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THE KUWL CONNECTION
Connecting people. Elevating practice. Learning together across Kentucky.
Fall 2026 | Issue 01
FROM VISION TO ACTION
Welcome to The KUWL Connection!
We are excited to welcome you to the first edition of The KUWL Connection, a quarterly newsletter created to keep Kentucky United We Learn (KUWL) Council members and educators across the Commonwealth connected to the people, ideas and practices shaping the future of learning in Kentucky.
I’m Brandy Howard, chief academic officer for Bullitt County Public Schools and chair of the Kentucky United We Learn Council. Throughout my career as a teacher, school leader and district leader, I have seen that some of our strongest ideas emerge when we create opportunities to learn with one another, not simply from one another.
Along with Vice Chair and Shelby County Public Schools’ Assistant Superintendent Adam Hicks, I am excited to use this space to share the work of the council, elevate student and educator voices, highlight Kentucky districts bringing United We Learn to life, and connect you with ideas and resources that can move this work forward in your own context.
Across Kentucky, tremendous work is already happening. Our hope is that The KUWL Connection helps us see it, share it, learn from it and build upon it together.
We want each edition to leave you not only informed, but empowered with a stronger understanding of where Kentucky is headed and a clearer sense of how you can be part of what comes next.
United, we learn. Together, we shape what is possible.
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Council Chair
Brandy Howard
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Council Vice Chair
Adam Hicks
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THE KUWL PULSE
Three things to know this quarter
01 | FROM VISION TO POLICY
In April, House Bill 257 became law, advancing Kentucky's work to rethink how we understand and communicate student and school success. The law permits districts to develop locally designed indicators of quality that complement Kentucky's state assessment and accountability system.
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02 | LOCAL VOICE MATTERS
Locally developed indicators of quality can reflect what individual communities value while remaining connected to standards and meaningful demonstrations of student learning. Kentucky districts are already piloting approaches that include local measures, community-based accountability, portraits of a learner and authentic demonstrations of learning.
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03 | LEARNING FROM ONE ANOTHER
At our July Kentucky United We Learn Council convening, members continued conversations around local indicators of quality, high school transformation, Kentucky essential skills and examples of the work happening in districts.
The work is moving from imagining what could be to learning how we make it happen well.
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KUWL ACROSS KENTUCKY
One district. One story. One idea worth sharing.
The Redhound Way
By Adam Hicks, KUWL Council Vice Chair
Beginning in the fall of 2025, Corbin Independent took a strategic approach to answer one simple question: "What do we actually want for our kids, beyond a diploma?"
To answer this question, the district's leadership listened to hundreds of voices, including staff members, parents and community leaders. They also took their question across the Commonwealth, sending over 30 administrators and teacher leaders to see examples of vibrant learning in action in other school districts. Along the way, the Corbin team observed student defenses of learning, connected with state leaders already doing this work, and studied existing portraits, gathering the pieces they needed to shape a vision that fits their own community.
This work resulted in The Redhound Way: Corbin Independent's newly-created portrait of a learner. Corbin’s portrait was introduced to all staff members at their opening day professional learning session through sharing stories and testimonials that brought the "why" behind their work to life. To bring The Redhound Way to their community, their portrait was unveiled at Corbin Independent’s football home opener this year. A video was shown at halftime at the game introducing the Redhound Way, which was followed up with a media arts student interviewing Corbin's superintendent at the 50-yard line about the work.
Corbin Independent is one of more than 150 school districts in Kentucky who are taking vibrant learning directly to the people they serve. As the Kentucky United We Learn Council continues to push the future of education in Kentucky through "vibrant learning experiences for every student; encouraging innovation in assessment and accountability; and collaborating closely with communities," districts like Corbin Independent show that our schools can meet the needs of the families and neighborhoods they serve by working collaboratively across the Commonwealth.
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Bring It Home
Ask your team: Who have you not yet invited into the conversation about what success should look like for students in your community?
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ONE QUESTION. THREE VOICES.
What gives you hope about the future of learning in Kentucky?
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Nathan Richardson - Student
Bullitt County, Old Mill Elementary School
“What gives me hope about the future of learning in Kentucky is that our teachers are kind and adaptable, and they help make sure we get what we need to learn and grow. We aren’t just learning for school, we are learning how to help our community and become ready for our future selves. This gives me hope that our communities will continue to grow stronger because of what we are learning today.” |
Jessica Jenkins - Parent
Berea
“As a parent, I always hope that my children will have more opportunities than I had growing up. I believe our Kentucky schools are beginning to provide our children with college and career pathway opportunities that I could have only dreamed about!”
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Amanda Armento - Educator
Trimble County Chief Academic Officer
"I am excited about the future of learning in Kentucky because thousands of educators, families and community partners are working tirelessly to build strong educational foundations and create greater possibilities and hope for every Kentucky student." |
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Suggested Reading
Implementing Balanced Assessment Systems: A Practical Guidebook for Districts & Schools
Developed by the Center for Assessment and the National Academy of Education, this 2025 guidebook translates research on balanced assessment systems into practical guidance for district and school leaders.
It is a companion to the 2024 volume, Reimagining Balanced Assessment Systems, and can help leaders consider questions such as:
- How balanced is our local assessment system?
- What may be out of balance given our instructional vision?
- How might we begin strengthening the balance of our assessment system?
This resource is especially timely as Kentucky continues thinking about how local assessments, performance assessments and other evidence of learning fit within a broader system.
Explore the resource:
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United We Learn
The best ideas for Kentucky's future won't come from one person, one district or one table. They will come from listening to one another, learning from what is working, asking better questions and continuing to build together.
Stay connected. Share what you're learning. Be part of what's next.
Send us a short student response, photo, video or artifact for the opportunity to be featured in the next KUWL Connection.
Save the Date!
- Jan. 8, 2027 – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET
- Council members will meet in-person in Frankfort
- The meeting will be live-streamed on the KDE Media Portal for the public
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Susan R. Strange
Strategic Plan Program Manager
Strategic Planning and Research
Office of the Commissioner
Phone: (502) 564-2002, ext. 4014
Email: susan.strange@education.ky.gov
300 Sower Blvd. – 5th floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
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