Commissioner's Monday Message

May 22, 2023

Dear Colleagues,

Today we had the pleasure of announcing 25 new members to the Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council. The group meets regularly with the commissioner, both in person and virtually, to discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Kentucky.

Members of the student advisory council offer valuable insights to us at the Kentucky Department of Education, and it is essential that students continue to have a meaningful and purposeful voice in decision making. Last year’s council offered a list of key recommendations regarding school safety, and we look forward to hearing from and working with these exceptional student leaders in the year ahead.

The newly selected members will serve for the 2023-2024 school year and, if eligible, will have the option to serve again in fall 2024.

The new members, listed with their current grades and high school, include:

• Ava Benson, 11th grade, Henderson County High School
• Isaac Reese Blakeman, 11th grade, Somerset High School (Somerset Independent)
• Owen Borden, 11th grade, Highlands High School (Fort Thomas Independent)
• Cameron Breier, 11th grade, duPont Manual High School (Jefferson County)
• Owen Cody, 11th grade, McCracken County High School
• Manas Garla, 9th grade, Western Hills High School (Franklin County)
• Nicholas E. Hazelett, 11th grade, Paintsville High School (Paintsville Independent)
• Honette Irakiza, 10th grade, South Warren High School (Warren County)
• Trey Jackson, 11th grade, South Laurel High School (Laurel County)
• Sophia Langford, 9th grade, J. Graham Brown School (Jefferson County)
• Danica Rose Love, 11th grade, Meade County High School
• Gabriella MacAdams, 9th grade, Williamstown High School (Williamstown Independent)
• Constance Martin, 11th grade, Johnson Central High School (Johnson County)
• Anopa Musoni, 11th grade, Lafayette High School (Fayette County)
• Ronald (R.J.) Osborne, 10th grade, Whitley County High School
• Daniel Ratley, 9th grade, Grayson County High School
• Jocelyn Dawne Reddick, 11th grade, South Warren High School (Warren County)
• Caleb Robinson, 9th grade, Kentucky School for the Blind
• Sophia Staples, 10th grade, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Fayette County)
• Ian Swenson, 9th grade, Paducah Tilghman High School (Paducah Independent)
• Austin Eric Vitato, 9th grade, J. Graham Brown School (Jefferson County)
• Carley Isabella Watts, 9th grade, Hazard High School (Hazard Independent)
• Aliete Yanes Medina, 9th grade, Fern Creek High School (Jefferson County)
• India Young, 10th grade, Marion County High School
• Joshua Zyzak, 11th grade, Beechwood High School (Beechwood Independent)

The 25 new members join 12 returning members.

More and more school districts across Kentucky and the country have added a student member to their local board of education. If your district has not done this yet, I highly encourage you to consider it.

As we are asking more from our students to prepare them for our global and fast-paced world, we also should be asking more of ourselves as we continue to reimagine how schools should work. Students are the reason we do what we do. When given the chance to have a real say on their education, our students provide deep and meaningful discussion on how the decisions we make impact them in the classroom.

I want to welcome our new students and I look forward to working with them.

Kind regards,

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.

Commissioner and Chief Learner

Forums to Be Held in Search for New Kentucky School for the Deaf Principal

KDE is inviting stakeholders to participate in community forums to gather feedback on the qualities they would like to see in the next principal of the Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD).

The input of students, staff, families and the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community will be incorporated throughout the process so we can make critical and informed decisions throughout the search. 

Two forums will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to voice their input:

• Virtual forum: Wednesday, May 24, from 6-7 p.m. ET via Zoom
• In-person forum: Wednesday, May 31, from 7-8 p.m. ET, in the gymnasium at the Kentucky School for the Deaf, 303 S. 2nd St., Danville

To register for the forums, please complete the KSD Virtual Forum registration form.

All the information gathered from the Kentucky School for the Deaf – Principal Profile Survey (which closes at 11 p.m. ET on Friday, June 2) and the two forums will be used by the hiring committee while interviewing candidates to ensure KSD has the principal who will be the best fit for the school and the students it serves,

Priority consideration will be given to candidates with Deaf/Hard of Hearing education experience or American Sign Language (ASL) skills. The full job posting is available on KDE's website.

