Gretta Hylton (middle), associate commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning, was presented the Glenn I. Latham Annual Excellence Award for her work in special education by H. Norman Ames (left), executive director of Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education, and Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher (right). Photo courtesy Traci Sharpe, Kentucky Department of Education
Gretta Hylton, associate commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Special Education and Early Learning, was recently honored with the Glenn I. Latham Annual Excellence Award by Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE).
TAESE is part of the technical assistance division at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy and Practice at Utah State University.
The Glenn I. Latham Award recognizes state leaders who demonstrate sustained and effective leadership and who exemplify the attributes of Latham, including knowledge, wisdom and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. Established in memory of Dr. Glenn I. Latham, who was the founder and director of the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center at Utah State University, the award is TAESE’s highest annual honor. Latham was nationally recognized for his expertise in special education, particularly in behavior management and parent involvement, and for his dedication to improving services for children with disabilities.
“There’s no greater honor than being recognized by people in the field who are doing the work and who are my colleagues and people that I respect,” Hylton said. “It’s meaningful to me because it highlights my support of children and families. It’s hard to hear your kid has a disability, and it’s our job to break down those barriers and challenges.”
H. Norman Ames, executive director of TAESE, said Hylton has incredible dedication to helping not only special education students, but also everyone around her, including parents, district staff and the team at KDE.
“Gretta has a real passion, commitment and internal drive to lead systems improvement efforts designed to increase outcomes for students receiving special education services,” Ames said. “These characteristics, passion, commitment and drive seem to stem from an authentic desire to help others, especially kids.”
Hylton has spent her entire career in special education. She received a bachelor’s degree in special education grades P-12 and elementary education, a master’s degree in education and school counseling and a doctorate in exceptional child leadership from Morehead State University. She also holds a Rank 1 certification in counseling and a Director of Special Education certification and is currently working toward Superintendent certification.
Before coming to KDE, Hylton worked as a special education teacher in several Kentucky school districts. She came to KDE in 2010 as an exceptional children consultant. Throughout the years, she also served as an Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) formal complaint investigator, executive staff advisor, policy advisor, division director and now associate commissioner.
“At the local level, the work is about focusing on individual students – seeing their abilities rather than disabilities, and recognizing that each child comes to us as the center of a parent’s world, with unique strengths and abilities,” Hylton said. “We should all strive for seeing past what we think of as a disability and realizing that every student can and will succeed.”
Hylton said she is most proud of how she has always stood on the side of children.
“Looking back over my career, I’m most proud of the deep understanding that I’ve developed in special education, my unwavering advocacy for students, and my belief in what all kids can do,” Hylton said.
Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher congratulated Hylton on the award and commended her commitment to KDE through the years.
“We are so proud of Gretta Hylton and her unwavering commitment to helping students with special needs,” Fletcher said. “She has done incredible work throughout KDE, helping elevate the Office of Special Education and Early Learning and bringing more staff and services to the department.”
When Hylton started at KDE, special education work was in the Division of Learning Services within the Office of Next Generation Learners. She said only eight or 10 staff members were assigned to special education work.
A reorganization of the office occurred in 2018, where special education and preschool work was elevated into the Office of Special Education and Early Learning. Hylton became that office’s first associate commissioner after the reorganization.
Hylton said this reorganization allowed KDE to bring in more staff and more services, including expanded regional trainings, more IDEA programmatic and fiscal work and services, more communications including a weekly newsletter with overall greater guidance and support for school districts and families.
“One of the things I heard from a local director recently was how much support has increased over the years because of the elevation and the additional people,” Hylton said. “I hear that from superintendents as well about the work that we’re able to do because special education now has a seat at the table and we’re able to promote the needs of kids with disabilities.”
The Office of Special Education and Early Learning now has 70 staff members across the office, and Hylton is looking forward to continuing to help students.
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