KidsFirstKY

The Ground Is Shifting Under Kentucky's School Facility Funding

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:03:15 GMT

The Ground Is Shifting Under Kentucky's School Facility Funding

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What "Full Transportation Funding" Really Means for Kentucky Students — and the Cost of Falling Short

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:14:35 GMT

What "Full Transportation Funding" Really Means for Kentucky Students — and the Cost of Falling Short

Kentucky law is clear: the state is required to fully fund pupil transportation. Since the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990, KRS 157.370 has established that obligation. Yet in every biennial budget since 2005, that requirement has been suspended - forcing districts to choose between running buses and investing in classrooms.

In the current budget cycle, the gap between the SEEK transportation formula and the state appropriation is approximately $94 million per year - a cost districts must absorb from their own budgets. As KASS Executive Director Jim Flynn noted in this week's legislative update, "Any SEEK increase will be absorbed some by making up that transportation cost, especially in light of what's going on right now with fuel cost and bus cost."

That is the operational reality superintendents face: a SEEK increase on paper partially disappears before it ever reaches a classroom.

With budget conference negotiations underway and the session entering its final days, this is the moment that matters.

How the Transportation Formula Works

Transportation funding in Kentucky is a SEEK add-on calculated annually by the Kentucky Department of Education under KRS 157.370. The formula accounts for student ridership, district transportation expenditures, geographic density, days in session, and bus depreciation costs. By design, rural districts with lower student density and longer routes receive higher per-pupil allotments - directing more resources where transportation costs are highest.

Each year, KDE publishes the statewide calculated cost:

March 2024: $484 million
February 2025: $488 million
February 2026: $492 million

The appropriated amount for FY2026: $399 million - roughly 81% of the statutory requirement.

The proposed 2026–2028 budget (HB 500) holds funding at that same level while costs continue to rise.

Two Decades of Shortfalls

The last time the General Assembly fully funded transportation was FY2004. Every budget since has included language that suspends the statutory formula and replaces it with a fixed appropriation - creating a cumulative shortfall of $2.58 billion.

While funding improved from roughly 55% of the formula in 2020 to about 80% in recent years, the current proposal freezes funding at $399 million even as the formula now calculates costs near $492 million.

The result is a persistent and growing gap of roughly $94 million annually.

When funding falls short, reductions are applied across districts - but not evenly. Districts with higher transportation needs, particularly rural districts, absorb significantly larger per-student impacts. Analysis has found some districts absorbing cuts of more than $400 per student while others lose less than $20 - a disparity that falls hardest on the communities least able to absorb it.

The funding gap is not for lack of available state resources. In a recent fiscal year, $156.3 million in SEEK funds lapsed back to the general fund - enough to close the transportation gap nearly twice over.

What Flat Funding Looks Like in a Bus Garage

Superintendents do not experience funding gaps as percentages. They experience them in daily operational decisions.

Whitley County: Superintendent John Siler reported a $900,000 transportation shortfall in FY2025 that had to be covered from general funds - dollars that would otherwise support instructional technology. His district still operates buses dating back to 2008.

Rockcastle County: A school bus that cost $94,000 in 2019 now costs $153,000 - an increase of more than $60,000 per unit.

Statewide: A 52-passenger bus cost $130,799 in 2022 and $160,036 in 2026.

The driver shortage adds further strain. In some districts, administrators - including superintendents - are driving routes to keep systems running. Other districts have been forced to cancel routes due to staffing shortages.

These are not isolated stories. They are the operating conditions superintendents across Kentucky manage every day because of sustained underfunding.

Transportation Is an Access Issue

For the roughly 300,000 Kentucky students who rely on school buses, transportation is not a convenience - it is a prerequisite for attendance.

Research shows that access to school transportation reduces chronic absenteeism by 2–4 percentage points among economically disadvantaged students - a meaningful improvement at scale. With Kentucky's chronic absenteeism rate at 25% and a state goal of reaching 15% by 2028–2029, reliable transportation is essential to closing that gap.

In rural communities, where distances are longer and alternatives are limited, transportation is even more critical. When funding falls short, the burden falls hardest on the districts with the greatest need.

What KASS Is Asking — and Why It Matters Now

KASS has identified full transportation funding as one of its Big Three priorities, alongside strengthening the SEEK base and increasing Tier I equalization.

The ask is not for new spending beyond what the law already requires. It is for the General Assembly to follow the formula already in place.

Closing the $94 million gap would immediately return general fund dollars to classrooms - supporting instruction, workforce stability, and student learning.

Kentucky school districts are already operating with significantly reduced purchasing power compared to 2008. When transportation is underfunded, that erosion accelerates.

A SEEK increase that arrives alongside a transportation shortfall is not a full investment. It is a partial offset.

The Window Is Closing

Full transportation funding is not an aspiration. It is a statutory obligation and one of the most direct investments the Commonwealth can make in student access, attendance, and district stability.

For Kentucky's 171 superintendents, the cost of continued flat funding is concrete:

Instructional resources that cannot be purchased
Staff compensation that cannot be strengthened
Buses that cannot be replaced
Routes that cannot be staffed

The formula exists.

The obligation exists.

The resources exist.

What remains is the legislative commitment to follow through - and the window to do that is closing fast.

What the New Accountability Indicators in HB 257 Mean for District Leadership — and Why the Conversation Isn't Over

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:51:13 GMT

What the New Accountability Indicators in HB 257 Mean for District Leadership — and Why the Conversation Isn't Over

Kentucky's long-anticipated new accountability system is closer than ever to becoming law. House Bill 257 , which passed the House 92-1 earlier this session, cleared the Senate Education Committee this week — but not before a significant change was added that every superintendent in the state needs to understand.

A Senate committee substitute introduced by President Pro Tem Givens added a new category of indicators to the state's overall accountability score. Called "targeted quality measures," these indicators must account for a minimum of 5% of the total score, with KDE and the Kentucky Board of Education determining the final weighting. They will not affect Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) or Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school designations — but they will be part of how districts are publicly scored and perceived.

The three indicators added are: the percentage of National Board-certified teachers in the district, the percentage of 8th grade students enrolled in Algebra 1, and the district's FAFSA completion rate.

The bill passed committee 8-4. That margin matters. It signals that these additions are not settled policy — they are contested, and the bill will likely return to the House for concurrence, or potentially land in the Budget Conference Committee as part of broader end-of-session negotiations. The conversation is not over. And superintendent voices have a role to play in how it ends.

The Core Problem: Measuring Adults, Not Students

The most pointed concern raised during committee deliberations — including by Senator Williams, who voted against the bill — is that all three of these new indicators measure adult behaviors or institutional processes, not student learning outcomes.

That is not a small distinction. Kentucky has spent years working toward an accountability model that centers student growth, engagement, and achievement. Adding indicators that reflect what adults do or what systems produce — certification rates, enrollment placements, form completion — moves the framework in a different direction. It conflates district management practices with student success.

Commissioner Fletcher, who testified on the bill, attempted to soften some of these concerns. On the National Board indicator, he suggested broadening the measure to include Rank II and Rank III certifications alongside National Board status, which would capture a wider range of highly credentialed teachers. That is a reasonable adjustment — but it does not resolve the underlying question of whether teacher credentialing rates belong in a student accountability score at all.

The Algebra 1 Problem Is Instructional, Not Political

The 8th grade Algebra 1 indicator may be the one with the most direct consequences for district operations.

The concern is straightforward: if a district's overall accountability score is partly determined by the percentage of 8th graders enrolled in Algebra 1, the incentive structure pushes toward enrollment — regardless of whether individual students are ready. The foundational mathematics skills required to succeed in Algebra 1 take years to build. Students who are placed into the course before they have those foundations are not being served by the placement. They are being used to move a metric.

As one educator noted during the discussion, the risk is that districts enroll students in Algebra 1 classes that are not actually being taught at that level — a way of satisfying the indicator without delivering the instruction. That outcome would harm students while improving a score. That is precisely the kind of unintended consequence that well-designed accountability systems are supposed to prevent, not create.

There is broad agreement that more Kentucky students should have access to advanced mathematics coursework. The disagreement is about how to get there — through incentive structures that reward genuine readiness and strong instruction, or through enrollment counts that produce the appearance of access without the substance.

The FAFSA Indicator Carries Real Equity Complexity

FAFSA completion rates have been used in other states as an accountability measure, and the intent is understandable: Kentucky has a postsecondary attainment challenge, and FAFSA completion is a meaningful step toward college enrollment. But the indicator carries complications that deserve honest examination.

Some families will not complete the FAFSA for reasons that have nothing to do with district performance. Families with strong privacy concerns may decline to submit personal financial information regardless of how districts communicate about it. Families whose students are pursuing workforce pathways rather than postsecondary education may see no practical benefit to completing it. Affluent families who know they will not qualify for need-based aid may calculate that the time investment is not worth it. States that have mandated FAFSA completion as a graduation requirement have had to build in opt-out provisions for exactly these reasons.

If a district's score is penalized because a portion of its families made an informed, autonomous choice not to complete the FAFSA, that is not a meaningful accountability signal. It is noise — and it may disproportionately affect districts that serve specific demographic profiles.

What Happens Next

HB 257 passed the Senate Education Committee 8-4 with the committee substitute language included. Because the substitute represents a change from the House-passed version, the bill now returns to the House for a concurrence vote. The House can accept the Senate changes as written, reject them and send the bill to a conference committee, or the language could be folded into broader conference committee negotiations on the budget and related bills.

That means there is still time for superintendent voices to be heard.

The three indicators as currently written are not final. The weight they carry is not final. Whether they remain in the bill at all is not final. What is final is that the people who lead Kentucky's school districts — who understand what accountability measures actually produce in classrooms, and who live with the operational consequences of every policy decision made in Frankfort — have both the standing and the responsibility to make their perspective known.

What KASS Is Watching

The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents has been present in these deliberations from the beginning, and will continue to track HB 257 through final passage. The core position is grounded in the same principle that should guide any accountability system: measures should reflect student outcomes, not institutional inputs. When accountability indicators reward adult credentialing, enrollment headcounts, or form completion, they shift focus away from what matters most — whether students are learning, growing, and being prepared for what comes next.

Kentucky's superintendents are not opposed to accountability. They helped build the systems that hold their districts to high standards. What they are asking for is accountability that is honest, fair, and actually connected to the students it is designed to serve.

Take Action

The session is in its final days, and HB 257 is still moving. If you have concerns about the targeted quality measures added in the Senate committee substitute — particularly the Algebra 1 enrollment indicator, the FAFSA completion rate, or the National Board certification percentage — now is the time to make those concerns known directly to your House and Senate representatives. A short, direct message focused on the unintended consequences of these specific indicators is the most effective approach. Your perspective as a district leader carries weight that no policy analyst or lobbyist can replicate. You are encouraged to use it.

KASS Live with Terry Brooks: Children, Data, and Superintendent Leadership

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:45:34 GMT

Terry Brooks: Children, Data, and Superintendent Leadership

In a recent KASS Live episode, Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, joined the conversation to discuss what the latest Kids Count data reveals about the well-being of Kentucky’s children. From poverty and food insecurity to kinship care, health, and academic outcomes, Brooks emphasized that the challenges students carry into school each day are deeply connected to the results districts are working to improve. For superintendents, the conversation reinforced a critical reality: student success cannot be separated from the broader conditions shaping children and families.

The discussion also highlighted the value of local data in helping district leaders communicate more clearly with boards, communities, and policymakers. Brooks underscored that when superintendents speak about child well-being, family stability, and the real barriers affecting learning, they help bring needed context to conversations about achievement and accountability. With steady leadership and informed advocacy, superintendents can strengthen public understanding of what students need to succeed.

�� Watch the full conversation with Terry Brooks

Why Kentucky’s Final Budget Decisions Will Shape What Districts Can Deliver Next Year

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:31:03 GMT

Why Kentucky’s Final Budget Decisions Will Shape What Districts Can Deliver Next Year

As the legislative session moves into its final stretch, Kentucky superintendents have appreciated the methodical and transparent approach lawmakers have taken this year. The intentional use of Budget Review Subcommittees and the commitment to meaningful stakeholder engagement have reflected a serious effort to get education policy and funding right.

The final weeks of the session naturally bring pressure to accelerate. In past years, that has sometimes meant bills moving rapidly, language changing with little notice, and compressed timelines. This session has been more deliberate so far, and maintaining that same thoughtful approach through the finish line will help ensure the final budget reflects the careful process that has characterized the work to this point.

For Kentucky districts, the final decisions in House Bill 500 will determine what districts can realistically provide next year in classrooms, transportation systems, and workforce investments. They will shape whether superintendents and boards have room to respond to local needs with confidence or are forced into another year of stretching inadequate recurring revenue across rising expectations.

That is why KASS continues to treat the budget as the main event—and why the deliberate, transparent process lawmakers have demonstrated matters so much as these final decisions approach.

The Budget Is Where District Capacity Is Decided

At this stage of session, many policy bills compete for attention. Some affect operations, governance, transparency, or advocacy. All matter. But the budget is different because it sets the basic operating reality every district must work within.

A district cannot build a staffing plan on good intentions. It cannot cover transportation costs with uncertainty. It cannot remain competitive in the labor market if recurring revenue doesn't match recurring obligations.

Three core funding questions remain inside House Bill 500:

SEEK Base : The current first-year increase of $40 doesn't provide districts with enough recurring revenue to make meaningful progress. It doesn't create financial room for substantial classroom investments or meaningfully strengthen educator compensation. Districts need the SEEK base strengthened to $4,736 (FY27) and $4,891 (FY28) to move halfway back toward 2008 purchasing power with full transportation funding and Tier 1 to 20%.

Pupil Transportation : The state must fully fund transportation using the Spring 2026 statutory calculation of $491,979,038 annually . Transportation isn't a side issue—it's a daily operational requirement that connects students to school and makes every other educational investment possible. When transportation is underfunded by $93 million annually, districts must absorb the difference from classroom budgets.

Tier I Funding : Increase Tier I from 17.5% to 20% . This change narrows gaps between property-wealthy and property-poor districts and provides recurring revenue that allows districts to strengthen core services and respond to local priorities.

Taken together, these three budget choices would move the state meaningfully closer to restoring district capacity.

