(FRANKFORT, Ky.) -- At its regular meeting Wednesday and Thursday, the Kentucky Board of Education heard presentations, had in-depth discussions and made decisions on a number of items.
The board agreed to endorse five proposals it deemed appropriate for consideration by the 2006 General Assembly:
- clarification of the language on principal selection
- repeal of the sunset provision of KRS 157.621, the growth nickel levy
- suspension of the prevailing wage requirement for school construction to study the impact
- requiring low-performing schools to put more emphasis on reading and mathematics readiness and diagnostics
- clarification that employment of teachers at the Kentucky School for the Blind and Kentucky School for the Deaf is comparable to local school districts' employment
The board approved the proposed biennial budget worksheet and strategic plan progress report for submission to the Governor's Office of Policy and Management and the Legislative Research Commission. Those documents reflect the board's priorities and include additional funding for the SEEK formula, full funding for preschool and technology and funds for additional days in the school calendar.
The board approved the Statement of Consideration relating to 702 KAR 6:090, Minimum Nutritional Standards. The statement included a recommendation to add language that would enable schools that don't operate School Breakfast Programs to conduct food and beverage activities that meet specific criteria.
Based on the requirements outlined in KRS 160.550, the board agreed to declare an emergency in the Jackson Independent school district. The district has a deficit fund balance.
The board also took the following actions:
- agreed to accept the Order of Dismissal for a school's appeal of a performance judgment
- gave final approval to 704 KAR 3:325, the Effective Instructional Leadership Act
- denied Franklin County's request for a waiver of 704 KAR 3:305, Minimum High School Graduation Requirements
- approved staff recommendations for areas to be audited by the Auditor of Public Accounts in FY 2006
- approved Jefferson County's request to use an alternative formula to allocate funds to school councils in 2006-07
- approved 2005-06 tax rates levied for 80 school districts
- approved the district facility plan for Grayson County
- approved district facility plan amendments for Barren and Pulaski Counties
- agreed to adopt the evaluation of the Commissioner of Education
Other presentations and review items included:
- dialogues with Governor Ernie Fletcher and Billy Harper, chair of the Business Forum on Kentucky Education
- discussion about refocusing secondary education
- reading diagnostic and intervention grants
- the School and District Report Cards
- Kentucky's writing program
- the Kentucky Education Excellence Scholarship (KEES)
The next regular meeting of the board will be December 7 and 8 in Frankfort. More information about the board is available here.
##