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Dear Colleagues,
Today we released guidance for several pieces of legislation passed by the General Assembly earlier this year that contained emergency clauses, making them effective as soon as the governor signed them or when a veto was overridden by the legislature. Included is guidance for House Bill (HB) 5, HB 32, HB 153, HB 553, Senate Bill (SB) 5, SB 25, SB 49, SB 107 and SB 150. You can find this guidance on the Legislative Guidance webpage.
I understand that this guidance does not answer all the questions you may have. Many pieces of this legislation – particularly SB 5 on adopting a complaint resolution policy about classroom materials and SB 150 – leave lots of unknowns about how these laws are going to be enacted in schools.
We at KDE do not have the authority to answer, directly or definitively, many of the good questions that you may have about these new laws. We do understand that questions may arise around matters such as curricular systems, connections to early college credit (Advanced Placement and dual credit) course content, and student free speech or other potential federal constitutional issues these laws may create.
We urge you to make decisions about the questions raised collaboratively with your district counsel. Some of the questions ultimately may be decided in court or by clarifying future legislation.
Please remember to join me for the next Superintendents Webcast tomorrow, April 18, from 2-4 p.m. ET. You should have received an invitation to that event, which also will be available on the KDE Media Portal during and after the webcast.
We will have a packed agenda, including a Kentucky Board of Education update, information from the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs about April being the Month of the Military Child, a legislative update, information about area technology center salaries, an update about assessments, an update from the recent Education Professional Standards Board meeting and information about the next round of Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading. We also will be discussing the guidance you received today and will try to answer your questions as best as we can. You can ask your questions in advance using this Google Form.
I look forward to meeting with you all tomorrow.
Kind regards,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Commissioner and Chief Learner
Applications Open for Powered by Inclusion Scholarship Program
The Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) will award $2,500 scholarships to eligible Kentucky high school students with disabilities to attend any two- or four-year postsecondary education organization or training program.
Up to four scholarships will be awarded per Kentucky school district. These nonrenewable scholarships will be paid directly to the institution of postsecondary education upon the recipients’ official admission acceptance.
Nominees must:
- Be a high school senior or grade 14 student intending to enroll in a postsecondary education/ training program;
- Have an Individual Education Program (IEP); and
- Have obtained Postsecondary Readiness through career or academic readiness.
The application with postsecondary readiness status, age and address may be completed by anyone, and must be signed by the guidance counselor and superintendent. OSEEL will pay the scholarship directly to a student’s postsecondary enrollment organization upon receipt of the letter of acceptance. Direct payments to students will not be authorized. Selection criteria for the four students will be determined by the district.
Nomination forms must be received by OSEEL no later than April 28. For questions or information related to the scholarship program, contact ARPTransition@education.ky.gov.
Applications Sought for KY LEADS Academy
The Kentucky Department Education (KDE) is seeking applications for the fourth cohort of the Kentucky Leading, Educating and Advocating for Directors of Special Education ( KY LEADS) Academy.
KY LEADS is designed to improve outcomes for children with disabilities by facilitating systemic change and increasing the number and capacity of certified directors of special education. Academy implementation is supported by a partnership with Morehead State University, Western Kentucky University, Murray State University, Part C Early Intervention Services, the Kentucky Parent Training and Information Center and the Kentucky Department of Education.
If selected, the KY LEADS Academy scholars will receive tuition reimbursement made possible by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
Eligible candidates must be:
- Enrolled in Morehead State University, Western Kentucky University or Murray State University currently or within the next 3 months;
- Available to participate in monthly Saturday seminars and professional learning communities;
- Pursuing a Director of Special Education certification; and,
- Willing to serve as a mentor to future academy participants aspiring for leadership experience and support.
Completed applications are due to the KDE Office of Special Education and Early Learning by June 2. If you have any questions, please contact Rebecca Atkins.
Sign Up Now for School Improvement Planning for Performance Excellence Training
A two-day School Improvement Planning for Performance Excellence training session will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on Aug. 21-22 at the Central Bank Center, formerly the Lexington Convention Center.
The session will assist leadership teams in an increased understanding of how to apply the performance excellence systems approach to continuous improvement. The work will focus on an increased understanding of the role of the school improvement plan by developing school improvement goals, creating strategies, and developing and implementing action plans toward increasing student achievement and organizational effectiveness.