Why Recurring Revenue Matters

One of the clearest themes in budget conversations is that districts need recurring dollars, not one-time relief. Temporary funding may address an immediate need, but it doesn't support long-term staffing, compensation, transportation planning, or strategic improvement efforts.

Superintendents and boards build budgets around commitments that continue year after year. Salaries continue. Benefits continue. Routes continue. Student needs continue. When recurring costs are met with limited recurring revenue, districts are pushed into a cycle of delay, deferral, and hard tradeoffs.

That challenge becomes even more serious in a workforce environment where school districts are still trying to remain competitive. Even in 2008, when Kentucky education had its strongest buying power, districts weren't operating with excess resources. But the gap between education salaries and private-sector counterparts was narrower then than now. Since that time, the gap has widened.

Districts have made some progress keeping up with inflation in recent years, but not enough to close that broader competitiveness gap. When state funding remains constrained, it becomes harder for districts to keep pace with workforce expectations. That is one reason the budget conversation cannot be separated from the broader conversation about district stability and public trust.

The Pressure on Local Flexibility

District leaders have raised serious concerns about bills that would further constrain local revenue authority at a time when state funding is already insufficient to meet growing operational demands.

For some districts, local boards and communities have stepped up to help meet urgent needs, including modest staff raises during difficult economic periods. That kind of local action requires trust, transparency, and public support. But it has been one of the few available tools districts could use when state funding fell short.

Proposals that automatically trigger tax referendums or freeze local authority over certain non-property revenues have drawn concern because if state support remains constrained while local flexibility is also reduced, districts are left with fewer responsible options to address classroom needs, transportation obligations, and workforce investments.

That is not a sustainable position for Kentucky public education.

The Budget as a Leadership Issue

For superintendents, the budget conversation is never just about numbers. It's about the ability to lead responsibly.

District leaders are expected to recruit talent, support student success, maintain services, communicate with communities, comply with new laws, manage transportation systems, and prepare for future challenges. Those responsibilities don't pause when the funding picture falls short - they simply become harder to meet.

A stronger budget gives districts more than additional dollars. It gives them planning confidence . It allows boards to make decisions with greater stability. It gives superintendents a better chance to implement priorities without constantly shifting funds to cover unavoidable shortfalls. It supports a steadier message to employees and families: the district has a plan and the resources to carry it out responsibly.

A weak budget does the opposite. It forces reactive decision-making, narrows local options, makes it harder to compete for talent, and increases the likelihood that districts will spend another year managing around unmet needs rather than fully addressing them.

The Final Weeks Require Discipline

As the session winds down, the pace of movement tends to increase. Bills can change quickly. Measures that seemed dormant can suddenly advance. Confusing language can appear late. New requirements can be attached with very little implementation runway.

For district leaders, that means advocacy cannot ease up. This is the point in session when focused communication matters most.

The message needs to stay clear and consistent:

✓ Strengthen the SEEK base to $4,736 (FY27) and $4,891 (FY28)

✓ Fully fund pupil transportation at $491,979,038 annually

✓ Increase Tier I to 20%

✓ Protect district flexibility

✓ Avoid implementation timelines that leave schools scrambling

These are practical asks rooted in district realities. They reflect what superintendents know from experience: policy decisions made in Frankfort become operational consequences in local school systems.

Kentucky Districts Need More Than Symbolic Support

Districts need funding decisions that materially improve capacity.

A small increase that sounds positive in a press release may still be insufficient in a district budget. A statement of support for public education means little if transportation remains underfunded or if districts still lack the recurring revenue needed to strengthen compensation. A policy environment that praises local leadership while reducing local flexibility sends a conflicting message.

Kentucky school districts need more than affirmation. They need durable financial support that matches the responsibilities placed on them.

That is especially true at a moment when expectations continue to expand. Schools are asked to do more, explain more, report more, and implement more. The public rightly expects quality, stability, and accountability. But those expectations must be matched by a funding framework that makes them achievable.

What Superintendents Know About Next Year

As final budget decisions approach, superintendents know exactly what next year will look like under different funding scenarios.

Inadequate SEEK base? Another year of delayed hires and stretched compensation schedules.

Transportation underfunded? Another $93 million diverted from classrooms.

Tier I frozen at 17.5%? Property-poor districts fall further behind.

Local flexibility constrained? Fewer options to respond when state funding falls short.

This isn't political positioning. It's budget planning based on operational experience. The final budget determines which scenario Kentucky districts will face.

The most effective message is also the clearest one: Kentucky districts need a final budget that strengthens recurring revenue, supports transportation, improves flexibility, and gives schools a realistic chance to meet the expectations placed on them next year.

That is not an excessive ask. It is a responsible one.

The Road Ahead

Senate action remains ahead. Conference committee negotiations will matter. Other bills will continue moving and may still affect district operations and authority. But the conversation makes one thing unmistakable: the budget remains the defining issue.

For KASS members, the focus should stay where it belongs. The final outcome of House Bill 500 will shape what districts can deliver, what boards can sustain, and what superintendents can responsibly promise heading into the next school year.

The stakes are visible in every staffing discussion, every transportation plan, every compensation conversation, and every budget work session across Kentucky.

The final weeks of session may be fast-moving, but the message should remain steady: Kentucky's public schools need a final budget that reflects the real cost of educating students, supporting staff, and leading districts well.

Don’t Cut the Rope While Kentucky Schools Are Climbing

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 19:31:42 GMT

Don’t Cut the Rope While Kentucky Schools Are Climbing

Legislation targeting local school board taxing authority threatens Kentucky’s education progress at the worst possible time.

Kentucky's public schools are climbing. Harvard and Stanford researchers have both recognized Kentucky as one of the strongest education recovery stories in the nation since the pandemic. Graduation rates are up. The latest state assessment results showed continued progress statewide. This is a moment of real momentum - and it did not happen by accident. It is the result of dedicated school boards, talented and committed district staff, and a General Assembly that has made meaningful investments in recent budgets and enacted smart policies like the Read to Achieve and Numeracy Counts Acts. Kentucky's progress is a shared achievement - and the opportunity now is to keep the momentum and continue the ascent together.

It happened because communities invested. For over a decade, as state funding lost ground to inflation, locally elected school boards made hard decisions to ask their communities for more - and in community after community, voters said yes. The clearest measure of that shift is SEEK, Kentucky's primary education funding mechanism - the revenue that locally elected boards direct into classroom instruction and competitive salaries for teachers, principals, and support staff. Through SEEK, local communities are now contributing nearly 58% of the combined state-local effort. In 2008, that ratio was 60:40 in the state's favor. Local communities have been holding the rope. The question is whether the state will grab hold - and restore the balance this partnership requires.

T hat context matters enormously right now, because the Kentucky General Assembly is considering a package of bills that would restrict the very tools local boards have used to fill that gap.

Senate Bill 41 would replace Kentucky’s existing, citizen-driven petition process for challenging property tax rates with an automatic, mandatory election - at a cost of up to $50,000 per district - even when no community member has raised a concern. House Bill 757 would restrict local boards’ ability to utilize occupational, utility, and excise taxes that many districts depend on to sustain their investment in classrooms and workforce. At least eight additional bills have been filed this session targeting local taxing authority. Taken together, they represent a significant narrowing of the fiscal tools that allow local communities to invest in their schools.

Here is what makes this particularly consequential: state investment through SEEK has lost more than 25% of its purchasing power since 2008. The General Assembly has taken meaningful steps in recent budgets, and that progress is real and appreciated. But Kentucky's school districts are still operating with less buying power than they had in 2008 — a time when the gap between education workforce salaries and private sector counterparts was not nearly as wide as it is today. The funding gap has not been closed, and the work is not finished.

Constraining local revenue authority while that gap remains creates a fiscal vise - squeezing districts from both directions - and the communities harmed most are often those with the least capacity to absorb the pressure.

Kentucky’s Constitution requires an efficient system of common schools. That obligation has always been met through a genuine partnership between the state and local communities. That partnership only works when both sides are empowered to fulfill their roles.

“The General Assembly has taken meaningful steps — but the funding gap has not been closed. Constraining local revenue authority while that gap remains doesn’t restore balance. It locks in the imbalance.”

KASS is asking the General Assembly for three things: vote NO on SB 41 and preserve the petition-based process that already gives citizens a clear path to challenge any tax rate they oppose; remove the restrictions on local taxing authority in HB 757; and advance the Big Three state investments - SEEK base increases, full pupil transportation funding, and Tier 1 equalization growth - that Kentucky’s students are still waiting for.

Kentucky has earned its place as a national model in education recovery. Our superintendents, teachers, students, and communities have done the hard work. The General Assembly has shown it can be a real partner - in the budget and in policy. This is the moment to prove it again.

This is not the moment to pull back. This is the moment to hold the rope.

Why House Bill 500 Matters More Than Any Other Education Bill Right Now

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:56:59 GMT

Why House Bill 500 Matters More Than Any Other Education Bill Right Now

Dozens of education bills are moving through the Kentucky legislature this session. Some have generated headlines. Others have raised concerns about governance, operations, or district flexibility. But for superintendents responsible for keeping schools running, one bill matters more than all the others combined: House Bill 500 - the state budget.

While policy debates attract attention, budget decisions determine whether districts can actually sustain staffing, support students, and maintain public trust.

For Kentucky superintendents, this is where rhetoric gives way to reality. The question is whether the state budget reflects what districts actually need to operate well.

House Bill 500 is where that answer begins.

Why the Budget Bill Carries the Greatest Consequence

Many bills this session change rules or create compliance expectations. House Bill 500 is different. It's the budget bill - and budget decisions determine whether districts can implement any policy change that comes their way.

As a longtime superintendent, I reminded our board and staff that two things reflected our true values: how we spend our time and how we spend our fiscal resources. The same principle applies to state government. The state budget is a reflection of what is truly valued - not what is said in speeches or debated in committee, but what is funded when the votes are counted.

House Bill 500 affects every district, every student, and every superintendent's ability to make sound local decisions. The key issues are clear: the SEEK base, transportation funding, and Tier I equalization - the financial pillars that determine whether districts can maintain workforce stability, provide instructional access, and manage rising costs.

When superintendents talk about staff compensation pressures, route costs, or fairness between districts with different local wealth, they're describing the practical consequences of state budget choices.

What's At Stake: The Big Three

SEEK: The First-Year Increase Isn't Enough

House Bill 500 includes SEEK base increases of $4,626 in FY27 and $4,792 in FY28. That's better than flat funding. But to match 2008 purchasing power adjusted for inflation, the SEEK base would need to be $5,743 per pupil today. The current proposal moves us partway there - but not far enough.

The "Back on Track" proposal - SEEK at $4,736 (FY27) and $4,891 (FY28) - would move districts roughly halfway toward restoring what inflation has taken away. That's not expansion. It's stabilization.

A limited first-year increase does little to help districts offer competitive compensation, respond to inflationary pressure, or invest in classroom learning resources. Districts still have to recruit teachers, retain principals, support classified staff, and respond to instructional and safety needs without disruption.

Superintendents aren't asking for budget language that looks good on paper. They're asking for funding that works in practice.

Transportation: A $93 Million Annual Gap

For many outside education finance, transportation can appear secondary. For superintendents, it's one of the most visible and unavoidable district responsibilities.

On February 27, 2026, the Kentucky Department of Education released updated Spring 2026 transportation data. The statutory requirement: $491,979,038. House Bill 500 funds $398,884,500 - leaving a $93 million annual shortfall.

Districts must absorb that $93 million from General Funds - classroom dollars that should support teacher salaries, instruction, and student learning. This has been the pattern for more than two decades (cumulative shortfall since 2005: $2.58 billion).

In many communities, especially rural ones, transportation is a significant operational commitment tied directly to geography, access, staffing, and equity. When transportation funding falls short, districts still have to run the buses. Superintendents must absorb the gap somewhere else - delaying priorities, tightening budgets, or stretching resources in ways that become harder to sustain.

Fully funding transportation at the statutory level is one of the clearest ways lawmakers can show they understand the realities districts are managing.

Tier I: A Structural Opportunity Issue

Tier I equalization gets to the heart of whether a student's access to opportunity is shaped too heavily by local property wealth.

Kentucky's districts don't all stand on equal local footing. Some communities can generate more local revenue more easily. Others cannot. That imbalance doesn't reflect differences in student need, superintendent effort, or district commitment - it reflects structural differences in local capacity.

Consider two districts with identical student needs but very different property wealth. Under the current Tier I level of 17.5%, the property-poor district can generate significantly less local revenue even with the same tax rate. Moving Tier I to 20% narrows that gap - not completely, but measurably.

When the state strengthens Tier I equalization, it helps narrow the gap between property-wealthy and property-poor districts and reinforces the principle that Kentucky students deserve meaningful access to quality public education regardless of ZIP code.

When the budget ignores these structural gaps, property-poor districts carry heavier burdens with fewer tools.

The Budget Is the Real Test

Some bills create compliance demands. Some adjust administrative structures. Some attract debate because they are politically charged. But the budget bill determines whether districts have the capacity to respond to any of it.

House Bill 500 is the real test of Kentucky's education priorities. It's where legislators move from statements to commitments. It's where support for public education becomes measurable. It's where district leaders can tell the difference between symbolic attention and actual investment.

Superintendents understand this because they live on the implementation side of policy. Every new expectation eventually lands in district budgets, staffing plans, transportation routes, and local board decisions.

A state can say education is a priority. The budget determines whether districts can actually deliver on that promise.

Why This Matters for District Leaders

Superintendents don't experience the budget as a one-day legislative event. They live with it across hiring cycles, transportation planning, compensation decisions, and board presentations. House Bill 500 determines whether superintendents enter the next fiscal year with stability to plan forward or another round of shortfall management.

A stronger SEEK base, full transportation funding, and Tier I at 20% wouldn't solve every challenge districts face. But they would give district leaders firmer ground to lead from - better planning confidence, less avoidable strain, and the capacity to make sound local decisions instead of managing the consequences of underpowered state funding.

S trong state funding does not replace local leadership. It supports it.

The Message Going Forward

At this point in the session, the message from district leaders should remain disciplined and clear.

