Seeing teachers thrive
Every day we hear stories in our communities and see media reports about teacher shortages – and shortages of numerous other positions in school districts – in Kentucky and across the country.
Taking the time to thank December’s heroes
Everybody’s favorite neighbor Fred Rogers said when he was young and saw something that scared him, his mother would tell him to look for the helpers. In the days since tornadoes left a wide swath of death and destruction in western Kentucky, I have heard about so many of the people who work in our public schools who volunteered to be one of those helpers.
2022 legislative session offers opportunities for education
January is a time for new beginnings and a new session of the Kentucky General Assembly. The session will start on Jan. 4 and must end by midnight on April 14. I think this is an exciting time for Kentucky as a whole and for education specifically.
Now is the time to work together to create a new future in education
It’s been a little over a year now since I joined the Kentucky Department of Education as its commissioner. During that time, my focus has been on listening to the people of my home state telling us what is working in education in the Commonwealth and where we need to improve.
Remember to thank our veterans this holiday season
Veterans play an essential role in our education community. Some of Kentucky’s teachers, classified staff, and school and district leaders have answered the call to serve our country. Now, they serve our students.
Reflecting on the past and looking toward the future
I marked my one-year anniversary at the helm of the Kentucky Department of Education last month with a trip to Meade County, the school district I graduated from more years ago than I like to admit.
Student drawings show why teacher diversity matters in Kentucky
About a year ago, someone from the Kentucky Education Association reached out to our office and asked if we would like to display the drawings our public school students did as part of their Difference Makers Art Contest. As those drawings were recently being taken down, it got me thinking about how they connect to the department’s efforts on teacher diversity and teacher recruitment.
KDE remains committed to promoting student voice in education
There’s a phrase you may hear in education circles – particularly in Kentucky – called student voice. Student voice is the idea that students should have some say about how their education takes place.
Commissioner Jason E. Glass’ statement to Kentucky Interim Joint Committee on Education on July 6, 2021
Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today virtually and regret that I am not in person to do so as our family has a long-standing tradition of vacationing together this week.
Creating a new better than normal for Kentucky’s students
The 2021-2022 school year is set to start up in just a few weeks and many of us – educators and parents alike – are contemplating what the next year will look like.