Kentucky Teacher

Tamilyn Ingram

Tamilyn Ingram always dreamed of giving back to Frenchburg, Ky., the community where she was raised. The Menifee County High School guidance counselor has worked tirelessly to make that a reality, according to her peers.

“I know how important a good educational basis is for one to be successful in today’s day and time, and I press all of my students to take advantage of every opportunity that is available,” Ingram said. “I encourage them to go beyond our community to gain experiences and education, but to never forget where they came from.”

That’s the same path Ingram followed. Continue Reading

Teachers may join Challenger Center for Space Science Education Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. ET for a live interactive webcast with former NASA astronaut Frederick Gregory.

The interview is part of a series of interactive webcasts celebrating the 25th anniversary of Challenger Center’s educational programs. Each month during the 25th anniversary year, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut as the guest of a live webcast with an opportunity for the public to ask questions. Continue Reading

The Council on Postsecondary Education will co-host a national forum on the Common Core Standards implementation this coming February in Louisville.

The College Readiness Partnership (CRP) will serve as co-host. CRP is a collaborative of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Chief Council of State School Officers and the State Higher Education Executive Officers. The collaborative promotes broad implementation of the Common Core Standards.

The forum, “Architecture for Implementing the Common Core Standards: Strategies, Partnerships & Progress,” will draw higher education leaders and faculty who have been instrumental in P-20 collaboration around the common core standards. The forum will be held at the Marriott Louisville Downtown Hotel, February 27-29. Continue Reading

The goal of the secretary of state’s annual essay and slogan contest is to expand civic  awareness among students in light voter trends in their demographic in local, state and national elections.

High school students in grades 9-12 are eligible to submit entries for the essay contest. Students in grades 6-8 may submit entries for the top three spots for the slogan contest. Rules, judging criteria, deadlines, prompt and other information about the competition are online here,  or contact Patrick Keal at (502) 564-3490 or. Entries must either be postmarked or electronically submitted by Dec. 1.

Monetary awards for best in each category for the essay contest are a $3,000 U.S. Savings Bond or $1,500 cash. The slogan contest has an award for first, second and third place overall. The first place winner will receive a $1,000 U.S. savings bond or $500 cash; second place winner gets a $600 savings bond or $300 and third place gets a $400 savings bond or $200 cash.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has posted the state’s application for flexibility under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, which was reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

KDE welcomes public comment on the state’s application, which is posted on KDE’s Unbridled Learning page, here. Comments and feedback may be sent to here. Comments will be accepted until Tuesday, November 8.

To help states move forward with education reforms designed to improve academic achievement and increase the quality of instruction for all students, in September, President Barack Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan outlined how states can get relief from provisions of NCLB in exchange for serious state-led efforts to close achievement gaps, promote rigorous accountability and ensure that all students are on track to graduate college- and career-ready. Continue Reading

Kentucky’s 4^th and 8^th graders made gains – and in some areas outperformed the nation – in reading and mathematics, according to results from the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Overall, the data indicate that:

• Both 4^th- and 8^th-grade mathematics scale scores in Kentucky improved from 2009 to 2011.
• In reading, both 4^th- and 8^th-grade scale scores in Kentucky are higher than the national average in 2011.
• Kentucky’s 8^th graders made gains in reading and mathematics when compared to the state’s performance in 2009; however, Kentucky’s 2011 4^th-grade reading scale score dropped one point when compared to 2009.
• Kentucky’s results have remained steady over the past few years, with minor gains and losses. Since 2000, Kentucky’s 4^th graders have gained 20 points on the NAEP mathematics assessment, and 8^th graders have gained 12 points. Since 1998, Kentucky’s 4^th graders have gained 7 points on the NAEP reading assessment, and 8^th graders have gained 7 points. Continue Reading

Forward in the Fifth – a nonprofit organization created in 1986 by U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) to reverse southern and eastern Kentucky’s low educational attainment levels – will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Nov. 7 in Hazard with an awards luncheon and Unbridled Learning Educational Summit.

Educators, business leaders, parents and students from across the region will meet at Hazard Community and Technical College to celebrate the organization’s successes and discuss Kentucky’s top education issues.

The event is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. in the college’s First Federal Building, with a reception followed by an awards luncheon featuring Congressman Rogers. During the luncheon, Rogers will present “Difference Maker Awards” to five individuals who have worked to advance education in the region and throughout the state. Continue Reading

The application deadline for the 2012-13 AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships is Dec. 5. Placement opportunities are available in congressional offices and 15 executive branch agencies.

The five fellowship areas offered for September 2012 through August 2013 are congressional; diplomacy, security and development; energy, environment and agriculture; health, education and human services; and Roger Revelle Fellowship in Global Stewardship. Visit the fellowships’ website to learn more about eligibility requirements.

Stipends range from approximately $74,000 to $99,000 (depending on years of experience and previous salary). Other benefits include health insurance, travel/training allowance and relocation allowance. For more information about benefits, visit here.

For more information, contact the fellowships’ staff or call (202) 326-6700 with questions.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is celebrating the 12th Annual International Education Week, Nov. 14-18.

This week is a joint celebration of the U. S. Departments of Education and State and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This year’s theme is International Education: Inspiring Students Locally to Succeed Globally. KDE encourages schools and districts to promote international education this week in particular as well as throughout the school year.

As the world becomes increasingly interdependent, schools must provide all students with an outstanding education that includes global competencies. These competencies include the understanding of other cultures, histories, languages and values. Continue Reading

The Mary Grace Jaeger STLP Award recognizes and honors high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership in technology. The Kentucky Society for Technology in Education (KySTE) offers its members an opportunity to nominate students for this annual award.

The nomination process closes Dec. 1.

Those interested should submit the required nomination materials by e-mail to Michele Crowley. Winners will be announced at the STLP State Championship and Annual Awards in March. Click here for more information.