The SEEK base should be strengthened to $4,736 (FY27) and $4,891 (FY28) to move districts halfway back to 2008 purchasing power.
Transportation should be funded at $491,979,038 annually according to the Spring 2026 statutory calculation.
Tier I equalization should increase to 20% to narrow structural funding gaps and strengthen opportunity statewide.

Together, these three priorities form the practical foundation for keeping Kentucky's education progress moving forward.

These aren't partisan messages. They're implementation priorities - the kind of grounded, superintendent-centered policies that reflect what districts actually need to serve students well.

In a crowded legislative environment, strong advocacy means staying focused on the measure with the greatest practical consequence: the budget.

Right now, that measure is House Bill 500.

The Opportunity Before Kentucky's General Assembly

How we spend our time and how we spend our fiscal resources reflect our true values. Kentucky's General Assembly has the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to public education through a meaningful budget that moves education funding "Back on Track" toward the buying power districts had in 2008.

That means SEEK base increases that provide real stability, transportation funding that honors the statutory formula, and Tier I equalization that ensures opportunity statewide. Together, these investments don't just fund schools - they signal that Kentucky values the educators who serve students every day and the districts working to provide quality education in every community.

Kentucky districts need stable funding, fair formulas, and a budget that matches public commitments with resources districts can actually use.

House Bill 500 is where that commitment becomes real - or falls short.

In the final stretch of session, many bills will demand attention. But the clearest measure of legislative commitment to public education is the budget. And the clearest question before lawmakers is whether House Bill 500 will give Kentucky's 171 school districts the tools they need to lead well.

For superintendents managing real operational pressures in real time, that's not a theoretical question.

It's the question that matters most.

HB 1 Has Passed. Kentucky’s Most Consequential Education Decision Still Lies in the Budget.

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:48:56 GMT

HB 1 Has Passed. Kentucky’s Most Consequential Education Decision Still Lies in the Budget.

HB 1 has now passed both chambers of the General Assembly and will become law, opting Kentucky into the new federal tax credit framework for Scholarship Granting Organizations. That is a significant policy development. It deserves attention, serious analysis, and disciplined follow-through.

It also deserves perspective.

At KASS, that perspective begins with a clear understanding of what is known, what is not yet known, and what matters most for Kentucky’s public schools right now.

Because federal Treasury and IRS regulations are still being finalized, important operational and fiscal details connected to HB 1 remain unresolved. For that reason, KASS has adopted a position of informed neutrality at this time. That posture reflects neither passivity nor indifference. It reflects discipline. It reflects the responsibility to assess implementation based on facts, not assumptions, and to stay focused on the district-level consequences that matter most to students, families, and communities across the Commonwealth.

There are legitimate questions still to be answered. Whether public school students who remain enrolled in their local districts will be clearly eligible for scholarship support. Whether access will be meaningful across every region of Kentucky, including rural and low-density communities. Whether scholarship distribution patterns will be transparent and publicly reported. And whether long-term fiscal implications for public education funding will be monitored with the seriousness they deserve. Those are not peripheral concerns. They are central implementation questions that will determine whether this new framework supplements opportunity or creates uneven access and uncertainty.

At the same time, it is important not to confuse a major headline with the most consequential policy decision facing Kentucky schools this session.

That decision remains the state education budget.

For superintendents, district leaders, and the communities they serve, the budget is not an abstract policy exercise. It is the foundation for instructional stability, workforce competitiveness, transportation reliability, and the ability to plan responsibly beyond the next few months. While HB 1 implementation will unfold over time, the budget will shape district conditions immediately. That is where the most urgent work remains.

KASS has been consistent on this point. Our central priority is sustaining a strong, stable system of common schools through predictable, recurring state investment. That priority is not new, and it has not changed. Three funding commitments remain essential: a meaningful increase in the SEEK base, full pupil transportation funding, and strengthening Tier I to 20 percent. Together, those three refinements provide the clearest path toward restoring buying power, supporting instruction, and maintaining a competitive education workforce in every region of the state.

T he House version of HB 500 reflects meaningful progress. It includes SEEK base increases in both years, restores transportation funding to current-year levels, continues Tier I support at 17.5 percent, and removes the health insurance premium cap. Those are important steps, and they reflect a budget process that has been thoughtful and intentional. KASS has said so clearly, and it is worth repeating. Progress matters. It should be acknowledged.

But progress is not the same as completion.

As the Senate continues its work, KASS’s budget position remains focused on what we have called the Big Three.

First, strengthen the SEEK base to $4,736 in FY27 and $4,891 in FY28. SEEK is the foundation of instructional funding in Kentucky. A stronger base provides recurring revenue for competitive teacher and classified salaries, protects instructional quality, and supports recruitment and retention in a workforce sector that remains under pressure. Recurring costs require recurring revenue. That principle should guide every serious budget discussion.

Second, fully fund pupil transportation using the updated spring statutory calculation of $491,979,038 annually. Transportation is not optional. It is a safety obligation and an access requirement. Yet the current allocation cited in KASS’s budget priorities funds only 81 percent of the statutory formula requirement, leaving a roughly $93 million annual shortfall that districts must absorb from general funds. That means dollars intended for classrooms, instruction, and salaries are instead diverted to cover transportation costs. Full funding would return those local dollars to their intended purpose and restore alignment with the statutory formula.

Third, increase Tier I from 17.5 percent to 20 percent. Tier I remains one of the strongest mechanisms in SEEK for ensuring access and opportunity regardless of geography. Moving to 20 percent would narrow gaps between property-poor and property-wealthy districts, strengthen local effort where tax base is limited, and provide more predictable recurring revenue statewide. Educational opportunity should not depend on zip code, and neither should access to qualified educators.

These three priorities work together. KASS’s analysis is that, when combined, they move districts approximately halfway toward restoring the buying power Kentucky schools had in 2008. That matters because district purchasing power has declined by more than 25 percent since then, the state-local funding ratio has inverted, and workforce competition has intensified. Recent progress is real, but sustained investment is still necessary to protect instructional quality and district stability over time.

This is the lens KASS is bringing to the current moment.

HB 1 has passed. It will move into an implementation phase shaped by federal rules, state decisions, and practical questions that are not yet settled. KASS will continue to monitor that process closely. Where opportunities exist for scholarship supports to strengthen a student’s public school experience, those possibilities should be understood clearly. Where transparency, eligibility, geographic access, and fiscal protection need attention, those issues should be raised directly and responsibly. That is what informed neutrality requires.

But the budget is where Kentucky’s immediate educational future is being determined.

The budget will decide whether districts have the recurring revenue needed to support strong instruction. It will decide whether transportation costs continue to crowd out classroom investment. It will decide whether the state-local partnership is strengthened or whether more burden continues to shift onto local communities. It will decide whether districts can remain competitive in attracting and retaining the people students need most.

That is why KASS’s message at this stage must remain disciplined and aligned.

This is not the moment to lose focus. It is not the moment to let one policy debate overshadow the foundational decisions that govern district stability and student opportunity statewide. Kentucky’s common schools need a budget that matches recurring obligations with recurring revenue. They need a state partnership that is steady, intentional, and grounded in the real operating conditions districts face every day.

There is meaningful progress to build on. There is also critical work still to do.

KASS will continue to advocate for a stronger SEEK base, full transportation funding, and Tier I at 20 percent because those priorities are directly connected to instructional quality, workforce strength, and long-term district stability. And KASS will continue to engage HB 1 implementation with seriousness, clarity, and discipline as more details emerge.

Kentucky’s public schools are making measurable progress. The responsibility now is to sustain that progress with sound policy, recurring investment, and a steady focus on what matters most.

That work continues.

If We Lose a Generation, It Won't Be Because They Didn't Care

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 18:20:07 GMT

If We Lose a Generation, It Won't Be Because They Didn't Care

Dr. Brad Johnson recently posted a statistic that stopped me: one in three teachers say they're likely to leave the profession within the next two years.

It lingered, not because it's shocking, but because it feels remarkably real.

I've spent years sitting across from superintendents who started conversations trying to solve an instructional problem and ended them talking about the challenges of filling teaching positions and other vacancies, and how many teachers they may lose at the end of the year. I've heard veterans say, quietly, that they wouldn't choose this again. I've watched districts do everything right and still lose people, not to other professions, but to exhaustion.

That's not anecdote. That's pattern. And in Kentucky, the data confirms what those conversations already told us.

According to the Kentucky Department of Education's October 2025 Educator Shortage Report, 80% of Kentucky's public school districts began this school year with unfilled positions - a total of 2,421 vacancies statewide. That figure, while still striking, actually represents improvement: the previous year, only a single district in the entire Commonwealth started fully staffed. Progress is real. But 140 districts still began this school year short, three-quarters reported a decrease in qualified applicants over the past two years, and 401 emergency certificates have already been issued for this year alone. Meanwhile, Kentucky's reliance on alternative certification pathways has nearly tripled since 2016, rising from roughly 1,200 to more than 3,000 placements annually. Proficiency-based certifications, which didn't exist here eight years ago, now account for nearly 370 placements per year.

These aren't signs of a system expanding its options. They're signs of a system under strain, reaching for whatever it can find.

And the reach is costly. Superintendents across Kentucky describe a consistent pattern with alternative-certified placements: higher onboarding and training investments, greater likelihood of mid-year resignations that leave classrooms unstable, elevated absenteeism that drives up substitute costs, more frequent discipline challenges, and - most importantly - measurable learning consequences for students. This is not a reflection on the individuals stepping into these roles. Many are doing genuinely courageous work under difficult conditions, often entering classrooms mid-year, in the most challenging assignments, without the full preparation they deserved. The problem isn't their effort. It's the conditions the system has created, for them and for the students they're trying to serve. When a system chronically fills seats instead of building a profession, the costs don't disappear. They redistribute - onto students, onto colleagues, and onto district budgets already stretched thin.

Johnson frames this partly as a generational shift - Boomers and Gen X conditioned to tolerate what never should have been normal, Millennials bridging, Gen Z refusing. There's truth in that. But I'd push further: this isn't fundamentally about generational toughness. It's about system design.

For decades, we normalized what never should have been normal. We called overwork "dedication." We called silence "professionalism." We called exhaustion "the cost of caring." And many stayed anyway, because the kids mattered. They still do.

But something has changed.

Today's emerging educators are not less committed. If anything, they are more values-driven. They want impact. They want meaning. They want to serve. What they are unwilling to do is sacrifice their health, their financial stability, and their sense of professional dignity to systems that refuse to evolve.

That's not fragility. It's clarity.

Meanwhile, the job itself has intensified. Students arrive carrying more - academically, socially, emotionally. Communities navigate economic strain and social fragmentation. Public discourse has grown louder and sharper. And the distance between a classroom decision and a public reaction has compressed to almost nothing. Through all of this, compensation has not kept pace with inflation, support staffing has not scaled with student complexity, and expectations have expanded without parallel redesign.

We have added weight without reinforcing the structure.

But pipelines shrink when people look ahead and decide the destination isn't sustainable - when they calculate student debt against starting salaries and watch how educators are treated in a culture that criticizes the profession from every direction while asking more of it every year. At some point, the question stops being naive: Will this system care for me the way I'm asked to care for others?

If we answer that question with nostalgia instead of reform, we will lose them. Not slowly. All at once.

This is not simply a teacher issue. It is a workforce issue, an economic stability issue, a community resilience issue. Schools are the backbone of local workforce development — they prepare the talent pipeline for every other sector. But that backbone is under strain, and the numbers make that undeniable.

Here is what makes this moment both urgent and clarifying: we know what stabilization requires, and we know what it costs. Kentucky school districts are operating with 26% less purchasing power than they had in 2008. That erosion isn't abstract - it shows up in salary schedules that can't compete with the private sector, transportation budgets that drain classroom dollars, and funding gaps that compound year after year regardless of how efficiently districts manage them.

We aren't asking for expansion. We’re asking for restoration.

That restoration has a name and a path. The KASS Big Three - a meaningful increase to the SEEK base funding formula, full funding of pupil transportation using accurate prior year data, and raising Tier I to 20% - represent the highest-impact recurring revenue investments available to Kentucky's policymakers. Together, they provide what no workforce strategy can succeed without: predictable, sustainable revenue aligned to real and rising costs. SEEK base increases are the primary vehicle for competitive educator compensation. Full transportation funding ends the forced diversion of classroom dollars to cover buses and fuel. And Tier I equity investments ensure that every district, regardless of local wealth, can compete for the talent their students deserve.

And compensation is more than a salary line. For decades, competitive health insurance and retirement benefits anchored the education workforce's value proposition - offsetting salary gaps with the private sector and giving dedicated professionals a reason to stay. Proposals that erode those benefits don't just affect take-home pay. They eliminate the last competitive argument available to districts that can't win a salary bidding war.

Beyond funding, stabilizing the workforce requires a modern accountability system that develops educators rather than simply measuring them, and a genuine investment in the pipeline itself through apprenticeship pathways, loan forgiveness, induction support, and a public narrative that treats education as the in-demand career sector it has been recognized to be.

Passion cannot substitute for infrastructure. A career in education was never meant to require martyrdom to prove commitment.

The next generation is telling us something important: they will serve, but not at any cost.

The question before us isn't whether young educators care enough. It never was.

The question is whether we are willing to invest in and redesign the system enough to deserve them. If we are, we won't just stabilize a profession. We'll strengthen communities for decades to come.

HB 500 Health Insurance Cap: The Workforce Consequences for Kentucky Schools

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:24:34 GMT

A provision in the House budget proposal would place a cap on the state’s contribution toward employee health insurance premiums. Based on projections shared by the Personnel Cabinet, that cap could shift substantial premium growth to employees over the next biennium.

For Kentucky’s public schools, this is not simply a budget line item. It is a workforce strategy issue with long-term implications for staffing stability and student outcomes.

The Foundation at Risk

Public education has always competed for talent on total compensation — salary plus benefits. When salaries lagged behind the private sector, strong health insurance and retirement benefits sustained the education workforce for decades.

Recent legislative investments began restoring salary competitiveness. That progress is measurable. More districts are fully staffed than in prior years, and momentum has been building.

The proposed changes to the health insurance cap change that equation.

If benefit costs rise significantly for employees, districts risk losing both the salary progress recently achieved and the long-standing benefits advantage that helped sustain the workforce during leaner years.

The Personnel Impact

According to projections referenced in statewide discussions:

Premium increases could reach up to 78 percent.

