(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education’s Superintendents Advisory Council provided feedback on proposed changes to the teacher certification structure during its meeting on Feb. 25.
Todd Davis, director of the Division of Educator Preparation and Certification in the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), presented the proposed changes. The Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) heard these recommended changes to certification structures in June 2025.
Davis explained that a 32-member workgroup – comprised of legislators, educators, school and district administrators, human resource directors and educator preparation providers – was created in October 2024 to analyze and suggest potential areas of reform within Kentucky’s teacher certification structure.
Members of the work group analyzed current grade bands and credential structures to see if they meet districts’ needs. The workgroup reviewed state and national data and identified that some of the challenges within the current system could be addressed by modifying the existing certification grade bands and certification permissions.
The recommendations for each base certificate are below.
| Base Certificate | Current Structure | Proposed Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education | Birth to Primary | Birth to Primary with option for a Grades 1-3 Endorsement |
| Elementary School | Primary-Grade 5 | Primary-Grade 6 |
| Middle School | Grades 5-9 | Grades 4-9* |
| Secondary School | Grades 8-12 | Grades 7-12 |
Since then, Davis said the workgroup has discussed possible additional recommendations, including expanding the subject areas of math certification.
“The challenge is that a middle school teacher can teach 9th-grade students Algebra 1 and Geometry; however, if you’re a 10th-, 11th- or 12th-grader, those classes can’t be taught by that teacher,” Davis said. “We are most likely going to make a recommendation to expand the permissions for the middle school mathematics certification to teach those students, simply from the fact that the content doesn’t change. It is the same course.”
Another possible recommendation is offering general science certificates. Davis said the workgroup is looking at ways to expand pools of applicants in teacher shortage areas, especially the physics, chemistry, biology and earth science courses.
Davis said 30 other states offer general science certificates, and the workgroup strongly supports moving to a general science approach.
“There was also a broad agreement (within the workgroup) on the specialization and keeping that, maintaining what we currently have so that we don’t force teachers and create a different issue for those who want to specialize, but then don’t have that opportunity,” Davis said. “It’s a very fine line to walk.”
Jenkins Independent Superintendent Damian Johnson said he thinks that whether KDE should expand certification structures depends on which measure schools use to determine how effective each approach is.
“The outcomes of students and the flexibility of teachers to serve the students should drive (change) overall,” Johnson said. “It’s better to have a generally certified teacher who has background experience in science than no offerings at all or systemic changes in the offerings that we offer in order to find the people who could teach.”
Frankfort Independent Superintendent Sheri Satterly said she was happy about the recommended changes, both to the grade bands and to the discussion around moving to general science certifications.
“Putting my high school guidance counselor hat back on, this makes me very happy to think about not having the chemistry, the biology and the specializations as much, because if we’re doing what we should do as far as state-approved course codes, those teachers are boxed into that certain content, when I might have someone who’s certified only in biology, but would be a really good chemistry teacher,” Satterly said.
Davis said the workgroup wants to create more opportunities for broader certification for the future, but acknowledged that they also must address current teacher shortage needs. He said they’re looking to potentially expand or modify the highly qualified route, add credentials for those who are specialized or add individual credentials. He asked the council how they can better meet their needs for certification structures overall.
Dawson Springs Independent Superintendent Leonard Whalen said his district sometimes has certified teachers available, but they cannot teach classes the district needs because it’s outside their subject area. He said he would rather hire a certified teacher to fill a position not necessarily in their subject area than use a long-term substitute teacher.
“The more logistically challenged you are in a district like mine, the more difficult it is. Regardless of what certification area you’re looking at, just because of demographically, where you’re located, … the pool is very shallow in just about any job that you look to put out a certified listing,” Whalen said. “As much as you can stretch that in any direction to give us maximum flexibility, the better off we’re going to be.”
Davis said the workgroup plans to present further recommendations to the EPSB in June.
Meals During School Closures
In other business, council members discussed how the U.S. Department of Agriculture has given Kentucky authority to approve non-congregate meals for students to receive off campus during unanticipated school closures. Non-congregate meals allow students to receive nutritious meals without eating on-site.
In order for schools to be approved to provide non-congregate meals, for these meals, they must follow the Division of School and Community Nutrition’s waiver approval process that includes sending documentation that the school is closed. to KDE’s Division of School and Community Nutrition. For non-traditional instruction days, schools will participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program, which serves enrolled students. For full closures (no instruction occurring), schools will participate in the Summer Meal Programs (Summer Food Service Program or Seamless Summer Option) with the eligible population being all children ages eighteen and younger.
For more information, people can email Lauren Moore, director of KDE’s Division of School and Community Nutrition.
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