Kentucky Department of Education

Please encourage the educators in your district to participate in the second statewide TELL Kentucky Survey which opened today. Through March 29, all school-based certified educators including teachers, counselors, principals and other administrators are asked to answer questions on topics such as the adequacy of facilities and resources; time; empowerment; school leadership; community support; student conduct; professional development; new teacher support; and student learning.
 

The web-based survey is voluntary, anonymous and confidential. It takes about 30-minutes to complete. Schools with a 50 percent or greater participation rate will receive their school-based data that can be useful in the school improvement planning process.

 

To encourage greater participation, the Kentucky Education Association, Kentucky Association of School Administrators, Kentucky School Boards Association and the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents are once again contributing prize money for weekly drawings. Every school that reaches a 50 percent response rate will be entered into a drawing for a $1,000 cash award for the school. Schools that reach a 100 percent response rate will be entered into a drawing for a $1,000 cash award that will go to an individual educator. You may monitor the participation rates online at www.tellkentucky.org.

 

For additional information, please contact Carol Leggett, carol.leggett@education.ky.gov or (502) 564-1479.

The 2012 Guidance Document for Individual Education Program (IEP) development provides clear instructions and examples for Admission and Release Committee (ARC) members, including chairpersons, teachers, related service providers and parents, on writing standards-based IEPs in Kentucky.

 

Teachers across the state have been trained to use the document to assist them in writing detailed present levels of educational performance and annual goals that meet student needs.

The 2012 Guidance Document for Individual Education Program (IEP) development is to be used in conjunction with local policy and procedure; federal and state law and regulation, including IDEA; the Kentucky Administrative Regulations (KAR); and the Special Education Compliance Record Review Document.

 

Beginning with the 2012-13 school year, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) expects full implementation of this guidance in IEP development. To download a copy of the IEP Guidance Document and to view the IEP Guidance Document Webinar, go to http://education.ky.gov/specialed/excep/Pages/IEP-Guidance-and-documents.aspx.

 

The 2012-13 SEEK Final is now available on the KDE Seek webpage.  The 2012-13 SEEK Final calculation includes 2nd month growth, January growth factor, Adjusted Assessment, At Risk, and the Transportation calculation. The 2012-13 SEEK Final determines payments for April, May, and June of 2013. 
 
(Note: The 2013-2014 SEEK Forecast will be re-posted in the near future to reflect the 2012-13 SEEK Final Transportation funding.)
 
If you have questions, please contact Chay Ritter (chay.ritter@education.ky.gov) or Sarah Aitken (sarah.aitken@education.ky.gov) at 502-564-3846.

To ensure districts are prepared to submit their final teacher and leader evaluation plans by the December 2013 deadline, you are asked to complete the District Declaration of Intent to Adopt form found on the web collector at the link listed below. The form asks that districts select their intent to adopt the state-developed professional growth and effectiveness system or a locally-developed system that meets the ESEA waiver requirements. This form shall be submitted to the KDE, after consultation and approval from the district’s local evaluation committee, no later than March 29, 2013.

 

The form is located at http://cms.education.ky.gov/formserv/?id=IntentToAdoptPGES and can be completed and submitted online.

 

The Kentucky Department of Education has posted an RFA for the Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Education (KACTE) Summer Conference Career Pathway.

This grant will provide funds to local school districts and area technology centers for registration for teams to attend the KACTE Summer Conference.  Teams must attend the post sessions for career pathways.  Grantees will be eligible for up to $1,200.00.

 

The grants will be funded with Leadership Funds from the Carl D. Perkins Act.  The Act was established to provide an increased focus on the academic achievement of career and technical education students, strengthen the connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and improve state and local accountability.

 

The RFA can be found on the KDE Competitive Grants website. 

Kentucky Teacher, the Kentucky Department of Education’s award-winning online publication, is the place to go to stay abreast of what is happening in Kentucky’s public schools. Kentucky Teacher includes education news, feature articles that highlight successful classroom practice, helpful resources and more.