Teachers could see reductions in real take-home pay of approximately $5,832 per year.

Bus drivers could lose roughly $6,420 annually.

Additional impacts include higher deductibles and reduced coverage.

When a teacher receives a raise but pays more in premiums, total compensation declines. From a workforce standpoint, that erases recent progress.

Three Compounding Consequences

This shift creates three compounding consequences for Kentucky’s public schools:

1. The Profession Loses Its Competitive Case

For decades, education could tell prospective employees: salaries may lag, but benefits are strong and retirement is secure. Recent investments allowed districts to add that salary competitiveness was improving.

If take-home pay declines, both arguments weaken at once. Recruitment becomes harder. Retention becomes less certain.

2. Classified Staff Lose a Primary Reason to Stay

Bus drivers, food service workers, paraeducators, and custodians have historically accepted lower hourly wages in exchange for quality health coverage. Significant premium increases tip the balance.

When classified roles go unfilled, districts face immediate operational challenges — transportation routes, meal service, and facility operations all depend on stable staffing.

3. Local Communities Bear Unequal Burden

When total compensation declines, communities face pressure to respond locally. Property-wealthy districts may have some flexibility. Property-poor districts, many of which are already near practical tax limits, often do not.

Workforce instability will not distribute evenly. It will disproportionately affect the communities least equipped to absorb it.

T he Big Three Alignment Question

The House budget proposal also includes continued investment in SEEK, transportation funding, and Tier I — the “Big Three” pillars designed to support competitive compensation and expand access to opportunity.

Those investments reflect a commitment to strengthening Kentucky’s public education system.

However, if benefit costs simultaneously reduce take-home pay, the workforce strategy those investments are intended to support becomes more difficult to sustain.

You cannot recruit with one hand and create net financial loss with the other. Budget provisions must align.

A Superintendent-Centered Perspective

Superintendents understand fiscal responsibility. District leaders make difficult budget decisions every year, balancing sustainability with workforce investment.

The question is not whether health care costs are rising. The question is how those costs are distributed and what consequences follow.

Workforce stability is not peripheral to student success. It is foundational. Schools rise or fall on the quality and consistency of the adults serving students.

Moving Forward

As the budget process continues, clarity and alignment matter.

Districts need:

Accurate projections
Clear implementation guidance
Budget alignment that supports total compensation stability

KASS will continue to provide superintendent-centered analysis focused on operational consequence and workforce sustainability.

Kentucky’s public schools depend on talented educators and staff. Policy decisions affecting compensation structures should be evaluated not only in fiscal terms, but in terms of long-term workforce strength and student success.

KASS Live with Commissioner Julian Tackett: Stewardship, Fairness, and the Future of High School Athletics

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 19:54:22 GMT

Julian Tackett: Stewardship, Fairness, and the Future of High School Athletics

In a recent KASS Live episode, KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett addressed the growing complexity surrounding high school athletics in Kentucky. From transfer eligibility under open enrollment to NIL guardrails and mid-season movement, the pressures facing districts are increasingly operational and immediate. Tackett emphasized that the KHSAA’s responsibility is consistent rule application grounded in member-approved policy, while superintendents remain central to maintaining fairness, clarity, and community trust when eligibility questions arise.

The conversation also underscored the importance of safety, supervision, and partnership. Whether addressing fan conduct, officiating shortages, or compliance concerns, athletics reflect district leadership and school culture. With clear communication and steady collaboration between districts and the KHSAA, superintendents can protect student opportunity while preserving competitive integrity and public confidence.

�� Watch the full conversation with Julian Tackett

The SEEK Base and the Power of Telling Local Stories

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 18:39:19 GMT

The SEEK Base and the Power of Telling Local Stories

When education funding debates move into budget season, conversations often revolve around line items, percentages, and projections. For district superintendents, however, the implications are far more tangible. They are measured in teacher salaries, bus replacement schedules, classroom resources, and student services.

This session’s budget conversation centers heavily on recurring revenue through the SEEK formula. While multiple targeted investments are under discussion, the clearest message emerging is the importance of the SEEK base and its connection to district stability.

Why the SEEK Base Matters

The SEEK base is not simply a number in statute. It is the primary recurring funding mechanism that districts rely on for sustainable planning. When the base increases meaningfully, districts gain the ability to invest in instruction, remain competitive in staff compensation, and address long-term workforce challenges.

When it remains flat, the pressure shifts locally.

Over time, districts have experienced diminished buying power relative to 2008 levels. Inflationary pressures and rising operational costs continue to compound that challenge. Without recurring revenue growth, districts absorb those increases within fixed budgets.

The result is not theoretical. It is operational.

A Local Example: Rockcastle County Schools

A funding impact report shared this week illustrates how these pressures manifest at the district level .

On page 1 of the report, Rockcastle County Schools documents a 26 percent decrease in purchasing power compared to 2008. Bus replacement costs increased significantly, with a single bus rising from $97,115 in 2021 to $154,702 in 2026. The district will purchase four buses at a total cost of $618,808.

Insurance costs tell a similar story. General and property insurance increased from $168,977 in 2020 to $467,555 in 2025 . Instructional curriculum now totals $1.2 million annually, and even a limited Chromebook replacement cycle at select grade 0 levels requires $300,000 plus additional charger Y .

These are not optional expenses. They are core operational realities.

Transportation and Instructional Tradeoffs

On page 3 of the same report, Rockcastle details the transportation impact specifically . Fully funding SEEK transportation using prior-year spring data would provide $413,906, nearly funding three of the four buses needed for the upcoming year.

Over a ten-year period, the district estimates a $7,040,240 deficit resulting from transportation not being fully funded .

When transportation funding falls short, districts must redirect general fund dollars to close the gap. That shift carries instructional consequences: delayed salary adjustments, postponed program investments, and limited capacity to address workforce shortages.

Superintendents presenting to budget committees emphasized this dynamic clearly. One district reported being funded at roughly 74 percent of actual transportation cost, requiring approximately $900,000 to be covered locally. The instructional opportunity cost of that gap is real.

Tier I and Geographic Equity

The third recurring revenue lever under discussion is Tier I equalization. An increase from 17.5 percent toward 20 percent has been referenced as a way to strengthen equity across districts with varying property wealth.

As described in the Rockcastle report on page 4 , recurring SEEK funding supports:

Expanded mental health services
Special education and intervention staffing
School resource officers
Student services such as counseling and food access
Cost-of-living salary increases
Rising instructional programming costs

These needs do not fluctuate annually. They are ongoing, and they require stable funding.

The Power of Telling the Story

The most effective advocacy this week did not rely on abstract percentages. It relied on district-level numbers and clearly articulated tradeoffs.

Transportation funded at 71 to 74 percent.

Four buses costing over $600,000.

Insurance increases of nearly $300,000 in five years.

A decade-long transportation deficit exceeding $7 million.

These details shift the conversation from policy theory to district consequence.

Legislators consistently respond to local impact framed through data and student outcomes. When superintendents connect SEEK base increases to competitive salaries, to workforce retention along border states, to expanded mental health supports, the budget conversation becomes grounded in operational reality.

Recurring Revenue Is the Stability Strategy

Targeted investments have value. School safety, induction programs, and principal mentoring initiatives all matter. But recurring revenue remains the foundation.

The SEEK base, fully funded transportation using current data, and equitable Tier I adjustments represent structural stability. They allow districts to plan beyond a single fiscal year. They protect classroom resources from operational volatility. They restore balance between state and local funding responsibility.

At the center of this discussion is not a formula. It is stewardship.

District leaders are tasked with protecting instructional quality, sustaining safe environments, and maintaining public trust. Recurring revenue allows them to do that with foresight rather than reaction.

Moving Forward

Budget negotiations will continue to evolve. Early signals suggest interest in raising the SEEK base and improving transportation funding. Final outcomes will depend on continued engagement and clear communication from district leaders.

The most effective approach remains consistent:

Present the numbers.

Connect them to instruction.

Explain the consequence of inaction.

Reinforce the long-term return on investment.

As the Rockcastle report concludes, the return on investment is not abstract. It is the future leaders of Kentucky communities .

In this budget cycle, the SEEK base is more than a funding mechanism. It is the clearest signal of the Commonwealth’s commitment to sustaining strong, stable, and future-ready public schools.

The Purpose Behind Synergy

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 17:11:22 GMT

The Purpose Behind Synergy

Experienced superintendents are not short on conferences, trainings, or leadership content. What is increasingly rare is professional learning designed specifically for leaders who already understand the role and want to sharpen how they operate at the executive level.

Synergy exists to fill that gap.

Across Kentucky and nationally, experienced superintendents often share a similar frustration. Traditional leadership events are broad by design, intended to meet the needs of wide audiences at many stages of their careers. While valuable, those settings rarely allow space for high-level dialogue, practical problem solving, or candid reflection with peers who fully understand the weight and complexity of the superintendency.

Synergy was created intentionally for that moment in a superintendent’s career.

The design recognizes that superintendent leadership is not theoretical. It is lived in real time through board relationships, political pressure, fiscal responsibility, public trust, and the daily reality of decision-making with imperfect information. Synergy creates a space where those realities are not glossed over, but engaged directly.

At its core, Synergy exists to do two things.

First, it creates structured opportunities for cross-pollination between Kentucky superintendents and senior business and industry leaders. While their contexts differ, both groups serve as chief executives responsible for vision, resource allocation, stakeholder communication, and long-term outcomes. Synergy intentionally brings these leaders together to exchange perspectives, challenge assumptions, and explore how executive leadership decisions ripple through organizations and communities.

Second, Synergy delivers targeted professional learning exclusively for Kentucky superintendents . The program is grounded in the Multiplier Effect, a leadership framework focused on how leaders amplify the intelligence, capability, and impact of others. Rather than emphasizing new initiatives or technical strategies, the learning centers on leadership behaviors that shape culture, strengthen teams, and extend influence across systems.

This focus matters because superintendent impact is rarely confined to individual decisions. The most consequential leadership work happens through people: how teams think, how decisions are made, and how responsibility is shared across an organization. Synergy exists to help superintendents examine and refine those leadership dynamics with intention and clarity.

Ultimately, Synergy was created because experienced superintendents deserve professional learning that respects their expertise, challenges their thinking, and acknowledges the complexity of their role. It is not about adding more to already full calendars. It is about creating space for meaningful leadership development that strengthens districts, communities, and the future of public education in Kentucky.

Visit our webpage to learn more.

KASS Live with John Nash: Leading with Insight on Generative AI

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:39:28 GMT

John Nash: Leading with Insight on Generative AI

In the KASS Live session with John Nash, superintendents were invited into a nuanced discussion about how generative AI is shaping the educational landscape and what it means for district leadership. Nash, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership Studies at the University of Kentucky and founding director of the Laboratory on Design Thinking, offered a grounded framework for understanding AI beyond hype and anxiety. He emphasized that the integration of AI should be deliberate, anchored in clear leadership goals and centered on supporting educators and learners rather than replacing essential human judgment.

Throughout the conversation, Nash connected the promise of emerging technologies with enduring leadership principles — trust, reflection, and purpose. Rather than presenting AI as a side project or compliance task, he encouraged superintendents to consider how these tools might support problem-solving, instructional innovation, and operational clarity across their districts. His perspective reminded leaders that the essence of their role remains unchanged even as the tools evolve: guide people toward meaningful outcomes and keep students at the center of every decision.

�� Watch the full conversation with John Nash

KASS Live with Beau Barnes: Safeguarding Kentucky’s Educator Retirement System

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:36:42 GMT

Beau Barnes: Safeguarding Kentucky’s Educator Retirement System

In this KASS Live episode, Beau Barnes — Deputy Executive Secretary of Operations and General Counsel for the Teachers’ Retirement System of Kentucky (TRS) — brought superintendents into a frank conversation about the health and future of the statewide retirement system that supports Kentucky’s educators. Barnes discussed the role of sustained investment, governance integrity, and transparent communication in ensuring that TRS remains a stable and dependable benefit for teachers and administrators alike. His insights underscored that secure and well-governed retirement systems are essential to recruiting and retaining high-quality staff across districts.

Barnes also highlighted how reforms and strategic planning within TRS intersect with broader district priorities, from workforce stability to long-range financial forecasting. His discussion aimed to demystify complex pension topics and frame them in terms that district leaders can incorporate into their planning conversations. Rather than an abstract financial challenge, TRS became a lens through which superintendents could examine how retirement policy and operational decisions affect district morale, long-term hiring strategies, and community confidence in public education as a career pathway.

�� Watch the full conversation with Beau Barnes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VgqkixoaAU&list=PL-5C6cZuwEFLtZQLLGV_A3n__fBWYWk6V&index=2

KASS Live with Representative Scott Lewis: Looking Ahead for Kentucky Public Education

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:33:23 GMT

Representative Scott Lewis: Looking Ahead for Kentucky Public Education

Representative Scott Lewis brought his perspective as both a former superintendent and current legislator to KASS Live, offering a forward-looking conversation on policy priorities shaping Kentucky’s public schools. Lewis discussed the importance of bipartisan efforts to refine the state’s accountability systems, strengthen the educator workforce, and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens that can pull districts away from core instructional work. His insights blended legislative context with operational realities that superintendents face, bridging the gap between policy debate in Frankfort and decision-making in district offices.

Throughout the session, Lewis emphasized that targeted investments — including support for classroom resources, workforce development, and pension stability — are essential to sustaining momentum in student achievement and operational excellence. He encouraged leaders to engage thoughtfully with lawmakers and framed collaboration as a strategic tool for advancing initiatives that align with district priorities. His conversation reinforced that legislative outcomes matter not just for compliance, but for their cumulative impact on student opportunities, district capacity, and community trust in public education.

�� Watch the full conversation with Representative Scott Lewis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLcbk4AnClI

KASS Live with Dr. Peter Stiepleman: Leading with Purpose

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:30:14 GMT

Dr. Peter Stiepleman: Leading with Purpose

Dr. Peter Stiepleman joined KASS Live for a thoughtful conversation about leadership grounded in authenticity, clarity, and connection. Drawing on his experience as a superintendent and national leadership coach, Stiepleman shared perspectives on how intentional communication, reflective practice, and strong relationships empower school leaders to navigate complexity with confidence. His messages were less about a particular policy agenda and more about the enduring qualities that define effective leadership in challenging times.

