FRANKFORT, KY) – School districts throughout the Commonwealth were informed June 24 that the state is taking steps to provide unlimited non-traditional instruction (NTI) days during the 2020-2021 academic year.

This announcement came in the form of a memorandum submitted by Interim Education Commissioner Kevin C. Brown and signed by Lt. Gov. and Secretary of the Education and Workforce Cabinet Jacqueline Coleman. The memorandum temporarily suspends the statute capping NTI days at 10 and indicates that Brown will recommend an administrative regulation to the Kentucky Board of Education providing for unlimited NTI days for the next school year. It came on the same day Gov. Andy Beshear announced the release of the Healthy at School guidance during his daily press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic.

(FRANKFORT, KY) – In preparation for the reopening of school for the 2020-2021 school year, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) would like to better understand families’ and caregivers’ experiences with distance learning last school year due to COVID-19.

(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking feedback on the new Kentucky Academic Standards for Library Media Elective (K-12).

FRANKFORT, KY) – Kentucky is searching for its next commissioner of education, who will make a difference for the state’s more than 648,000 public school students and support its more than 42,000 teachers.

Nominations and applications are being taken until May 31. Kevin C. Brown is currently serving as interim commissioner of education until a new commissioner is named. Brown has been serving in the role since Dec. 18.

FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) released a new guidance document on May 15 about questions schools and districts should consider when they are making plans for how to restart school for the 2020-2021 school year.

(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) released two new guidance documents on April 30 to help districts work through how to safely handle graduation alternatives and other end-of-school procedures during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA) recently sent out a survey to 260 Kentucky principals seeking their feedback on the two options about how high school graduation requirements will be met for seniors during the 2019-2020 school year.

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) -- Amid the challenges of COVID-19, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) announced today that all K-12 students and teachers in Kentucky now have free access to an online portal of educational resources that can support learning and lessons at home.

Please join the Virtual Parent Café brought to you by Kentucky Collaborative for Families and Schools
(it’s a lot of fun and great way to connect to other families)
Fridays March 20 - May 8 @ 1:00pm

(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE) Education Continuation Task Force met virtually on March 23 to receive an overview on the Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) Program and discussed questions that are being raised by districts and education shareholders related to this type of instruction during COVID-19.

In response to the urgent need for at-home learning resources while Kentucky schools are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, KET has created an online toolkit for families and educators at KET.org/learnathome. The toolkit provides families free high-quality educational resources for children of all ages. 

On Friday, the College Board released an update on how the Advanced Placement (AP) program is supporting this year’s AP exam administration. Within this email, College Board called out a few bullets that are within the AP Central update page that you can find College Board website. Please be sure to read the entire update, as I’m only including a snippet below.

KASC Advice on Conducting SBDM Council Meetings

Update: 4/2/2020

Student understanding and teacher focus have grown dramatically over a two-decade improvement drive, leaders say

A clear handle on fractions is the goal for fourth-grade math students one January morning at Gamaliel Elementary, a small school perched near the Tennessee border in Monroe County. Teacher Shelly Buck asks her students to concentrate and visualize: “Make up one-fourth in your head,” she says. “If you were to visually picture one-fourth, is it more or less than one half?” She asks students to think and be prepared to take a position or to agree or disagree with classmates who volunteer an answer.

Kentucky recognizes 219 new National Board Certified Teachers

(FRANKFORT, KY) – A total of 219 Kentucky educators were recognized Feb. 11 for recently obtaining the highest possible certification in the teaching profession, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Congratulations to Special Education Teacher of the Year, Stacey Crowe!

Crowe accepted the award during Kentucky's annual Council for Exceptional Children Conference in November. He also was presented a special award by the Kentucky Department of Education during the Dec. 4 Kentucky Board of Education meeting.

Crowe is a special education teacher at Wayland Alexander Elementary School in Hartford. He started his 17-year career as a school social worker and has been in the classroom for the past 16 years. He approaches his work with students holistically and firmly believes that setting high expectations, creating a safe and encouraging environment and positive role modeling enables students to thrive academically and socially and readies them for “real world” situations.

Join KET for comprehensive legislative coverage

The 2020 General Assembly is underway, and you can turn to KET on air and online to follow the legislative process, policy discussions, committee meetings and chamber sessions.

Senate and House chamber sessions and committee meetings can be watched live on:

• The Kentucky Channel, KET KY (over-the-air and cable statewide)
• KET.org/legislature
• KET – Kentucky Legislative Coverage App for Apple and Android devices
• Frankfort Plant Board Cable
• Capitol building and annex in-house cable system

Archived video is available anytime at KET.org/legislature and on the app.

Nominations open for 2021 Kentucky Teacher Awards

The Kentucky Department of Education and Valvoline Inc., sponsors of the Kentucky Teacher Awards, have opened nominations for the 2021 Kentucky Teacher Awards.

Nominations may be submitted electronically by visiting the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year website at kentuckytoy.com. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 15. Any full-time public school teacher in the state with at least three years of experience is eligible. Teachers may be nominated by students, parents, teaching peers, principals, superintendents or anyone from the community who has an interest in honoring an outstanding educator.

The four-year, $160,000 scholarships Georgetown College this week offered to all Scott County students admitted during the next 10 years also will be offered to students in Owen and two other counties yet to be announced.