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Dear Colleagues,
I paid a visit last Wednesday to the 2023 Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) State Championship. I had high hopes of seeing the creativity students can unleash when given the opportunity to tackle a project that truly matters to them.
The day did not disappoint, as more than 13,000 of Kentucky’s K-12 students and close to 7,000 adults and parents descended on Central Bank Center and Rupp Arena in Lexington to demonstrate their hands-on learning. STLP empowers student learning and achievement through the use or creation of technology-based solutions for school and community needs. Students create projects, products or services to meet those needs and then demonstrate their process and learning in various STLP categories.
In the 29-year history of STLP, this year’s event had the largest number of K-12 students participating in the state championship. It also set the record at the Lexington Central Bank Center for the most space ever used for an event – and every inch was needed and maximized by these incredible STLP students.
Walking down the aisles, I saw projects about combating vaping and bullying, refurbishing outdoor classrooms and computers, web applications for better mental health and a video game created entirely by students. And over in Robot World, thousands of students learned more about robotics by maneuvering through various obstacle courses or playing soccer and Operation with robots.
Over the past year, you’ve heard me talk a lot about United We Learn, Kentucky’s vision for the future of education in the Commonwealth. One of the three big ideas of United We Learn is creating a more vibrant learning experience for every student. We heard loud and clear from Kentuckians across the state – including our students – that they want their education to be hands-on, engaging and innovative. STLP is all of those things.
I want to thank the thousands of adult volunteers that helped make this special day happen for our STLP students, as well as the adults in our schools that play a role in guiding the students who made it to the state championships. I know the program can be time consuming, as you provide guidance for students trying to answer difficult questions. Just spending a few minutes walking down the aisles and asking students to explain their projects and the skills they learned during the year proves how valuable this experience continues to be.
You can read more about the 2023 STLP State Championship on Kentucky Teacher.
Kind regards,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Commissioner and Chief Learner
Perkins V Pathway Deadline Nearing
Perkins V requires that each approved career and technical education pathway “offer a sequence of four or more earned technical credits.” The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) career and technical education (CTE) school personnel are required to annually select which courses will be offered in each school’s approved programs of study. Notifications to those responsible for the data began in September 2022.
The deadline for identifying a four-course sequence for each of your pathways is May 15.
Several training opportunities have been provided. Monthly reminders have been sent to all users of the Technical Education Database System (TEDS) in the TEDS Monthly Notes.
There now are just a few weeks remaining for schools to identify the primary courses that will be offered to claim a valid pathway and maintain Perkins V funding. To further assist in the process, an FAQ for CTE Pathway Course Identification was posted, as well as the complete instructions for How to Identify Courses Offered in Your Pathways on KDE’s TEDS Step-by-Step webpage.
As a reminder, we suggest all schools and districts adhere to the best practices for TEDS access. Identify at least two users for each school and at least two different users at the district level to have full access to TEDS.
If you have questions on this process, please check with your district or school level TEDS coordinator or contact Claude Christian.
Apply by April 28 for Developing a High-Quality Local Science Curriculum Pilot
According to research, schools that demonstrate increased curricular coherence also show marked improvements in student outcomes (Newmann, Smith, Allensworth and Bryk, 2001). The first step in creating curricular coherence is to translate the standards into a local curriculum anchored in high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs).
While the Kentucky Academic Standards establish what students must know and be able to do, the district is responsible for developing a curriculum that addresses how learning experiences are to be designed and for selecting the HQIRs that will assist student learning.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking up to nine districts and 27 schools, representative of 8 regional cooperatives, to implement the Curriculum Development Process as they develop their local science curriculum. This would mean the participation of 2-3 schools per district. This two-year pilot will begin in the fall of 2023 and end in the summer of 2025.
The pilot will focus on supporting local implementation of the four phases of the Curriculum Development Process outlined in the Kentucky Model Curriculum Framework The application process will be open through April 28 and consists of answering a few questions and uploading artifacts. Districts and schools will be notified of acceptance on or around May 15.
More information, including application instructions, is available in the Developing a High-Quality Local Curriculum Pilot Application document.
For more information, email KDE professional learning coordinators Misty Higgins or Fox DeMoisey.
Recording of March 2023 Leadership Meeting Now Available
In order to provide equitable learning environments for all students, it is important for schools and districts to translate the Kentucky Academic Standards into a guaranteed and viable curriculum. Additionally, it is critical that students receive strong, standards-aligned instruction supported by evidenced-based instructional practices.
The regional educational cooperatives, in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), hosted live virtual meetings in March for district and school leaders to examine tools and resources available to create equitable learning environments at the local level.
The session focused on the importance of developing a strong local curriculum supported by a primary high-quality instructional resource (HQIR) to help strengthen Tier 1 instruction. Key topics included:
- Kentucky Multi-Tiered System of Supports self-assessment tool;
- Importance of a common instructional vision;
- The role of HQIRs;
- Stakeholder communication and inclusion; and
- Science and social studies standards update.
A new tool, a communication plan template, was shared to support districts in the area of stakeholder communication and inclusion in alignment with KRS 160.345.
A recording of the March leadership 2023 meeting is now available. The accompanying materials can be found in the 2023 March Leadership Participant Folder. Effective Instructional Leadership Act credit is available for this session.
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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