Kentucky Safe Schools Week is set for October 20–26, 2019. This year's theme is “Our Safety Story!” KASC and the Kentucky Center for School Safety stands on the belief that everybody should enjoy school equally and be treated with respect. Community members, educators, students and parents are encouraged to get involved during Kentucky Safe Schools Week.
Every school has its own cast of characters weaving the fabric of its own Safety Story. As in the film Toy Story 4, Woody, Buzz, and Bo along with a host of others, welcome a new friend, Forky, and help him find his purpose. Our schools are composed of students/staff who are a host of likely characters with a variety of interests and talents. Remember the words of Buzz Lightyear, “The important thing is that we stick together.” We ask that you join us across Kentucky, each and every school, as we embrace unity, kindness and empathy to enhance “Our Safety Story” ...‘cause you got a friend in me.’
New 5-star accountability system launches; little improvement shown overall
(FRANKFORT, KY) - After nearly four years of development following the December 2015 passage of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Kentucky’s new 5-star accountability system for public schools is now live. The system can be viewed in the form of an online dashboard on the Kentucky School Report Card, where reports for each school and district will show graphics displaying the overall identification of one to five stars, federal classifications, the performance on indicators (from very low to very high), and any statistically significant achievement gaps.
For the 2018-2019 school year, 89 schools (by level) received one star; 251 received two stars; 643 received three stars; 233 received 4 stars; and 56 received 5 stars. A breakdown of the schools’ star rating by level is as follows:
School Level
Total Number of Schools
1-star
2-star
3-star
4-star
5-star
Elementary
725
46
132
364
146
37
Middle
319
23
65
159
60
12
High
228
20
54
120
27
7
Total
1272
89
251
643
233
56
The star ratings and federal classifications are based on 2018-2019 K-PREP (Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress) assessment data and other indicators released today by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE). The system does not rely solely on students’ proficiency on state standardized examinations. Instead, as recommended by the many stakeholders who have had a hand in designing the system during the past four years, the diverse accountability indicators factor into a school’s overall five-star rating include:
(FRANKFORT, KY) – The U. S. Department of Education (USED) named five Kentucky public schools as 2019 National Blue Ribbon Schools, based on their overall academic excellence.
The five Kentucky schools and their districts are:
Registering to vote is a simple process that ensures your voice is heard in critical local, state, and national elections.
The deadline to register to vote for the 2019 General Election is Monday October 7, 2019.
There are three (3) options when registering to vote: In Person, Via Mail, or Online. Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons with TDD can call (502) 573-7100 for questions.
Undergraduate students enrolled in educator preparation programs can receive up to $5,000 per semester for up to four semesters over the course of three academic years and receive no more than $20,000 total. They must be enrolled in an educator preparation program or have an application on file with a Kentucky university.
Students in an initial certification master’s educator preparation programs are eligible to receive up to $2,500 per semester for up to four semesters over the course of three academic years and receive no more than $10,000 total. They must be admitted to a MAT educator preparation program or have an application on file with a public Kentucky university. Eligibility requirements and an online application can be found on the Go Teach KY website and on KDE's website.
Nominate a business leader striving for education excellence
The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) is accepting nominations for the Kelly Award for Business and Education Partnership. The award honors a Kentucky businessperson who has partnered with a public school or district to provide outstanding leadership that promotes school improvement and student success.
In a presentation to the Kentucky Budget Review Subcommittee on Education, Commissioner Wayne Lewis and Associate Commissioner David Horseman called for legislators to create a unified system for delivering quality career and technical education (CTE) for students in the Commonwealth.
“At best, we have a bifurcated system, but arguably, we lack a system for delivering career and technical education in Kentucky,” said Lewis.
Lewis said the state operates 53 area technology centers (ATCs), with numerous locally-operated centers spread throughout the state. Only some local centers receiving state funding. The funding for both state ATCs and local centers is too low to deliver quality programs based on regional workforce needs.
A recent NKU Alumni Spotlight article has illuminated Kentucky Center for Mathematics impact on elementary pre-service math teachers! KCM Faculty Associate, Funda Gonulates, was recognized for her work as a professor of the Teacher Education Department's "Teaching Elementary Mathematics" course, which was revealed to be a favorite by NKU Alumni.
Summer Reading Workshops are offered for elementary regular and special education teachers, interventionists, and Title 1 teachers through KASC’s Summer Academies. Diagnosing and Prescribing for Strategic Reading and The Nuts & Bolts of Reading Instruction workshops will be held in London, KY on July 18 and in Lexington, KY on July 23.
KASC’s Summer Reading Workshops are available only through academy participation. These two sessions are led by experienced reading specialists with a passion for teaching reading and a commitment to support the professional growth of teachers.