KDE also is seeking stakeholders who may be interested in serving on a representative interview committee for the new KSD principal.

Those who are interested in serving on the interview committee should complete the KSD Principal Interview Committee interest form, which will close at 5 p.m. ET on June 1. Stakeholders who are selected to serve must be available June 12-30 to review applications and conduct interviews.

KDE hopes to have a new principal in place at KSD by July 1.

Chemistry and Physical Science Appropriation (2023 Regular Session)

House Bill (HB) 448, which was passed into law during Kentucky’s 2023 regular legislative session, contains language and an appropriation of $1.5 million in Fiscal Year 2024 for a “chemistry and physical science 3D game-based learning platform.”

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is currently working to prepare and post a competitive solicitation for this work, and the funds appropriated will be used to pay the successful bidder.

The language from HB 448 is as follows:

Section 10. 2022 Kentucky Acts Chapter 239, Section 13, at page 2408, is amended to read as follows: There is hereby appropriated Federal Funds from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the amount of $1,500,000 in fiscal year[years] 2022-2023 [and 2023-2024] to the Learning and Results Services budget unit to enrich science curriculums. There is hereby appropriated Federal Funds from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the amount of $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2023-2024 to the Learning and Results Services budget unit for a chemistry and physical science 3D game based learning platform for middle school and high school students that aligns to Kentucky's science academic standards, connects the standards to real world technologies and applications, and highlights STEM and CTE career pathways in Kentucky to increase students' interest in pursuing a chemistry-related career.

KDE will notify districts once a successful applicant has been selected and a contract has been awarded. If you have questions, please contact Thomas Thompson or Karen Wirth.

Fiscal Year 2024 District Funding Assurances

The Fiscal Year 2024 District Funding Assurances are available in the Grants Management Application and Planning System (GMAP). The assurances are a stand-alone document and not part of the Consolidated Application.

The role of district funding assurances director has been added to complete and approve the assurances. If district staff need the role of district funding assurances director, please contact your GMAP user access administrator to add the role. A list of GMAP user access administrators is in GMAP under KDE Resources.

Once the District Funding Assurances have been completed in GMAP, you must print the document to present to your local board for approval. Upon approval by your local board, the superintendent (not the designee) must upload the assurances statement under their GMAP login by Sept. 30, 2023. The district funding assurances statement template is in GMAP in the District Document Library.

Instructions for completing and uploading the assurances statement in GMAP is available at ​District Funding Assurances Upload Instructions FY24.

For guidance on submitting your assurances, please email Nicole Crosthwaite or call (502) 564-1979, ext. 4328. For questions regarding GMAP login, please email Jennifer Baker or call (502) 564-1979, ext. 4501.

2023 KIP Survey Administration Delayed

The Kentucky Department of Education has a long-standing partnership with the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) in support of students with behavioral health needs. One such initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the biennial Kentucky Incentives for Prevention (KIP) Survey.

Following the anticipated schedule, the KIP Survey was expected to be administered this coming school year in the fall of 2023. With the passage of Senate Bill 150, there are new requirements related to well-being and health surveys that affect administration and consent procedures. Due to the time needed to develop processes related to these requirements, the decision has been made to postpone the next KIP Survey to the fall of 2024.

The attached letter from DBHDID Acting Commissioner Stephanie Craycraft provides additional information and plans for moving forward.

For more information, email Paula Brown, branch manager for prevention and promotion at DBHDID.

