Tuesday, April 21 at 10 a.m. ET. Participants should register via the Parchment final transcripts webinar registration page. Links to join the training will be shared after registration.
Kentucky universities continue to bring up issues caused by incomplete or untimely electronic transcripts. These issues are easily avoidable. Help make sure your students aren’t impacted!
Parchment, Infinite Campus, and KDE representatives will be available; training will include a review of the transcript process, appropriate settings, and an opportunity to ask questions.
Live participation is encouraged but the training will be recorded and available on the KDE Media Portal. Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) credit will be available, but registration is required for EILA credit.
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