Stiepleman’s conversation encouraged superintendents to consider leadership as a practice rooted in presence — being attuned to the needs of their teams, students, and communities while maintaining clarity of purpose. He emphasized that while external pressures are real, leaders strengthen their districts by cultivating trust, articulating clear priorities, and engaging in open dialogue with stakeholders. His insights reminded audience members that leadership is not only about strategy but about the integrity and consistency leaders bring to their roles every day.

�� Watch the full conversation with Dr. Peter Stiepleman: https://www.youtube.com/live/t_N5l34CMKY

KASS Live: Clarity When It Matters Most

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 22:55:42 GMT

KASS Live: Clarity When It Matters Most

In a policy environment that moves quickly and often lands locally, superintendents need more than information. They need clarity, context, and an honest assessment of what matters now and what is coming next.

KASS Live was created to meet that need.

KASS Live provides timely, superintendent-centered insight on legislative activity, policy shifts, and emerging issues affecting Kentucky’s public school districts. The focus is not volume or reaction, but interpretation. Each session is designed to help superintendents understand what is happening, why it matters, and how it may affect district operations, planning, and leadership decisions.

What sets KASS Live apart is its grounding in superintendent experience. The conversations are framed through the lens of district-level consequence, with attention to implementation realities, timelines, and potential risk. This is not advocacy theater or headline commentary. It is steady, informed guidance intended to support sound decision-making.

KASS Live also reinforces the value of alignment. When superintendents share a common understanding of policy developments, districts are better positioned to respond thoughtfully and collectively. That shared clarity strengthens local leadership and protects the credibility of superintendent voices across the Commonwealth.

Participation in KASS Live reflects the association’s broader commitment to serving superintendents as CEO-level leaders. The goal is not simply to report what is happening in Frankfort, but to help superintendents stay ahead of change, communicate confidently with boards and communities, and lead with steadiness in uncertain moments.

In a role where isolation is common and time is limited, KASS Live offers a trusted space for sensemaking. It supports superintendents in doing what they do best: leading districts with judgment, preparation, and a clear understanding of the policy landscape shaping Kentucky’s public schools.

Learn more HERE .

Making the Case Where It Matters: Why Local Stories Will Shape the Final Education Budget

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 20:54:30 GMT

Making the Case Where It Matters: Why Local Stories Will Shape the Final Education Budget

The House budget proposal (HB 500) marks the beginning, not the end, of Kentucky’s budget process. Legislative leaders have been clear that this initial framework is a starting point, with the most important decisions to be shaped through the Budget Review Subcommittee process in the weeks ahead.

There is no indication that the General Assembly intends to flatline education funding. To the contrary, the structure of the process signals a willingness to listen, examine, and refine. The task before Kentucky’s superintendents now is to help ensure that the final budget delivers meaningful, recurring investments, especially in the SEEK base, that align with the real operating demands of schools.

Why SEEK Matters - And Why “Meaningful” Matters More

SEEK is not just another line item. It is the foundation of every district’s operating budget and the primary source of recurring revenue used to support:

Competitive educator salaries
Classroom instruction
Day-to-day operations that keep schools safe and functional

As costs continue to rise, salary schedules advance, health insurance premiums increase, transportation expenses climb, districts depend on SEEK to keep pace. A nominal increase that does not meaningfully restore purchasing power may technically move the number, but it does not solve the underlying challenge districts face.

That is why it is so important that SEEK base increases in the final budget are meaningful in both years of the biennium. One-time adjustments or front-loaded changes without sustained growth leave districts in the same structural position just one year later.

The goal is not growth for its own sake. The goal is stability - recurring revenue aligned with recurring costs - so districts can plan responsibly, compete for educators, and sustain the academic progress Kentucky has made.

Transportation: When Local Stories Make the Case

One of the most effective ways to illustrate this reality is through local examples including pupil transportation.

Whitley County Superintendent John Siler recently shared data that makes the issue unmistakably clear. While statewide SEEK transportation funding is proposed to decline by roughly 10 percent, the cost of replacing a single school bus in his district has increased by as much as $39,000 in just a few years. That gap is not theoretical. It forces real tradeoffs between safety, instruction, and staffing.

This story is not unique to Whitley County. Districts across Kentucky, especially rural districts with long routes and aging fleets, face the same math. When transportation funding does not reflect actual costs, districts do not stop transporting students. They divert classroom dollars to cover the gap.

That is why fully funding transportation using accurate, prior-year data is so important. It doesn’t create a new program. It unlocks local dollars currently being pulled away from instruction and salaries and returns them where they belong.

The Power of Superintendent Voices in the Budget Process

Statewide averages and aggregate numbers can only tell part of the story. What moves the conversation during the Budget Review process are clear, credible, district-level examples that connect funding decisions to real consequences.

Superintendents are uniquely positioned to explain:

What a meaningful SEEK increase would allow their district to sustain or improve
How flat or insufficient growth affects local compensation decisions
How transportation funding gaps force tradeoffs that no district wants to make

These are not advocacy talking points. They are operational realities.

When legislators hear how budget choices affect bus replacement schedules, staffing stability, or long-term planning in their communities, the conversation shifts from abstract debate to practical governance.

A Clear Focus for the Weeks Ahead

As the budget process moves forward in Frankfort, the message from districts should remain disciplined and consistent:

Kentucky’s education recovery is real and nationally recognized.
That progress is tied directly to smart policy and targeted investment.
Sustaining it requires meaningful SEEK base increases in both years of the biennium, along with full transportation funding and continued attention to access and opportunity for every student regardless of geography.

The House budget is a framework. The Budget Review Subcommittee process is the opportunity to ensure the final product reflects the real needs of Kentucky’s schools.

Local stories, like Whitley County’s, are not outliers. They are the evidence policymakers need to align funding with reality.

This is the moment for superintendents to engage, share their experiences, and help shape a final budget that reinforces what is working and positions Kentucky’s public schools for continued success.

Why Cross-Pollination Strengthens Superintendent Leadership

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:27:36 GMT

Why Cross-Pollination Strengthens Superintendent Leadership

Superintendents rarely lead in isolation. Every major district decision intersects with business leaders, workforce partners, community organizations, and local industries that shape the economic and civic future of a region. Yet professional learning opportunities for superintendents rarely reflect this reality.

Cross-pollination exists to address that disconnect.

At the executive level, school superintendents and CEOs operate in different environments, but their leadership responsibilities are strikingly similar. Both are charged with setting vision, allocating resources, navigating political and public pressure, managing complex organizations, and delivering measurable results while responding to daily challenges. Both must make decisions with incomplete information and balance long-term strategy against immediate operational demands.

Synergy’s cross-pollination sessions are designed to bring these leaders into intentional dialogue, not for networking or surface-level exchange, but for meaningful executive-level learning.

By engaging with senior business and industry leaders, superintendents gain perspective on how other complex organizations approach leadership, accountability, talent development, and change management. Just as importantly, business leaders gain insight into the realities of public education leadership, strengthening mutual understanding and long-term collaboration at the community level.

This exchange matters because superintendent leadership increasingly requires fluency beyond the schoolhouse. Economic development, workforce readiness, and community stability are deeply connected to district decisions. Cross-pollination creates space for superintendents to explore these intersections thoughtfully, alongside peers who carry comparable responsibility and influence.

Within Synergy, cross-pollination is facilitated intentionally, with structured conversation and guided reflection led by KASS Consultant and leadership trainer Greg Coker. The focus remains on shared leadership challenges, decision-making under pressure, and the role executive leaders play in shaping culture, trust, and outcomes within their organizations.

For experienced superintendents, this kind of engagement offers something traditional professional learning often does not: the opportunity to test thinking, challenge assumptions, and sharpen leadership judgment through dialogue with other chief executives who understand the weight of the role.

Cross-pollination strengthens superintendent leadership because it reinforces a broader truth. Effective district leadership does not happen in isolation from the communities districts serve. It happens through informed collaboration, shared responsibility, and a clear understanding of how leadership decisions ripple across systems.

Synergy includes cross-pollination because strong superintendent leadership benefits from exposure to diverse executive perspectives, grounded conversation, and purposeful connection to the broader ecosystem shaping Kentucky’s future.

To learn more about Synergy and to register, visit our webpage .

Why the Multiplier Effect Matters for Superintendents

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:21:16 GMT

Why the Multiplier Effect Matters for Superintendents

At the superintendent level, leadership impact is rarely determined by how much a single leader knows or does personally. It is determined by how effectively that leader expands the thinking, judgment, and ownership of others across the system.

This reality is what makes the Multiplier Effect especially relevant for superintendents.

The Multiplier Effect, based on the work of Liz Wiseman, focuses on leadership behaviors that either amplify or diminish the capability of people and teams. In complex organizations like school districts, those behaviors shape not only individual performance, but organizational culture, decision quality, and long-term capacity.

For experienced superintendents, this distinction matters.

As districts grow more complex, the superintendent cannot, and should not, be the primary problem solver in every situation. Sustainable leadership requires creating conditions where principals, central office leaders, and teams are equipped and expected to think critically, contribute meaningfully, and take responsibility for results. The Multiplier Effect provides a framework for examining how leadership behaviors either enable or unintentionally limit that capacity.

What makes this framework particularly valuable at the superintendent level is its focus on how leadership shows up day to day. It is less concerned with leadership style and more concerned with impact. How are decisions framed? Whose thinking is invited into the room? How is accountability shared? Where does authority empower growth, and where might it quietly suppress it?

Synergy incorporates the Multiplier Effect because these questions sit at the heart of superintendent work.

Rather than introducing new initiatives or technical strategies, the Multiplier learning within Synergy is designed to help superintendents reflect on leadership behaviors that influence the entire system. Small shifts in how leaders listen, ask questions, delegate responsibility, and develop others can have exponential effects across districts; affecting not just leadership teams, but ultimately classrooms and students.

The Multiplier Effect is also particularly well suited to experienced superintendents because it respects professional maturity. It does not assume leaders need direction. It assumes they are capable, reflective, and ready to refine how they use their influence. The learning is practical, grounded, and immediately applicable to real leadership contexts.

Synergy’s focus on the Multiplier Effect reflects a belief that the most powerful leadership work at the superintendent level is not about doing more, but about enabling others to contribute more — thoughtfully, responsibly, and with shared ownership for outcomes.

For more information about Synergy, visit our webpage .

When the Budget Becomes Policy: What This Session Signals for Kentucky School Districts

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:48:12 GMT

In legislative sessions, individual bills often attract the most attention. But for Kentucky’s public school districts, the budget is the policy that ultimately shapes everything else. This session is no exception.

The House budget proposal released this week provides an early and important signal about legislative priorities, governing philosophy, and the operating environment districts should prepare for over the next biennium. While the proposal is described as a “bare-bones” budget, the implications for districts are anything but minimal. For superintendents, the key question is not whether education was “protected” in name, but whether the budget creates the conditions necessary for stability, staffing, and sustained improvement.

This moment calls for clarity, not reaction. Understanding what the budget signals, how it will be reviewed, and where superintendent engagement matters most will be critical in the weeks ahead.

A Shift Toward Budget Scrutiny

A defining feature of the House proposal is its reliance on an intensified Budget Review Subcommittee process, particularly for P–12 education. This approach reflects a broader legislative intent to apply a quasi zero-based budgeting lens across state government.

In practical terms, this means programs and funding streams may be examined line by line, with legislators seeking justification not only for growth, but for continuation. The rhetoric accompanying the budget emphasizes spending restraint rather than revenue limitation, reinforcing the expectation that agencies and sectors demonstrate return on investment.

For education, this posture presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Districts have evidence of progress since the pandemic, including improved assessment outcomes and national recognition for recovery gains. These results did not happen in isolation. They are directly connected to targeted policy investments and sustained district-level execution. The budget review process will be the forum where that connection must be clearly and consistently articulated.

“Protected” Education and the Reality of Flat Funding

The House proposal characterizes education funding as protected. In technical terms, several core elements remain intact: full-day kindergarten continues, Tier I funding remains at 17.5 percent, and the actuarially required contribution for the Teachers’ Retirement System is fully funded.

However, protection is not the same as progress. The SEEK base remains flat. Transportation funding is held at current levels rather than being fully funded based on updated data. Tier I does not advance beyond the existing percentage.

For districts, flat funding across these recurring revenue streams has real consequences. Salary schedules are not static. Transportation costs do not hold steady. Inflation erodes purchasing power even when nominal dollars remain unchanged.

A flat SEEK base across the biennium also creates a structural issue in the second year of the budget cycle, effectively reducing state support when enrollment shifts and local calculations are applied. Over time, this dynamic constrains districts’ ability to plan responsibly, invest in staff, and sustain instructional momentum.

Recurring Revenue and the Staffing Reality

One of the most important connections highlighted this session is the relationship between recurring revenue and personnel decisions. Budget language continues to encourage districts to provide raises for certified and classified staff. Yet when the primary recurring revenue sources that support salaries are flatlined, districts are placed in an untenable position.

Providing raises without recurring revenue creates long-term financial pressure. Salary commitments compound year over year as employees advance on the schedule. Without growth in SEEK, transportation relief, or Tier I investment, districts are asked to absorb increasing obligations with static resources.

This tension is not theoretical. It affects hiring decisions, retention efforts, and the ability to compete with private-sector wages. The growing gap between education salaries and other workforce sectors is already reshaping labor markets across the Commonwealth. Budget decisions that fail to account for this reality risk undermining the very workforce stability legislators say they want to support.

Transportation: An Ongoing Pressure Point

Transportation funding remains a persistent concern. Previous efforts to fully fund transportation were based on outdated data, resulting in partial rather than full reimbursement for districts. The current proposal maintains funding at existing levels rather than correcting that gap.

Transportation costs are recurring, unavoidable, and rising. When state funding does not keep pace, districts must divert resources from classrooms to buses, fuel, and maintenance. Fully funding transportation based on current data would free recurring local dollars that could be reinvested in instruction and teacher compensation.

The interest among some legislators in addressing transportation funding suggests this issue is not closed. It will be one of the most important areas for superintendent engagement during budget review discussions.

