Commissioner's Monday Message

Jan. 9, 2023

Dear Colleagues:

The 2023 General Assembly adjourned Friday until Tuesday, Feb. 7. While lots of bills were filed last week, expect many more once they return, with the last day for new bills in the Senate being Tuesday, Feb. 21, and Wednesday, Feb. 22, for the House.

Once legislators return, they will be in session until the veto period begins on March 17. They will then return for the final two days on March 28, with sine die set for March 30. 

Despite the recent election, there are two open seats in the Senate. Two special elections are scheduled: Feb. 21 for the 19th District (formally held by now Rep. Morgan McGarvey) and May 16 for the 28th District (formerly held by Ralph Alvarado).

The only bill that moved last week was House Bill (HB) 1, a top priority for the majority caucus. HB1 would continue the march to zero state income tax by finalizing the move from 5% to 4.5% this year and then lowering it 4% on Jan. 1 2024. Opponents are concerned about the possible impact on the state's budget down the road, but proponents argue the expansion of the sales tax will cover it as the lower income rate encourages new businesses in the Commonwealth.

Additionally, legislation addressing numerous education issues was filed last week, including dual credit scholarships, children in foster care, school construction, vaccine/mask requirements, home school students and postsecondary readiness indicators. We are anticipating legislation addressing teacher recruitment and retention, teacher apprenticeships, parental rights and more to be filed next month. As always, we will keep you informed as the session ramps up and bills begin moving.

I also would like to remind you of the next Superintendents Webcast, scheduled from 2-4 p.m. ET tomorrow, Jan. 10. As usual, you can watch the webinar on the KDE Media Portal, where a recorded version will be available if you can't join us.

We will be discussing the Kentucky Supreme Court's ruling on House Bill 563, special education monitoring and the Equity Playbook. You also will hear updates on the Kentucky United We Learn council, the Education Professional Standards Board and the legislative session so far. You can submit your questions ahead of time using this Google Form.

Kind regards,

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.

Commissioner and Chief Learner

Time is Running Out to Register for P3 EdCamp

There is still time for principals, assistant principals and school leaders to register for the seventh annual P3 EdCamp, which is set for Jan. 18.

EdCamp is a virtual event and it is free! 

The event will feature Todd Whitaker, Mike Rutherford, Jon Akers and Commissioner of Education Jason E. Glass, as well as breakout sessions from principals and school leaders throughout the state.

Effective Instructional Leadership Act credit is available (three or six hours depending on the number of sessions attended). Register for the event at P3 EdCamp 2023. Schedule breakout sessions at View the schedule on breakout sessions on the P3 EdCamp Grid. For more information, email Keith Griesser. 

KDE Releases 2021-2022 School Safety Annual Statistical Report

The Kentucky Department of Education, in compliance with KRS 158.444, has released the 2021-2022 School Safety Annual Statistical Report. This report examines statistics on the prevalence of safety incidents in schools involving assault, violence, weapons, tobacco, alcohol, drugs, bullying or harassment.

The purpose of this report is to identify trends in school safety data and to provide insights into the factors that may be contributing to safety incidents in schools. Examining the patterns and trends in these data is an important step in developing strategies for improving safety in schools and creating a safer learning environment for all students.

The report also shows trends in behavior resolutions that result in expulsion (with or without services), in-school removal, out-of-school suspension or corporal punishment. Lastly, the report highlights trends in behavior data as it relates to sex, race/ethnicity, grade level, socioeconomic status, location and context of the event.

Pathways to High School Completion and Post-Secondary Opportunities Customizable Resource Now Available

The Kentucky Department of Education's Division of Student Success has a new resource districts can use to communicate the various options available toward high school completion and post-secondary opportunities.

The purpose of this resource is to assist young people who are disconnected from or in the process of disengaging from school to find the support they need to reach their educational goals. The Pathways to High School Completion and Post-Secondary Opportunities is intended to be a compilation of district and community-based offerings that allows youth and families to easily determine their best option.

Louisville’s Coalition Supporting Young Adults, in collaboration with Jefferson County Public Schools, developed this as a local resource, which has been adapted into a customizable template for districts and communities to use.

A five-minute Pathways to High School Completion and Post-Secondary Opportunities video provides a detailed overview of this resource. For more information, contact Michelle Wilson.

Sign Up Now for Remaining Initial Certified Evaluation Training

Per 704 KAR 3:370 and KRS 156.557, all new evaluators must complete the Initial Certified Evaluation training.

For the 2022-2023 school year, there are only two remaining dates left to attend – Jan. 10-11 and Jan. 24-25. Registration for the Initial Certified Evaluation training is available online.

Last Call for Nominations for 2024 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award

Today is the deadline to nominate outstanding educators for the 2024 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award.

So far, we have received 1,311 nominations from across the Commonwealth.

Anyone can nominate a teacher for this distinction, including administrators, teachers, parents, students and community members. The nomination form is very short, asking for the teacher’s name, email and a brief reason why you are submitting the nomination.

Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign Planning Webinars

The Efficient and Healthy Schools campaign will begin holding planning webinars on Jan. 10.

Led by the U.S. Department of Energy with support from Berkeley Lab, the Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign engages schools – especially those serving low-income populations and rural areas – to reduce energy costs and improve energy efficiency, health and resilience. The campaign aims to connect schools with practical solutions, and provide technical assistance and resources to improve school facilities.

The campaign is actively recruiting schools/districts for the recognition program. The recognition program has two tracks: implementation and planning. It also has two categories: energy efficiency plus health, and emissions reduction and resilience.

There are two sets of upcoming webinars for districts beginning Jan. 10 for the planning track. For more information, see the Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign one-pager.

KDE’s Transformational Change Series for School Leaders

The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Transformational Change Leadership Series consists of three one-day conference experiences offered in both Lexington at the Central Bank Center and Bowling Green at the Hilton Garden Inn from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time.

Participants interested in attending the sessions at the Central Bank Center in Lexington should mark their calendars to attend on Jan. 25, Feb. 21 and March 28. Participants interested in participating at the Hilton Garden Inn location in Bowling Green should mark their calendars to attend on Jan. 26, Feb. 22 and March 29. Each conference experience is designed for optimal engagement, relevance and applicability. The conference series comes at no cost to participants.

The first conference will engage participants in an in-depth study of the nature and logic behind transformational school leadership and how transformational change leadership differs from leadership for continuous, incremental improvement.

Topics will include the leadership concepts of self-awareness, characteristics of high-trust organizations, servant leadership values, developing a personal leadership platform, collecting and interpreting data to support school transformation and the role of instructional leadership for transformational change.  

The second conference will focus on designing and leading change, improvement science, leadership transitions, futuring and paradigm studies, creating meaningful work and principles of sustainability.

The third conference will center on the study of how organizational culture can be assessed and shaped to catalyze transformational change, creating community, developing constituent voice, attracting and retaining talent, leading great groups and how to effectively market/brand a school’s improvement vision. Each attendee interested in participating in the training series must complete the registration form no later than Jan. 10. Questions regarding the training should be directed to Tim Godbey.

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.