Kentucky Teacher

Calling it “one of my most satisfying acts as Governor,” Gov. Steve Beshear this week signed into law the Graduation Bill (Senate Bill 97), which will keep Kentucky students enrolled in school until they turn 18.

Gov. Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear have joined educators and child advocates to fight for this bill’s passage for the past five legislative sessions.  A late-session compromise among legislators led to the approval of SB97, which allows school districts to opt in to the higher dropout age immediately.  Once 55 percent of school districts adopt the policy, all remaining districts must then adopt the standard within four years.

“Finally, we have agreed to stop jeopardizing our students’ futures by allowing them to leave school before they’re even eligible for a driver’s license.  Now, we are holding them to 21^st century expectations of education and training,” said Gov. Beshear.  “The days of dropping out of high school and expecting a dependable, well-paying job are long gone.  This bill will not only keep students on track for a high school diploma, but it will ensure we have a better-trained, better-prepared workforce, which will pay off for our state for decades to come.” Continue Reading

After just one week, more than 21,000 Kentucky educators have taken part in the TELL (Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning) Survey of school working conditions. That represents about 42 percent of the school-based certified educators eligible to participate.

Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday announced the news yesterday during a TELL Kentucky event at Collins Lane Elementary School in Frankfort.

“I’m pleased with the great response so far,” Holliday said. “This tells me Kentucky educators are anxious to share their views in an effort to help improve our schools. I hope all teachers, counselors, administrators and other school-based certified staff will take advantage of this opportunity before the survey closes on March 29.”

The TELL Kentucky Survey is designed find out about a number of school topics — including the adequacy of facilities and resources; time; empowerment; school leadership; community support; student conduct; professional development; mentoring and induction services; and student learning – from those on the front line of teaching and learning every day. The web-based survey is voluntary, anonymous and confidential. Continue Reading

While Kentucky students are generally socially and emotionally ready to start kindergarten, the majority are not ready to succeed academically, according to pilot data released this week by the Kentucky Department of Education.

At the beginning of the 2012-13 school year, teachers administered the BRIGANCE K Screen to 31,480 kindergarten students in 458 schools across 109 districts in the state as part of a volunteer pilot. The common kindergarten screener does not determine whether a child can enroll in school but how well he or she is prepared to succeed at the time the screen is administered. Based on student responses and their age, students fell into one of three readiness categories: ready with supports, ready or ready with enrichments.

Only 28 percent of incoming kindergarten students in the pilot were ready to succeed without some additional supports.

“These results clearly show many of our students are starting school at a disadvantage, often without the basic foundation on which to build academically,” said Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. “It is critical that young children are exposed to high-quality learning environments and developmentally appropriate experiences at home and in early childhood education settings to promote success in kindergarten and throughout their school experience.” Continue Reading

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards President and CEO Ron Thorpe talks with Barbara Hines, a National Board Certified librarian who works at Bowling Green Junior High School, and Lynn Hines, Kentucky’s first National Board Certified teacher, following a special recognition ceremony at the Capitol. Photo by Amy Wallot, March 7, 2013

Gov. Steve Beshear yesterday signed a proclamation declaring March 7, 2013, National Board Certified Teacher Day in Kentucky and recognizing Kentucky’s newest National Board Certified Teachers.

The signing took place in the Capitol Rotunda and was attended by Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Joseph U. Meyer, Senate Education Committee Chairman Mike Wilson and House Education Chairman Carl Rollins. President of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Dr. Ron Thorpe, also attended the event.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards’ (NBPTS) announcement in January that 268 Kentucky teachers were awarded the prestigious National Board Certification® in the class of 2012. The achievement recognizes these educators among the top in the profession and promises to improve student learning and achievement in classrooms across the state.

Kentucky is ranked 7th in the number of teachers earning National Board Certification in the class of 2012. The top ten states with the highest number of teachers achieving National Board Certification in 2012 were North Carolina, Washington, Illinois, California, Continue Reading

Gov. Steve Beshear announced this week that the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (DAQ) has awarded Crittenden County Board of Education $80,000 to reduce diesel emissions from its school bus fleet.

The funds were made available through the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA).