Tier I and Equity Considerations

Tier I funding remains at 17.5 percent, below the 20 percent level discussed in the previous budget cycle. Tier I plays a critical role in narrowing gaps between districts with differing property wealth and reinforcing the principle that educational opportunity should not depend on geography.

Incremental increases to Tier I are among the most direct ways the budget can support equity while providing recurring revenue that districts can rely on. Holding Tier I flat preserves existing disparities rather than addressing them.

Transparency Bills and Administrative Capacity

Beyond the budget, several bills advancing this session carry operational implications that intersect directly with funding decisions. Financial transparency legislation, including expanded posting requirements for credit card statements and superintendent contracts, has moved quickly.

Transparency is not a contested value. Districts already comply with extensive reporting and open records requirements. The concern is capacity. New mandates require time, systems, and staff to implement responsibly. Without accompanying resources, these requirements increase administrative workload, particularly in smaller districts with limited central office staffing.

This context matters when legislators simultaneously express concern about administrative growth. Policy choices that add reporting obligations while criticizing administrative capacity create contradictory pressures at the district level.

The Importance of Local Fiscal Impact

Several proposals this session raise questions about local revenue, including constitutional amendments affecting property taxes. While state-level fiscal impacts may be documented, the local consequences for school districts are often unclear or unaddressed.

School districts are among the largest recipients of local property tax revenue. Changes that reduce local growth without replacement funding directly affect district budgets, staffing, and services. Requesting comprehensive local fiscal impact statements is not procedural resistance. It is responsible governance.

Why Superintendent Engagement Matters Now

The budget is not final. The most consequential decisions will be shaped during the Budget Review Subcommittee process and subsequent negotiations. Many of these discussions occur outside formal hearings, making relationships and early engagement essential.

Superintendents bring credibility grounded in operational reality. The progress districts have made since the pandemic, the pressures they face in staffing and transportation, and the limits of flat funding are not abstract concepts. They are lived realities in every community.

Clear, consistent messaging focused on recurring revenue, sustainability, and return on investment will matter more than volume or rhetoric. This is the moment to reinforce that education outcomes improve when policy and funding are aligned with implementation capacity.

Staying Steady in a Compressed Session

Legislative sessions move quickly, and budget cycles move even faster. Amid a long list of bills and shifting headlines, the underlying budget framework deserves sustained attention.

For Kentucky’s superintendents, steadiness is the goal. Staying aligned around core priorities, engaging early where decisions are being shaped, and focusing on operational consequences rather than political framing will protect districts and students alike.

The budget will determine what districts can realistically deliver over the next two years. Treating it as the central policy document it is remains the most effective advocacy strategy this session.

When Well-Intended Policy Meets Implementation Reality: Why Language Matters Before the Gavel Falls

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:41:51 GMT

When Well-Intended Policy Meets Implementation Reality: Why Language Matters Before the Gavel Falls

Public education policy is rarely created in isolation. Each bill, amendment, and statutory change enters an existing system already shaped by prior laws, local practice, staffing realities, and community expectations. From a distance, individual proposals can appear straightforward. From inside a district, they often intersect in ways that are harder to anticipate.

That distinction matters, especially during a fast-moving legislative session.

Superintendents are responsible for compliance and for ensuring that policy decisions lead to stable operations, student protection, and public trust. This role requires focusing less on intent and more on how multiple policies interact once implemented.

Recent legislative conversations have underscored the importance of this distinction.

Policy Does Not Land One Bill at a Time

Legislation is typically debated, amended, and passed bill by bill. Districts, however, experience policy cumulatively.

Changes in governance language, transparency requirements, workforce initiatives, and budget provisions all enter a system already managing other mandates. These elements do not operate independently but overlap within existing district structures.

Clear, consistent language enables districts to adapt. When language overlaps or conflicts, local leaders must reconcile intent with practical realities.

That reconciliation is rarely simple.

Definitions Carry Consequence

Much of the operational risk districts face does not come from broad policy goals, but from definitions.

How a statute defines an “employee.”

How it defines “compensation.”

How it distinguishes students from staff.

How timelines are triggered.

These technical details shape daily decisions. They determine applicable policies, activated protections, and the legal frameworks districts must follow.

Imprecise definitions force districts to interpret how laws interact, increasing risk. Ambiguity leads to inconsistency, not resistance from local leaders.

Clarity at the front end reduces friction on the back end.

Transparency and Context

Transparency is an understandable policy goal. Districts operate with public funds and public trust. Most already provide extensive financial information through existing processes and open records laws.

Where challenges emerge is not transparency itself, but context.

Posting financial data without explanation can lead to misinterpretation. Misaligned budget review timelines may limit deliberation. Additional requirements can disrupt workflows, even if the information is already available.

These challenges do not argue against transparency, but highlight the need to design it with operational sequencing in mind.

Workforce Initiatives and Student Protection

Efforts to strengthen the educator pipeline are necessary and welcome. Districts benefit when students are encouraged to explore education as a profession and when pathways are created to support that interest.

Districts must also comply with student protection laws, employment statutes, and evolving accountability standards. When workforce initiatives intersect with these frameworks, precise language is essential.

The key issue is not the value of these initiatives, but whether their interaction with existing law has been fully considered.

Once a student is defined differently under statute, consequences follow. Those consequences may be unintended, but they are real.

Timing Matters

Implementation does not occur in a vacuum. Districts operate on calendars, contracts, and policy cycles that cannot always adjust midstream without disruption.

Emergency clauses, accelerated timelines, or immediate effective dates may address legislative needs but create local challenges. Allowing districts to align changes with regular policy or fiscal cycles can reduce confusion and support the law’s intent.

Stability is not resistance. It is a prerequisite for effective implementation.

Why Superintendent Voice Matters Early

These observations do not critique legislative intent. They reflect how systems function when policy moves from statute to practice.

Superintendents operate at the intersection of governance, operations, and community trust. They observe how provisions interact, where definitions blur, timelines conflict, and compliance burdens increase.

That perspective is most valuable before language is finalized.

Early superintendent input helps lawmakers anticipate interaction effects before passage. This strengthens policy by ensuring implementation realities are considered alongside legislative goals.

A Shared Interest in Getting It Right

Effective public education policy requires alignment between intent and execution. With precise language, thoughtful timelines, and anticipated interactions, districts can focus on serving students instead of managing conflicting requirements.

The decisions made this session will shape daily operations long after the gavel falls. Refining language now ensures these changes are implemented smoothly and consistently, supporting stability across Kentucky’s school districts.

That outcome serves everyone involved.

Administrative Load and Legislative Refinement: What District Leaders Need Lawmakers to Understand

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 22:20:43 GMT

Administrative Load and Legislative Refinement: What District Leaders Need Lawmakers to Understand

As Kentucky advances toward a modern accountability system focused on student growth and school improvement, ensuring that legislative refinements support, rather than undermine, this vision is essential. The same principle applies to strengthening educator pipelines and sustaining adequate funding: well-intentioned statutory changes must account for their real-world impact on district capacity and student support.

For superintendents, principals, and central office teams, legislative changes have direct implications for staffing, training, documentation, and compliance. When administrative demands increase without corresponding resources or flexibility, time and attention are pulled away from teaching, learning, and meaningful accountability work. Recognizing these impacts is essential to maintaining strong governance without diverting resources from students.

When Good Intentions Meet Operational Reality

Many legislative revisions clarify language, address court rulings, or improve consistency across statutes. These are often welcomed by education leaders. However, problems occur when revisions expand procedural requirements without considering existing district systems or the cumulative effect of multiple changes enacted simultaneously.

School districts operate in a complex regulatory environment shaped by federal, state, and local policies. Each new requirement adds documentation, tracking, and reporting. While individual changes may seem minor, their cumulative effect can overwhelm already-stretched administrative teams managing finance, transportation, special education, safety, and instructional support, particularly in smaller and rural systems where staff often serve multiple roles.

The Human Cost of Added Requirements

Consider a district HR director who currently manages recruitment, onboarding, benefits, and compliance for 500 employees. A new statute requiring additional background check verification, expanded training documentation, and quarterly reporting adds an estimated 15 hours weekly to their workload. The district faces a choice: delay hiring for critical teaching positions, redirect another staff member from student services, or fund a new position from local resources already strained by insufficient state funding.

This scenario plays out across Kentucky when legislation expands requirements without providing implementation support. Both redirecting staff time and hiring additional personnel have consequences. Redirecting staff can slow hiring, delay support services, and limit proactive planning. Hiring requires funding that rarely accompanies legislative changes, particularly challenging when districts are already managing without the $300 per-pupil SEEK increase needed to maintain current operations.

Over time, these pressures contribute to burnout, turnover, and recruitment challenges among district leaders, directly undermining efforts to build sustainable educator workforce pipelines across Kentucky.

Fiscal Notes Are Not a Formality

District leaders consistently express concern about incomplete financial impact statements on education legislation. Fiscal notes are essential for understanding how proposals will function in practice, not just in theory.

Bills requiring additional training, background checks, new reporting systems, or accelerated timelines create real costs: staff time, legal review, technology upgrades, and contracted services. Without clear estimates, districts must absorb these expenses within existing budgets or redirect local tax dollars and SEEK funds intended for instruction and student services.

This challenge intensifies when multiple bills advance simultaneously. Even modest cost increases, when combined, strain district resources and complicate planning. Transparent financial analysis enables lawmakers and education leaders to develop effective, sustainable solutions together, and helps the General Assembly fulfill its constitutional responsibility to provide adequate funding for the system it mandates.

Timing Matters

Implementation timing is equally critical. When statutory changes take effect immediately or mid-year, such as new employee screening requirements enacted in March but effective in April, districts must quickly revise policies, retrain staff, and update systems during active hiring and budget cycles. This creates confusion, increases the risk of noncompliance, and limits access to professional guidance.

Effective implementation timelines allow for proper training, clear communication, and alignment with existing systems. Policy success depends not only on the law itself, but on whether districts have adequate time to prepare.

What Good Legislative Refinement Looks Like

Productive refinement has happened before. Bills that included phased implementation, provided training resources, or aligned effective dates with the school year have been successfully adopted across Kentucky's districts. Strong legislation reflects collaboration between policymakers and practitioners who understand how laws function in real schools.

District leaders respectfully encourage lawmakers to ask three practical questions when refining legislation:

What new administrative capacity will this require locally?
What are the real and cumulative costs to districts?
Is the implementation timeline realistic and aligned with school operations?

These questions don't slow progress - they ensure legislation achieves its intended purpose without unintended consequences.

Keeping the Focus Where It Belongs

At the core of every policy discussion is a simple truth: time and resources spent on avoidable administrative complexity are not spent supporting students. District leaders are committed to legal compliance and public trust, and equally committed to enabling educators to focus on teaching, learning, and student well-being.

As Kentucky works toward a modern accountability system that measures what matters, builds educator workforce pipelines that attract and retain talent, and restores adequate funding through SEEK, legislative refinement must align with these goals. Every unnecessary administrative requirement pulls capacity away from this important work.

Kentucky's superintendents stand ready to work alongside policymakers to refine legislation that protects students, respects local capacity, and sustains a strong education workforce, while keeping the focus where it belongs: on students and the communities schools serve.

Legislative Priorities: A Clear Call to Action for Kentucky’s Public Schools

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:12:07 GMT

Kentucky’s public schools are entering a pivotal moment. As the General Assembly begins its work in the 2026 legislative session, decisions made in Frankfort will shape the future of teaching, learning, and opportunity across the Commonwealth. As superintendents responsible for educating more than 600,000 students across Kentucky, we believe this moment requires clarity, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to putting Kids First.

Public education thrives when policy reflects both statewide goals and local realities. This session, three legislative priorities rise above all others as essential to student success: a modern accountability system focused on continuous improvement, a sustainable educator workforce pipeline, and fully funded SEEK. These priorities are not theoretical. They directly impact classrooms, communities, and the future of Kentucky’s workforce.

Accountability with Purpose

Kentucky has an opportunity to lead with an accountability system that reflects what communities value most. Through the Kentucky United We Learn initiative, educators, families, and education leaders have come together to design a framework focused on continuous improvement, local voice, and shared responsibility. This collaborative work emphasizes growth, relevance, and trust rather than compliance alone.

The United We Learn framework recognizes that meaningful accountability must balance statewide expectations with locally identified measures of success, allowing communities to define what success looks like while remaining aligned to statewide goals. When communities see themselves reflected in accountability, engagement increases and outcomes improve. KASS continues to support implementation efforts that ensure accountability remains transparent, student-centered, and responsive to community needs. Learn more about the framework through the Kentucky Department of Education’s United We Learn initiative.

Building and Sustaining the Educator Workforce

Educators are the foundation of Kentucky’s public schools. Teachers, principals, and superintendents shape learning environments where students are supported academically and socially. Yet recruitment and retention challenges threaten the stability of this foundation.

Building a strong workforce pipeline requires a long-term approach. Competitive compensation, flexible certification pathways, job-embedded professional learning, and meaningful induction supports all play a role, along with the flexibility for local districts to recruit, support, and retain educators in ways that reflect their unique community contexts. KASS supports continued work with the Education Professional Standards Board to broaden pathways into the profession and ensure talented educators can meet student needs in diverse settings.

When we invest in people, we invest directly in students. Strengthening the educator pipeline is not simply a workforce issue. It is one of the most direct student success strategies available to policymakers.

Sustaining and Strengthening SEEK Funding

Equitable funding remains central to educational opportunity. The Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) formula is the Commonwealth’s primary tool for ensuring students have access to comparable educational opportunities regardless of zip code. Over time, inflation has eroded SEEK’s purchasing power, placing additional strain on local districts.

Restoring SEEK to its inflation-adjusted 2008 level, fully funding add-ons, and providing long-term predictability are essential steps toward fiscal stability and toward meeting the Commonwealth’s long-term responsibility to provide an efficient system of public education. Adequate funding allows districts to plan responsibly, support staff, and meet the academic and social-emotional needs of students. Additional information on SEEK and Kentucky’s education funding system is available through the Legislative Research Commission.

Progress Through Unified Advocacy

Kentucky’s education leaders have seen firsthand the impact of unified advocacy. In recent years, collective KASS efforts have helped secure investments in full-day kindergarten, student transportation, and school safety. These wins demonstrate what is possible when education leaders speak clearly, consistently, and together, and when superintendents engage early, often, and constructively with policymakers.