(FRANKFORT, KY) – Children will be given free books at several lunch programs being held across the state this summer as a part of the Kentucky Department of Education’s summer reading and math initiative, Stride Don’t Slide!
Beginning in mid-June, Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) officials and members of the Kentucky Board of Education will travel the Commonwealth, offering free reading activities and book giveaways as part of a national initiative through READ Up: Stop the Summer Slide℠ and The Children’s Reading Foundation.
“Although the summer months provide a much-needed break for students and teachers, studies show that up to three months of regression in reading and math can happen during the time off. The threat of regression is greatest for students not participating in summer learning and enrichment activities,” said KDE Commissioner Wayne Lewis. “With this initiative, our goals are to encourage parents to read to their youngest children for 20 minutes a day, encourage older students to read daily and promote summer-long learning for all students.”
CARROLLTON, Ky. – A statewide campaign to engage families and communities in effective and sustainable efforts to improve schools and student achievement was launched Friday (March 29, 2019) by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.
(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Board of Education today presented the eighth annual Dr. Johnnie Grissom Award to Sandy Smock, agriculture teacher and FFA adviser for the Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD).
The award recognizes those who exhibit leadership, commitment and service to promote high student achievement through instructional equity and in closing the achievement gap for all children. Smock was nominated by Sarah Warren, graduate teaching assistant at the University of Kentucky.
(FRANKFORT, KY) – Erin Elizabeth Ball, a language arts teacher at Georgetown Middle School in Scott County, is the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. Ball has four years of teaching experience in Scott County Schools.
Valvoline Inc™ and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) made the announcement today at a ceremony at the Berry Mansion in Frankfort. Secretary of Education and Workforce Development Derrick Ramsey, Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis and Valvoline CEO Sam Mitchell were on hand to make the presentation.
Melanie Callahan, a 4th-grade teacher at London Elementary (Laurel County), is the 2020 Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Matthew Kaufmann, an English teacher at Marion C. Moore School (Jefferson County), is the 2020 High School Teacher of the Year.
The Kentucky Department of Education presents Stride Don't Slide: Tips to Fight Summer Reading & Math Regression
Research has shown students, on average, lose two months of mathematics and reading learning during summer vacation when they don't practice the skills they have learned during the school year. Your child worked hard in math and reading this school year. Help him or her make strides this summer by using the resources listed by the Kentucky Department of Education.
Six-Part KET Series "You Are Not Alone" to Address Youth Mental Health
It’s not easy being an adolescent in today’s world.
One out of every five young people, ages 13-18, live with a mental health disorder, yet stigma keeps them largely in the shadows. Additionally, suicide is the second leading death for youths ages 12-18, claiming more of our nation’s young people every year than cancer, heart disease, pneumonia and influenza combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Boyle County High School Earns Georgia Davis Powers Award
Alison Lundergan Grimes presented the Georgia Davis Powers Award to Boyle County High School. They were the only high school in the state with 100% of eligible students registered to vote.
High School Senior Vanita Fitzwater, along with AP Government teacher Mr. Tyler Murphy, and other students campaigned and held lunch time drives to reach their goal and encourage all eligible students to register.
The I Just Didn’t Know peer education campaign is designed to debunk the false beliefs held by many adolescents and teens that using e-cigarettes is either harmless or at least healthier for them than smoking. The campaign launched with four 30-second PSAs (available on YouTube), as well as a website and an Instagram page. It features Kentucky youth sharing the truths they have learned about the health risks of using e-cigarettes or vapes.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, e-cigarettes and vapes are not safe for youth and young adults. They contain nicotine which is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development and also lead to smoking and other addictions. They also contain particles and toxins that can cause cancer and lung damage. Yet, youth use of e-cigarettes and vaping doubled in Kentucky from 2016 to 2018 and the rates are much higher than the national averages. More than one in four 12th graders and one in seven 8th graders in Kentucky used e-cigarettes in 2018, compared to one in five high schoolers and one in 20 middle schoolers nationally.
(FRANKFORT, KY) – Kentucky Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis on Wednesday honored three student-based organizations from across the Commonwealth for their participation in a new initiative aimed at promoting the importance of education. The groups honored represented a total of five public school districts:
KDE's Best Practices Website Taking Submissions - The Kentucky Department of Education’s Best Practices and Sustainability website is open for submission of best practices from schools and districts.
Kentucky Safe Schools Week is set for October 20–26, 2019. This year's theme is “Our Safety Story!” KASC and the Kentucky Center for School Safety stands on the belief that everybody should enjoy school equally and be treated with respect. Community members, educators, students and parents are encouraged to get involved during Kentucky Safe Schools Week. 
Nominate a business leader 
CARROLLTON, Ky. – A statewide campaign to engage families and communities in effective and sustainable efforts to improve schools and student achievement was launched Friday (March 29, 2019) by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.
It’s not easy being an adolescent in today’s world. 