Guidance for Districts Hiring a New Director of Child Nutrition Programs

The U.S. Child Nutrition Programs are a vital part of ensuring students across Kentucky receive nutritious meals and snacks in school. In addition to providing fuel for growth and learning, these programs – led by child nutrition program directors – bring approximately $550 million annually in federal reimbursement funds into Kentucky, employ thousands of Kentuckians and use thousands of dollars in commodities produced by American farmers.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 established hiring standards for all newly hired school nutrition program directors and it is important for superintendents to be aware of these minimum standards before directors are hired. To learn more about the standards and to aid in your hiring of new child nutrition program directors, please see the resources below:

• U.S. Department of Agriculture Professional Standards webpage
• Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) job descriptions
• KDE School and Community Nutrition Food Service Classified Job Descriptions 

The Division of School and Community Nutrition (SCN) also developed an Overview of Child Nutrition Director Position document. This resource provides a high-level overview of the basic program areas, as well as areas of responsibility for the directors.

Once you have followed the guidance to hire a new school nutrition program director, please submit the Notification of NSLP New Child Nutrition Director form to SCN. SCN provides guidance and assistance to new program directors. For an overview, please read Welcome to Child Nutrition SCN On-Boarding Process for New School Child Nutrition Directors.

If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Chandler.

Free Leadership Development Through National Institute for School Leadership

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Continuous Improvement and Support has partnered with the National Center on Education and the Economy to implement its National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) program.

This initiative provides leadership development to school and district leaders based on a national research-based curriculum, and has been in place in Kentucky for the past 13 years in three regions. The NISL program is the most widely used research-proven professional learning program for school leaders in the country.

This experience prepares leaders to create and lead high-performing organizations, improve instruction, leverage data-driven decision-making, improve student and school culture, and focus on equity.

The monthly interactive experience focuses on the key themes for capacity-building and for transforming the school as an organization while improving student success.

School and district staff interested in participating in this free professional learning are encouraged to complete the National Institute for School Leadership interest form no later than June 2. Questions regarding the training opportunity should be directed to Charlotte Jones.

2023 Persistence to Graduation Summit Scheduled for June 28-29

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of Student Success is hosting the 2023 Persistence to Graduation Summit June 28-29 at the Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington.

Superintendents, principals, educators, Family Resource and Youth Services Center coordinators, 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

Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) credit will be available. For more information, email Sarah McIntosh.

Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program Recommendations Due May 30

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has announced a new recognition program to celebrate distinguished teachers, teacher specialists and school leaders in the Commonwealth’s public schools.

Individuals may recommend up to three educators currently serving in Kentucky’s public schools for the 2023 Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program (KEEP). Recommended individuals should be early- to mid-career professionals with at least 5 years of experience and whose contributions to education are largely unheralded, yet worthy of the spotlight.

Recommendations, including a copy of the candidate’s resume and a one-page, signed recommendation letter on official letterhead, are due via the KEEP Recommendation Form by May 30.

Schools Encouraged to Submit Best Practices

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Best Practices and Sustainability website is open for submission of best practices from schools and districts.

The Best Practices website is designed to serve as a clearinghouse to promote practices that motivate, engage and provide measurable results in student learning, achievement and school/district processes. Any aspect of a school system that can impact student outcomes through improved instruction or operations can be submitted as a best practice.

Best practices should be submitted to the Best Practices database by June 1 to be considered for acknowledgement at the Continuous Improvement Summit, scheduled for Sept. 25-26. For more information, email Natasha Stein.

2023 Continuous Improvement Summit: Save the Date and Registration Link

Mark your calendars to attend the annual Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit. Co-hosted by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia, the summit will be held Sept. 25-26 at the Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington.

During this two-day event, attendees will enhance their professional learning, make new connections and build upon existing relationships with peers across Kentucky. They also will hear up-to-date information from KDE leaders and learn how Cognia can help address unique challenges in their journey of continuous improvement. Please join us for this opportunity to explore a variety of topics, engage in conversations that will enrich your understanding of continuous improvement, and be energized by the keynote speaker, Mike Rutherford.

Registration is available on the 2023 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit event webpage.

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.

Those receiving this at KSB and KSD, please make sure all employees receive it. Also, ATC principals are asked to forward it to their staffs.

Please send your questions, comments and suggestions on the Monday Message to Jennifer Ginn by 10 a.m. Friday to be published in the upcoming week.