“I applaud Crittenden County Board of Education for its leadership in building a greener fleet, including Kentucky’s first propane-powered bus for student transportation,” said Gov. Beshear. “Reducing diesel emissions from school buses means cleaner air for our most precious resource – our kids.”

The project will replace one 1992 model diesel school bus with a 2014 model school bus powered by propane autogas. Propane autogas burns cleaner than diesel, producing fewer smog-producing hydrocarbons and virtually eliminating emissions of particulate matter.  Particulate matter is linked to increased risk of stroke, heart attack and other serious health problems.  Continue Reading

March is Operation Preparation College-/Career Advising Month in Kentucky, a time when students across the state will be getting advice on what they can do to prepare academically for their futures.

During Operation Preparation, 8th- and 10th-grade students are scheduled to meet with trained community advisors to review their college and career plans as identified in their Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) and talk about:

• career aspirations and required education/training
• whether the student is on target to meet his or her goals
• whether the student is taking the courses recommended to prepare him or her for the future

“It’s estimated more than 50 percent of all future jobs in Kentucky will require employees to have a college degree and/or some sort of postsecondary job training ,” said Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. “So, it’s important students start thinking about what they want to do and what it will take to do it. Operation Preparation should help them realize their potential, maximize their academic preparation and stay on track for success during and after high school,” Holliday said. Continue Reading

From now through March 29, school-based certified educators in all 174 Kentucky districts will be able to share their thoughts about the working conditions in their schools through the second statewide TELL (Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning) Kentucky Survey.

The TELL Kentucky Survey is designed to gather a variety of information from teachers, counselors, principals and other administrators who deal with teaching and learning conditions every day — including the adequacy of facilities and resources; time; empowerment; school leadership; community support; student conduct; professional development; mentoring and induction services; and student learning. The web-based survey is voluntary, anonymous and confidential.

As when the survey was first given in 2011, the results will be used to enhance school improvement efforts and student outcomes.

“The 2011 TELL Kentucky Survey gave us a robust roadmap to improve our schools – including fine tuning professional development and providing data to integrate into school improvement plans and evaluations of administrators,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “There is more work to do and we know we can count on Kentucky educators to tell us what they need to do their jobs well.” Continue Reading

Nominations to the National School Change Awards (NSCA) will be accepted until March 25.  The six winning schools will be honored at the 16^th Annual National Principals Leadership Institute in July.

For more details about the National School Change Awards, please visit http://www.npli.org/nsca.

Three Kentucky schools  have been chosen as recipients of the 2013 Kentucky Green Ribbon School Award.

These schools now become nominees for the 2013 National Green Ribbon School Award, which will be announced on April 22, 2013 by the U.S. Department of Education.

The three winning schools, listed by school district, are:

Fayette County – Locust Trace AgriScience Farm

Jefferson County – Cane Run Elementary

Scott County – Northern Elementary

If selected for the 2013 National Green Ribbon School Award, representatives from the school will be invited to a recognition ceremony June 3, 2013 in Washington D.C. Continue Reading

At a special meeting Wednesday, the Kentucky Board of Education unanimously voted to place the Monticello Independent School District under state management.

The state board had placed the district under state assistance in December, but a deeper look into its finances prompted Education Commissioner Terry Holliday to recommend further action.

According to department staff, the district’s financial situation is so dire that without state management and immediate financial assistance, the district would default on current debt obligations and shut down by month’s end, sending its 750 students and 128 employees home in the middle of the school year.

Monticello Independent is projected to end the current school year with a negative balance in excess of $1 million. The state’s financial analysis cites among the reasons: high staffing levels and overall personnel expenditures that are about 93 percent of the district’s total budget; high transportation costs; and significant capital expenditures including the acquisition and improvements on a soccer field and a baseball/softball field that did not come to the department for approval as required by regulation.

Based on the evidence, in accordance with KRS 158.785 and 703 KAR 3:205, the commissioner determined a pattern of a significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness in the governance or administration of the Monticello Independent School district existed and continues to exist, and that state management is necessary to correct the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness primarily in the district’s governance, finance and personnel operations.

Under state management, the district must develop and implement an improvement plan that assigns local board and individual administrative staff responsibilities and activities, and includes specific objectives and strategies to correct deficiencies within the specified time. Continue Reading