While progress has been made, continued advocacy remains essential. Each legislative session presents new challenges and opportunities, and sustained engagement ensures student needs remain at the center of policy decisions.

A Moment That Matters

This legislative session represents a defining moment for public education in Kentucky. Lawmakers must hear directly from education leaders about what students need to succeed. Public schools remain the Commonwealth’s greatest engine of opportunity, and bold, sustained investment is critical to their success.

The path forward is clear. Together, we must lead with urgency, advocate with unity, and act with purpose. KASS will continue to engage lawmakers, partner agencies, and superintendents throughout the session to advance these priorities with clarity and consistency.

Kentucky’s superintendents stand ready to work with policymakers to ensure every decision keeps students at the center and strengthens the future of public education.

District Spotlight: Butler County Schools

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:01:09 GMT

Building Butler Strong: How Strategic Investment Is Creating Opportunity for Every Learner

Public education thrives when communities, educators, and policymakers work together with a shared purpose. In Butler County Schools, that collaboration is translating into meaningful opportunities for students, thoughtful stewardship of resources, and learning experiences that extend far beyond classroom walls.

Serving more than 2,100 students across five schools, Butler County Schools is guided by a clear vision: one team with one vision that makes us Butler Strong. Central to that vision is the district’s Portrait of a Learner framework, which emphasizes character, problem solving, communication, collaboration, and global citizenship. These durable skills are woven into every initiative, ensuring students are prepared not only for graduation, but for lifelong success.

Expanding Career Pathways Through Real-World Learning

Career and technical education plays a vital role in preparing students for the workforce and postsecondary opportunities. In Butler County, legislative support for CTE has strengthened programs at the Area Technology Center, allowing students to engage in authentic, hands-on experiences that mirror real-world expectations.

One powerful example is the partnership with Northern Kentucky University, where students participated in an advanced cadaver experience as part of their healthcare pathway. This opportunity challenged students to think critically, apply classroom knowledge, and engage ethically with complex medical concepts. Experiences like this help students clarify career interests while building confidence and professionalism.

Research consistently shows that students who participate in high-quality CTE programs are more likely to graduate and pursue meaningful careers. By investing in these pathways, Kentucky is helping districts like Butler County prepare a skilled, adaptable workforce that meets regional and statewide needs.

Literacy, Service, and the Power of Connection

Academic success is deeply connected to literacy, and Butler County Schools is embracing innovative approaches to nurture both reading skills and student leadership. Supported by literacy-focused legislation, district initiatives encourage students to see learning as something that happens everywhere, not just during the school day.

At Morgantown Elementary School, the Books and Braids program brings this philosophy to life. High school students volunteer their time to mentor younger readers, combining literacy practice with relationship building and confidence. These early-morning sessions foster a love of reading while modeling empathy, responsibility, and service.

Programs like this highlight the broader impact of literacy investments. When students are engaged as leaders and mentors, learning becomes relational and meaningful, strengthening school culture and community ties.

Stewardship That Supports Classrooms

Effective use of resources is another cornerstone of student success. Through an innovative energy partnership with Trane Technologies, Butler County Schools has demonstrated how problem solving and collaboration can yield significant results. The district’s efforts have generated more than $96,000 in annual savings while improving ENERGY STAR scores across school facilities.

These savings are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent dollars that can be redirected to classrooms, instructional resources, and student supports. They also model responsible stewardship for students, showing how thoughtful decision-making can have lasting benefits.

Facility efficiency is increasingly important as districts balance rising costs with the need to maintain safe, healthy learning environments. Butler County’s approach illustrates how legislative support for facility improvements can empower districts to be both fiscally responsible and student focused.

Collaboration as a Catalyst for Growth

None of these successes happen in isolation. Butler County Schools benefits from strong partnerships with higher education institutions, community organizations, and local leaders who share a commitment to student success. These relationships expand learning opportunities and ensure students are supported by a broad network of advocates.

Collaboration within the district is equally important. By aligning initiatives to the Portrait of a Learner framework, educators across schools work toward common goals while meeting the unique needs of their students. This shared purpose strengthens consistency, equity, and outcomes.

Aligning With Kentucky’s Education Priorities

The work underway in Butler County reflects broader legislative priorities for Kentucky’s public schools. Continued support for Read to Succeed and Numeracy Counts initiatives underscores the importance of strong foundational skills. Investments in CTE and facility efficiency align with efforts to strengthen the education pipeline and ensure responsible use of public funds.

When policy and practice are aligned, districts are better positioned to innovate, plan for the future, and respond to local needs. Butler County Schools’ success demonstrates the value of sustained, thoughtful investment in public education.

Looking Ahead

As Butler County Schools looks to the future, the focus remains clear: expand opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and keep students at the center of every decision. With continued legislative support and community collaboration, the district will build on its momentum, ensuring that every learner has access to the experiences and supports they need to thrive.

Together, we are building stronger schools, brighter futures, and communities that are truly Butler Strong.

Learn more about Butler County Schools’ work by visiting Butler County Schools website.

Sustaining the Promise of SEEK: Keeping Kentucky’s Commitment to Every Child

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:09:28 GMT

For more than thirty years, Kentucky has relied on the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky formula to fulfill a simple but powerful promise: every child deserves access to a high-quality public education, no matter their zip code. The SEEK formula was designed to make this promise real by supporting equity, strengthening local schools, and prioritizing the needs of students and educators.

Today, that promise remains just as vital. Our districts continue to serve students with rising academic, mental health, transportation, and safety needs. Yet while expectations for schools have grown, state funding has not kept pace with real costs. As a result, local communities carry an increasing share of the burden, which challenges fairness and weakens our commitment to the Kids First mission.

Understanding the Funding Gap

When we look at historical trends, the issue becomes clearer. In 2008, the inflation-adjusted SEEK base was the equivalent of $5,743 per student. Today, even with periodic increases, Kentucky has not restored that level of investment. Districts, especially those with lower property wealth, are forced to rely heavily on local revenue to maintain basic programs, staffing, and student supports. This widens the gap between communities and places additional pressure on families.

As we move into a new budget cycle, this is a central KASS legislative priority. Closing the SEEK shortfall and ensuring sustainable growth in state funding is essential not just for the next two years but for long-term district planning and stability.

Why Add-Ons Matter for Students

The SEEK base is only part of the equation. Add-on components provide targeted funding for transportation, full-day kindergarten, mental health professionals, school safety officers, and other essential services. These supports reflect the real needs of Kentucky students and the increasing expectations placed on schools. Fully funding these add-ons is not optional. It is a core part of delivering on our constitutional responsibility to provide every child with an efficient system of common schools.

KASS continues to advocate for full reimbursement for school resource officers, codification of school facility funding efficiencies (such as those in HB 727), and financial impact statements on every education bill to prevent unfunded mandates for districts.

Moving Toward a Stronger, More Sustainable SEEK

SEEK can and should evolve to reflect the modern realities of public education. KASS supports improvements that include:

Annual SEEK adjustments that track inflation so districts are not losing purchasing power each year
Modernizing add-on structures to account for actual costs
Aligning state and local contributions toward a sustainable 60/40 balance
Ensuring consistency and predictability so districts can build long-term budgets with confidence

These steps strengthen local schools, reduce inequities across communities, and honor Kentucky’s commitment to public education.

Keeping Kids First: Why This Matters Now

When we talk about SEEK, we are ultimately talking about fairness. A child in a rural Eastern Kentucky county deserves every opportunity available to a child in a suburban or urban district. With consistent and equitable funding, schools can continue:

Recruiting and retaining high-quality educators
Expanding mental health and academic supports
Providing safe learning environments
Offering robust pathways in career and technical education, college preparation, and workforce development

These goals align directly with KASS’s 2026 priorities: investing in educator pipelines, reducing outdated mandates, expanding learning opportunities, and strengthening the financial foundation of Kentucky’s schools.

A Path Forward for Kentucky

The way ahead is clear. Kentucky must commit to a sustainable, fully funded SEEK system that acknowledges the real cost of educating our children. By doing so, we keep our promise to students, families, and communities. We also ensure that public education remains the Commonwealth’s most powerful driver of opportunity, mobility, and economic strength.

Together, with a unified voice and a Kids First vision, we can build a future where every student across Kentucky is supported, valued, and prepared for success.

Why Experienced Superintendents Need Different Professional Learning

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:16:08 GMT

Why Experienced Superintendents Need Different Professional Learning

Professional learning often assumes that leadership growth follows a linear path: acquire new knowledge, apply new strategies, move forward. That assumption holds early in a career. It becomes far less accurate once a leader reaches the superintendency.

Experienced superintendents are not seeking introductory frameworks or generalized leadership advice. They already understand instruction, operations, governance, and accountability. What changes over time is not the need for learning, but the nature of it.

As superintendent experience deepens, leadership challenges become less technical and more adaptive. Decisions carry broader consequences. Political and community dynamics grow more complex. The margin for error narrows, even as expectations expand. Professional learning designed for wide audiences often fails to engage this reality.

This is where the need for different professional learning emerges.

For experienced superintendents, growth happens less through acquiring new tools and more through refining judgment, strengthening influence, and examining how leadership behaviors shape organizational culture and decision-making. The most meaningful learning occurs in spaces that allow for candor, peer-level dialogue, and engagement with real problems rather than hypothetical scenarios.

Synergy was designed with this stage of leadership in mind.

Rather than attempting to serve a broad leadership audience, Synergy focuses intentionally on experienced superintendents and the specific demands of the role. It creates space for executive-level conversation, where participants can engage complex challenges without simplifying the context or translating the work for others unfamiliar with superintendent responsibilities.

A key component of Synergy is the recognition that superintendent leadership does not exist in isolation. Experienced superintendents routinely operate alongside other chief executives, whether in business, industry, or community organizations. The ability to collaborate across sectors, communicate vision effectively, and navigate competing priorities is central to district success. Synergy’s design reflects this reality by creating structured opportunities for cross-sector learning and dialogue.

Equally important, Synergy acknowledges that leadership effectiveness is often less about positional authority and more about how leaders multiply the capacity of those around them. The professional learning component grounded in the Multiplier Effect focuses on leadership behaviors that influence how teams think, contribute, and take ownership. For experienced superintendents, this level of reflection and refinement can have far-reaching impact across entire systems.

Ultimately, experienced superintendents need professional learning that respects their expertise, challenges their assumptions, and supports continued growth without adding noise. Synergy exists to provide that space — not as another conference, but as a deliberate leadership experience aligned to the complexity, responsibility, and influence of the superintendent role.

Learn more about Synergy by visiting our webpage .

Building Leadership Pipelines for Kentucky’s Future

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:45:27 GMT

Strong schools are built on strong leadership. Across Kentucky, superintendents understand that thriving classrooms and successful districts depend on more than one leader at the top. They rely on principals, assistant principals, teacher-leaders, instructional coaches, and district staff who share responsibility for shaping the future of public education. At KASS, we believe that every district deserves a great superintendent, every school deserves a great principal, and every classroom deserves a great teacher. None of that happens by accident.

Leadership Development: The Foundation of Strong Schools

Recent statewide data affirms what local leaders see every day: leadership pipelines matter. When schools intentionally invest in developing leadership capacity, they cultivate innovation, stability, and long-term success. These pipelines ensure that when experienced leaders retire or change roles, a new generation is prepared to step forward with skill and vision.

As KDE continues expanding professional learning and leadership pathways, the message is clear: leadership development is not a luxury—it is essential. Kentucky schools are meeting rising expectations related to mental health, school safety, family engagement, career readiness, and personalized learning. Meeting these demands requires a deep bench of capable, well-supported leaders.

Leadership Pipelines: Essential, Not Optional

Investing in leadership pipelines means creating systems that identify, mentor, and prepare future school leaders. These systems help districts:

Identify teachers with leadership potential
Provide targeted coaching and mentoring
Offer professional development aligned with district goals

The Wallace Foundation reports that school leadership is second only to classroom instruction in its influence on student achievement. Kentucky districts that invest in structured pipelines are creating the conditions for sustained excellence.

But leadership development in Kentucky is not limited to adults. Increasingly, schools recognize that student leadership is essential to student success . Whether through student voice initiatives, service learning, or Portraits of a Learner that emphasize collaboration, initiative, and agency, schools are intentionally cultivating leadership in young people. As I often reminded my own leadership teams, if students aren’t in on it, our efforts will fall short of their intended impact. When we invest in strong adult leadership pipelines, we make possible equally strong student leadership pipelines—ensuring that learners graduate empowered, engaged, and ready to lead in their communities and careers.

Aligning with Kentucky’s Education Priorities

KASS has long emphasized that education leadership is a workforce priority. The 2026 KASS Legislative Priorities reinforce this message through policies that support educator recruitment, retention, and leadership development—broadening certification options, expanding job-embedded professional learning, and strengthening grow-your-own initiatives such as Educators Rising.

Just as importantly, KASS advocates for reducing unnecessary bureaucratic burdens on schools so leaders can focus on students, not paperwork. Some have argued that districts are growing administrative staff unnecessarily. In reality, the expansion of district-level responsibilities is a direct response to state and federal mandates —most of them well intentioned, but increasingly complex. These requirements lean heavily toward compliance rather than engagement, empowerment, or student impact, and they come with extensive reporting, monitoring, and oversight obligations.

When laws are passed quickly, without full consideration of the operational impact, they can create wide-ranging, unintended consequences—especially when they are underfunded or unfunded. These mandates directly shape district staffing patterns, making administrative support a necessity rather than a choice. If Kentucky wants leaner bureaucracy, the solution is not to cut people who are required to carry out legally mandated tasks—it is to r eview and streamline the mandates themselves so schools can redirect time, resources, and talent back into developing strong leaders at every level.

This vision aligns directly with United We Learn , which calls on Kentucky to rethink accountability and build systems that empower, rather than constrain, educators and local communities.

Investing in People for Student Success

Leadership pipelines strengthen the teaching profession and improve outcomes for every learner. Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that schools led by effective principals see higher teacher retention and stronger student performance. And when adult leaders focus on empowering students, the impact multiplies. Schools with strong leadership cultures give students more opportunities to practice agency, take initiative, and develop the skills emphasized in Kentucky’s Portrait of a Learner.

