Dear Colleagues:
If you are like me and my family, I’m sure you are counting down the hours until Thursday. Or, if you have young children of your own like I do, I’m sure they are eagerly awaiting the official start of the holiday season!
Please let me be one of the first to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. I personally think it is one of the more underappreciated holidays. Thanksgiving gives you the joy of having your family around without the pressure of decorations or finding the perfect presents. It’s a time to enjoy each other’s company, maybe watch some football and of course, eat probably one more slice of pie than we really need.
Late November and early December are always trying times in schools. You’re trying to wrap up a semester while your students are antsy and excited about the fast-approaching holidays. Use this quieter time to reconnect with your loved ones and recharge. I know that’s what I will be doing.
I also wanted to remind you about Nov. 29-30, which will be the first meeting of the new Kentucky United We Learn Council. The council – which represents a diverse cross section of people from across the Commonwealth – was created to give a broad stakeholder voice to the process of learning in Kentucky. This goes along with the United We Learn work already underway in the field. The council will evaluate and recommend strategic practice, policy and investment ideas to state policymakers and the citizens of Kentucky.
While the council will be meeting in-person here at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), you can watch the proceedings on the KDE Media Portal.
Kind regards,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Commissioner and Chief Learner
ARP ESSER Plan Updates Required
As was discussed on the Nov. 15 Superintendent’s Webcast and the Nov. 3 Finance Officer’s Webcast, each district should review the three components of its ARP ESSER Plan – the ARP ESSER Plan Narrative, the Safe Return to In Person Instruction/SB 1 Plan and their spending plan/budget – and submit an Updated District ARP ESSER Plan via the Grant Management Application and Planning (GMAP) system.
The update will ensure that district ARP ESSER plans and spending plans align and that any revisions to the plans and budgets are up to date. Updated District ARP ESSER Plans are due in GMAP no later than Nov. 28.
Kentucky Department of Education staff will review the plans and approve or provide feedback to the districts after Dec. 9.
Districts also should include in the update of GMAP the active district web links to their ARP ESSER Plan Narrative and the Safe Return to In Person Instruction/SB 1 Plan. For more information about the ARP ESSER Plan, email David Milanti. GMAP questions should be emailed to kdegmap@education.ky.gov.
List of Approved Universal Screeners and Diagnostic Assessments – Updated Dyslexia Screening Information
To support the selection of valid and reliable universal screeners and diagnostics, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has compiled a list of approved universal screeners and diagnostics for district review. Additional dyslexia screener information has been provided in the recommendation list of universal screeners to aid districts in their decision-making process.
KDE recommends beginning with the “at-a-glance” comparison chart, which provides high-level details about each approved assessment. One-pagers providing further information about each assessment and the selection criteria used to select assessments also are available. All materials can be found on the Early Literacy Screening Assessments webpage.
Per Senate Bill 9, the Read to Succeed Act, by Jan. 1, 2023:
- Each superintendent shall select:
- At least one reliable and valid universal screener for reading administered to all students in grades K-3; and
- At least one reliable and valid reading diagnostic assessment administered as part of a multi-tiered system of supports for students in grades K-3.
- All teachers of students in K-3 shall be trained on any reading diagnostic assessment and universal screener selected by the superintendent prior to administration of the assessment in the 2023-2024 school year.
The Senate Bill 9 Implementation Timeline document provides further guidance about what needs to be implemented and when.
Questions regarding the approved list of screeners and diagnostics may be emailed to Christie Biggerstaff, director of early literacy in the KDE Office of Teaching and Learning.
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