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.

This is the second time the TELL Survey has been administered in Kentucky. In 2011, about 80 percent of the eligible educators took the half-hour online survey – a national record.

“This year we’re hoping for 90 percent,” Holliday said. “That would be a real testament to the dedication of our state’s educators and their commitment to providing the best education possible for our students,” he said.

Madeline Abramson, wife of Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, joined Commissioner Holliday, Franklin County Schools superintendent Chrissy Jones, Collins Lane Elementary Principal Sharla Six, staff and students, Kentucky Education Association President Sharron Oxendine and representatives of the TELL Kentucky statewide coalition of partners at the TELL Kentucky event.

The commissioner and Mrs. Abramson also announced the first of the weekly prize winners for participation in the survey.

The winners are:

Week 1 School: Frankfort High School (Frankfort Independent)

Week 1 Educator: Sabrina Turner, Breathitt Co. Day Treatment Center

Frankfort High School will receive $1,000 for the school’s use. At Breathitt Co. Day Treatment Center, teacher Sabrina Turner will receive $1,000 to use as she wishes.

Every school that reaches a 50 percent response rate is entered into a drawing for a $1,000 cash award for the school. Schools that reach a 100 percent response rate are entered into a drawing for a $1,000 cash award to go to an individual educator at the school. School and district completion rates are posted on the TELL Kentucky website at www.tellkentucky.org.

To encourage greater participation in the TELL Kentucky Survey, the Kentucky Education Association, Kentucky Association of School Administrators, Kentucky Association of School Superintendents and the Kentucky School Boards Association contributed prize money for weekly drawings throughout the survey.

The TELL Kentucky survey is open to all school-based Kentucky certified educators employed in the state’s 174 school districts from March 4-29. The purpose of the survey is to document and analyze how teachers and other educators view their teaching and learning conditions, so that educators, stakeholders and policymakers can make evidence-based decisions on policies and practices that will improve student achievement and increase teacher