Tools used during the sessions will include the appropriate Jim Shipley workbooks, Teams System Check, linkage diagram and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) process. Additionally, the work session content will include activities around leadership team building, using needs assessment practices, building school mission statements, assessment of the school as a system, and use of the Performance Excellence Criteria in a systematic way. The content will be from Jim Shipley and Associates, led by certified Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) facilitators.
Each attendee interested in participating must fill out the School Improvement Planning for Performance Excellence registration form no later than Aug. 4. Questions regarding the training should be directed to Susan Greer.
2023 Persistence to Graduation Summit Call for Proposals and Registration
The Kentucky Department of Education Division of Student Success (DSS) is hosting the 2023 Persistence to Graduation Summit at the Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington on June 28-29.
Superintendents, principals, educators, family resource and youth services center coordinators, school mental health and social service professionals, and community partners from across Kentucky will convene to share information and best practices to support students who may experience challenges to reaching graduation. Engaging and interactive sessions will be led by facilitators from across the state and will include:
- Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities;
- Safe and Supportive Learning Environments;
- Effective Use of Education Technology;
- Student Transition and Re-engagement Strategies; and
- Alternative Education Programming.
These sessions are designed to be more engaging than the typical “sit and get” format of most conferences and are structured to encourage dialogue and exchanges that leverage the expertise of the session participants as well as the session leaders. Facilitators will engage with participants throughout the session and help cultivate an interactive experience, mirroring the type of interactions that take place in highly engaging classrooms. Participants will have prior access to any materials submitted by facilitators.
Those interested in facilitating a session should complete the Persistence to Graduation Call for Proposals Google form by April 28. Submissions will be reviewed by DSS staff and selected based on content, participant engagement and event needs. Those selected will be notified by email.
Costs for the PtG Summit are supported in part by Title IV, Part A federal funds, so registration will only cost $50 per registrant. For more information, contact Sarah McIntosh.
Comprehensive District and School Improvement Planning: Phase Four Diagnostics
Phase Four of the continuous improvement planning process includes three district-level diagnostics and a school-level diagnostic that are each due May 1.
The Continuation of Learning Plan will support the district in designing and implementing a plan during times when nontraditional instruction may be needed to prevent a loss of learning. This diagnostic will describe the plan for the following school year. For questions regarding the Continuation of Learning Plan, contact KDE's Steve Kissinger or David Cook.
The English Learner Plan for Districts (Lau Plan) diagnostic supports the district’s commitment to ensuring that English learner students can meaningfully participate in the district’s educational programs and services. It outlines the affirmative steps taken by the district to overcome educational barriers that impede equal participation by English learner students in their instructional programs. For questions regarding this district-level diagnostic, contact Neil Watts.
The final diagnostic is the Professional Development Plan for both schools and districts. Each school and district must design a professional development plan that supports their efforts to meet the goals established in KRS 158.6451 and addresses the priorities identified in their local needs assessment. The 2022-2023 Professional Development Plan will be implemented in the 2023-2024 school year and incorporated into the improvement plan for that year. For questions regarding the Professional Development Plan, contact Renee Yates.
Progress Monitoring, Online Posting and Phase Four Diagnostics
The last phase of the comprehensive district/school improvement plan process also includes the vital process of progress monitoring. Districts and schools may choose a flexible and customized approach to monitoring and implementing the comprehensive improvement plan.
Districts/schools should be collecting both input and outcome data to reflect on the following questions regarding their plan:
- Are the planned strategies and activities being implemented as intended?
- Are our strategies and activities meeting the needs of learners?
- Will we adjust or stay the course?
Pursuant to 703 KAR 5:225, Comprehensive District Improvement Plans (CDIPs) and Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (CSIPs) must be posted online. CDIPs must be posted to the district’s website, while CSIPs must be posted to each school’s website.
With Phase Four diagnostics yet to be completed, it is important to follow local policy regarding the timeline for posting, and remember to include any attachments referenced in a diagnostic. Please see below for additional information on what should be posted for each improvement plan:
District’s Improvement Plan:
- Continuous Improvement Diagnostic for Districts
- Executive Summary for Districts
- Needs Assessment Diagnostic for Districts
- District Assurances
- Comprehensive District Improvement Plan (including the Goal Building Template)
- Superintendent Gap Assurances
- Professional Development Plan for Districts
School’s Improvement Plan:
- Continuous Improvement Diagnostic for Schools
- Executive Summary for Schools
- Needs Assessment for Schools
- School Assurances
- Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (including the Goal Building Template)
- Professional Development Plan for Schools
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