 

Here’s a look at what’s coming in Kentucky Teacher this week:

• It’s time for educators to TELL Kentucky what they think about their schools and teaching by taking the TELL Kentucky survey. Read about how the data from the last survey was used to improve schools and working conditions.
• If he had chosen differently, Randy Poe might be a marketer today. Luckily, for Boone County schools; however, his desire to work and help children lead him into education. Read about how the 2013 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year still considers himself a teacher at heart.
• There’s lots happening this spring in Kentucky education. Check out Education Commissioner Terry Holliday’s latest column to see how you can get involved.
• “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” KDE photographer Amy Wallot gets into the Dr. Seuss spirit with a trip to Berea Community Elementary School.

Make sure you don’t miss anything in Kentucky Teacher by signing up to receive e-mail updates whenever new stories or features are added. Rest assured, we won’t share your e-mail address.
We want to hear from you too, so send your comments, feedback or story suggestions to us at kyteacher@education.ky.gov or post your comments online.

 

Kentucky Teacher is produced by KDE’s Division of Communications.

 

 

Friday is the deadline for registering for the Barren River Community Health Planning Council’s Healthy Schools Summit, March 14th, 2013 at Western Kentucky University’s Carroll Knicely Center.

 

A day of special guest speakers has been planned to provide strategies for principals and other administrators looking to support staff and student wellness efforts. Tennessee Titans’ Pro-Bowl Return Specialist Marc Mariani will be a special guest. Keynote speaker is David Jones, Jr., Chairman of Chrysalis Ventures (Kentucky's largest venture capital firm), former Chairman of Humana Inc., and recently elected member of the Jefferson County Board of Education. Topics range from State and Federal Policies and School Meals to Employee Wellness and more.

 

The event is free and please register online by March 8th, 2013. For more info, contact Jacy Wooley, Healthy Schools Program Manager for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation or KDE’s Consolidated School Health Director Jamie Sparks.

 

The University of Kentucky and the Partnership Institute for Math and Science Education Reform (PIMSER) are hosting the third annual Meeting the Challenge Conference July 22-24 in Lexington. This year’s theme is Standards, Differentiation and Assessment.

 

Experts will offer their perspective on understanding the curricular implications of the Next Generation Science Standards; advancing the implementation of the Common Core Standards for Mathematics; integrating assessment and standards-based grading; and leadership skills for supporting the changing classroom.

 

Local practitioners including classroom teachers and leaders will present a variety of curricular, instructional and leadership strategies that have been effectively applied in schools and classrooms.

 

This conference is geared toward administrators, classroom teachers, curriculum coaches, district leadership team members and higher education STEM faculty.

 

Those interested can go to www.uky.edu/p12mathscience for a link to the conference website with complete information and registration.

 

Discounts are available for groups of five or more. Early Bird registration ends May 31.

Summer Writing Academies (Attachments)
The Kentucky Writing Project Network is hosting the 2013 Summer Tech Academies. Flyer and registration forms are attached.

 

Please share this opportunity with P-12 teachers of all content areas. KWP will present three-day workshops at seven sites around the state. The $400 registration includes an iPad Mini; a $100 registration is available for those bringing their own iPads. The emphasis of the academies is on learning ways to use technology that enhance literacy instruction. Teachers will have work time to prepare integrated learning projects for the 2013-14 year.

The National Principals Leadership Institute announced its 16th Annual National Principals Leadership Institute to be held on July 13-19, 2013, in New York City.  The Institute’s 2013 theme is “Overcoming Obstacles to Change”.

 

For more information about the Institute and registration, please go to http://www.npli.org .  Please register by April 15.  Group scholarships are also available.  Seats are limited.

Nominations to the National School Change Awards (NSCA) will be accepted until March 25.  The six winning schools will be honored at the 16th Annual National Principals Leadership Institute in July.

 

For more details about the National School Change Awards, please visit http://www.npli.org/nsca.