Kentucky Teacher

While it is important that we address our funding challenges in public education, I am deeply concerned that much of the dialogue has been largely limited to just a funding conversation. The reality of our situation is that achieving KDE and KBE’s shared vision of ensuring that each and every student, regardless of background and characteristics, is empowered and equipped to pursue a successful future, will take much more than funding.

The most important school factor in a child’s academic success is having access to high-quality, effective teachers. While we have continually sought to improve the quality of instruction provided to students, particularly those who have been historically underserved, we are now facing teacher shortages in Kentucky and across the nation like we never have before.

You may have noticed that people are more skeptical about the value of college than they used to be.  As president of Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education, I challenge this notion and assure you that your college education was worth it.

During the past 25 years, the use of children’s literature as a context for teaching mathematical language has become a popular classroom practice and has been accompanied by an explosion in the number of children’s books that have been written specifically for such use.

One of THE most important initiative we’re undertaking at the Kentucky Department of Education is novice reduction.

For this year’s graduates, I want to be one of the first to say congratulations. Your hard work and your persistence are bearing fruit as you leave your graduation ceremony with your diploma in hand.