KASS continues to advocate for legislative funding that prioritizes people over programs. Districts need flexibility and resources to provide competitive salaries, mentoring programs, and professional learning communities that elevate educators at every stage of their careers—and, in turn, elevate the leadership pathways available to students.

A Shared Vision for the Future

For Kentucky’s superintendents, this work is both urgent and hopeful. Leadership development provides stability during times of change and momentum during times of challenge. Across the Commonwealth, superintendents are cultivating a culture of mentorship, collaboration, and lifelong learning that benefits every student.

By strengthening Kentucky’s leadership pipeline—both for adults and for students—we ensure that every child learns in a school led by compassionate, highly skilled professionals committed to keeping Kids First . That is how we build a stronger, more resilient future for Kentucky’s public schools.

District Spotlight: Morgan County Schools

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:53:40 GMT

Building Strong Foundations: How Morgan County Schools’ MTSS Model is Redefining Student Success

Nestled in the hills of Eastern Kentucky, Morgan County Schools stands as a powerful example of what happens when vision, community, and legislative support come together to serve every student. With around 1,600 students across six schools, the district is small in size but large in heart—driven by a deep belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.

Through the implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Morgan County is not only improving academic outcomes but also redefining what equitable learning looks like in rural education. This work is made possible through targeted state and federal investments, including increased SEEK and Tier I funding and legislative support for the Read to Succeed and Numeracy Counts Act.

A Community Rooted in Resilience and Hope

Morgan County’s story begins with a tradition of strength and resilience. In a region where many families face economic hardship, the schools have become the heartbeat of the community—a place where hope is cultivated and opportunity takes root.

Superintendent Dr. Ralph W. Hamilton and his leadership team understand that rural districts must often do more with less. Legislative resources have provided essential flexibility—allowing Morgan County to prioritize “people over programs,” attract and retain talented educators, and align instruction to the unique needs of their students.

This emphasis on local priorities reflects the broader goals of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) 2026 Legislative Agenda, which calls for closing the SEEK funding shortfall, improving school construction funding, and strengthening the educator pipeline. Morgan County’s work exemplifies how these priorities can come to life at the district level.

What MTSS Means for Students

MTSS is a proactive, evidence-based approach that helps schools meet students where they are—academically, behaviorally, and emotionally. In Morgan County, the model is built around three tiers of support:

Tier I: Universal instruction that serves over 80% of students through high-quality, grade-level teaching and schoolwide supports.
Tier II: Targeted interventions for roughly 15% of students who need additional help in specific skill areas.
Tier III: Intensive, individualized interventions for the 5% of students who require specialized, sustained support.
This system ensures that learning is fluid and responsive. Teachers regularly review data to identify student needs, adjust instruction, and collaborate across grade levels. The goal is not just to improve test scores—but to create confident, independent learners prepared to succeed in life beyond the classroom.

The Power of Partnership

The success of MTSS in Morgan County is not solely the result of internal strategy—it’s the outcome of partnerships that span the entire community. Local businesses provide mentorships and work-based learning experiences that give students real-world perspective.

Community organizations play a vital role in social-emotional learning (SEL) and family engagement, while nearby higher education institutions open doors to advanced coursework and career pathways.

These connections extend the classroom into the community, reflecting one of KASS’s core advocacy goals: empowering local districts to collaborate for sustainable, community-centered learning.

Results That Speak for Themselves

Morgan County’s investment in MTSS is already producing measurable and meaningful results:

Improved academic performance on both state and local assessments.
Consistently high graduation rates that reflect a culture of persistence.
Decreased behavioral referrals, signaling stronger student engagement.
Higher attendance rates, often linked to the sense of belonging cultivated in supportive classrooms.

Teachers report increased positive behavior, engagement, and collaboration among students. Through targeted interventions and small-group instruction, students build confidence and master challenging content. The district’s commitment to holistic education is embodied in its Portrait of a Learner—encouraging each child to grow as an Impactful Citizen, Confident Contributor, Empathetic Servant, Solution Seeker, and Effective Communicator.

Celebrating Excellence and Recognition

Morgan County’s schools are no strangers to recognition.

Ezel Elementary has twice been named a National Blue Ribbon School.
East Valley Elementary earned the same distinction once and ranked among the top ten schools statewide in 2024 performance on the Kentucky Summative Assessment.
All six district schools—East Valley, Ezel, Morgan Central, Wrigley Elementary, Morgan County Middle, and Morgan County High—have been recognized as Prichard Committee Family Friendly Schools.

These achievements represent far more than accolades; they are evidence of a district culture built on collaboration, equity, and continuous improvement.

Legislative Support: A Lifeline for Rural Opportunity

Morgan County’s success is directly tied to strong legislative partnerships and advocacy for equitable funding.

Increased SEEK and Tier I funding has allowed the district to recruit and retain high-quality educators, improve compensation, and sustain critical programs that larger districts often take for granted. This aligns closely with KASS’s call to close the SEEK shortfall and ensure that Kentucky’s funding formula provides a fair opportunity for all students, regardless of zip code.

Similarly, continued investment in the Read to Succeed and Numeracy Counts Act helps ensure that foundational literacy and numeracy skills are supported from the earliest grades—an essential step toward fulfilling the United We Learn framework’s vision for lifelong learning.

Looking Ahead: Sustaining the Momentum

For Morgan County Schools, MTSS is not a one-time initiative—it’s an ongoing process of reflection, collaboration, and growth. As the district continues to build capacity, expand professional learning, and engage families, it serves as a model for how Kentucky’s rural districts can deliver innovation with limited resources.

Dr. Hamilton notes that the district’s greatest strength lies in its people: “When we prioritize people over programs, we build a system where every student—and every educator—can succeed.”

This mindset perfectly captures KASS’s vision for Kentucky’s future: a united, learner-centered system where every child, regardless of background, has the tools to succeed.

Why This Matters for Kentucky’s Future

The lessons from Morgan County are clear:

Legislative investments in equity yield transformative outcomes.
Supporting educators drives systemic improvement.
Collaboration among schools, families, and communities creates sustainable success.

As Kentucky continues to build on the United We Learn vision, districts like Morgan County demonstrate what’s possible when funding, flexibility, and local leadership align. Their story proves that even in the most rural corners of the Commonwealth, the pursuit of excellence knows no limits.

Join the Movement

Learn more about Morgan County Schools’ work by following Morgan County Schools on Facebook or @SuptMCS on X.

Together, we’re shaping the future of Kentucky’s public education—one student, one school, and one strong community at a time.

Local Voices, Local Metrics: How Kentucky Districts Are Redefining Accountability for 2026 and Beyond

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:47:47 GMT

Accountability in Kentucky’s public education system is strongest when it reflects the voices and values of local communities along with statewide priorities for reading, math, transition readiness, graduation, student growth and grade-level performance. Across the Commonwealth, districts are demonstrating how local innovation, data transparency, and community collaboration can transform how we define student success. By elevating both metrics and meaning, superintendents are building systems that not only meet state standards but also reflect the priorities of Kentucky families, educators, and students.

Reimagining Accountability through Local Voices

Kentucky’s approach to accountability has long emphasized state assessment results and compliance metrics. But superintendents across the state are asking an essential question: What if our accountability systems measured what matters most to our communities?

Districts like Kenton County, Fleming County, and Bullitt County are answering that call by building community-facing dashboards that align state-required data with locally meaningful measures. These dashboards showcase not just test scores, but also indicators like career readiness, student well-being, and authentic learning experiences.

Kenton County Schools has created an online dashboard that pairs academic results with student wellness data and career readiness outcomes, giving families a more holistic understanding of progress.

Fleming County Schools has built an interactive Portrait of a Graduate Dashboard that tracks academic growth, career readiness, and community engagement in real time. This local system reflects the district’s vision for transparent, community-centered accountability.

Bullitt County Schools has reimagined communication by sharing stories of teachers and students who embody the district’s goals, turning abstract data into relatable narratives.

Other districts, including Greenup, Shelby, and Butler counties, are also piloting new models that blend data, transparency, and storytelling, proving that accountability goes beyond compliance, focusing on clarity, connection and meaningful experiences.

Accountability as a Partnership

At its core, accountability should not be something done to schools; it should be built with schools and communities. Families want to see how their schools are preparing students for the future, but they also want evidence that reflects their own local priorities.

Dashboards that visualize data on career pathways, student engagement, and community service create a shared language of progress. When a district superintendent pairs a rising graduation rate with a student’s career pathway story, accountability becomes more than a number. It becomes a narrative of growth and opportunity.

Connecting Local Innovation to Statewide Vision

This movement toward locally aligned accountability directly supports the 2026 KASS Legislative Priorities, particularly the goal to “Launching a meaningful and modern education accountability system”

The United We Learn initiative, led by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), envisions an education system rooted in equity, innovation, and deeper learning. It calls for locally developed accountability structures that balance state oversight with the flexibility districts need to measure what matters most.

KASS has elevated superintendents voices in the development of this vision. Our association believes that district-driven accountability (guided by community voices and informed by real-world data) is essential to preparing students for lifelong learning and success.

As part of its 2026 advocacy platform, KASS continues to champion policies that:

Empower districts to use authentic, locally developed measures of learning and growth.
Encourage innovation in how schools report performance to families and communities.
Support professional learning for superintendents and educators to implement next-generation accountability models.
Provide the flexibility in the system to reflect the unique needs and opportunities of each community.
Local Metrics in Action: From Data to Story

When data tells a story, communities engage. That’s the lesson coming from districts like Kenton and Fleming counties.

Instead of publishing charts filled with unfamiliar terms, these districts are using interactive dashboards and story maps to bring numbers to life. For example, a dashboard may show how many students completed dual credit courses, but it might also feature a short video of a student explaining how that course prepared them for college or a career in healthcare.

This blend of quantitative and qualitative reporting is reshaping how stakeholders perceive accountability. It’s not just about performance indicators; it’s about understanding impact.

Moreover, these approaches promote trust and transparency, which are key pillars in public education. Research from the National School Public Relations Association emphasizes that storytelling paired with data enhances community confidence and fosters long-term engagement. Kentucky districts are proving this to be true.

Building Capacity for the Future

KASS recognizes that building local accountability systems requires both resources and professional support. That’s why our 2026 legislative priorities include continued investment in educator development, particularly around data/assessment literacy and local communication strategies.

Superintendents must be equipped to lead not only instructional change but also narrative change by helping their communities understand what modern education success looks like. By aligning accountability with career readiness pathways, numeracy and literacy goals, and authentic learning experiences, districts ensure that local innovation complements statewide progress.

This work also ties to KASS’ long-term focus on education funding reform, ensuring that districts have the flexibility to direct resources toward initiatives that support locally defined outcomes.

A Kids First Approach to Accountability

Every element of this new accountability vision circles back to the KASS mission: putting Kids First.

When schools measure what truly matters (student engagement, well-being, and preparedness) they reinforce the belief that accountability should serve students, over systems. The shift toward local metrics ensures that the measures of success are as diverse as the communities they represent.

As KASS Executive Director Dr. Jim Flynn often reminds us, “Accountability is about strengthening how we practice and grow, as much as proving performance and impact.” This mindset empowers districts to take ownership of their data and design models that celebrate both progress and potential.

Looking Ahead: Accountability as a Living Practice

Kentucky’s superintendents are leading the way toward a more meaningful accountability future. They know that one-size-fits-all models cannot capture the diverse strengths of Kentucky’s school districts.

By elevating local voices and local metrics, we are shaping a system that measures not only student achievement but also the relationships, creativity, and resilience that define lifelong learning.

This work isn’t a moment in time; it’s a movement taking shape. As Kentucky continues to innovate under the inspiration of the United We Learn vision, KASS remains committed to advocating for policies that amplifies superintendent voices and builds traction for sustained progress into 2026 and beyond.

Partnering with Families to Support Voluntary Preschool for All

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 21:02:30 GMT

Preschool is more than a stepping stone to kindergarten. It represents a critical investment in Kentucky’s children, families, and communities. Decades of research confirms that high-quality early learning experiences yield lifelong academic, social, and economic benefits. For the Commonwealth, expanding access to preschool is more than an educational goal; it represents both a moral and an economic imperative.

Laying the Foundation for Lifelong Success

Children’s earliest years are marked by rapid brain development. According to the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, more than one million new neural connections form every second during the first few years of life. These connections shape how children learn, interact, and problem-solve throughout their lives. When children attend high-quality preschool programs, they build foundational skills (language, emotional regulation, curiosity, and cooperation) that are directly linked to later academic and career success ( Harvard University, 2023 ).

For children from low-income families or those with disabilities, early access to structured learning opportunities can be transformative. A longitudinal study by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) found that students who attended high-quality preschool were more likely to graduate from high school, pursue higher education, and earn higher wages as adults ( NIEER, 2022 ). By investing in early education, Kentucky can narrow opportunity gaps before they widen.

Strengthening Families and Supporting the Workforce

Preschool access goes beyond education; it’s also essential to building a strong workforce. Families need reliable, affordable childcare to fully participate in the economy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation estimates that Kentucky loses over $2 billion annually in economic activity due to childcare-related workforce disruptions ( U.S. Chamber Foundation, 2023 ). When parents have confidence that their children are safe, supported, and learning, they can focus on their careers and contribute more productively to the workforce.

This connection between early education and workforce stability underscores the importance of viewing preschool as infrastructure, equally essential to roads, broadband, and utilities. Expanding preschool access strengthens Kentucky’s labor participation rates and builds a stronger foundation for future economic growth.

A Smart Investment with Lasting Returns

For every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood programs, society sees a return of up to $7 through improved educational outcomes, increased earnings, and reduced social costs, according to Nobel laureate economist James Heckman ( Heckman, 2022 ). The long-term benefits ripple across generations: higher graduation rates, lower crime rates, better health outcomes, and stronger communities.

These outcomes make preschool a rare policy area that enjoys bipartisan support. Across Kentucky, leaders from every political perspective recognize the value of investing in children’s earliest years. When we put Kids First, we build stronger schools, stronger families, and a stronger Commonwealth.

Models of Collaboration Across Kentucky

Kentucky already has strong models demonstrating how collaboration can expand early learning opportunities. Across the state, public schools and private childcare providers have partnered to create blended preschool programs that reach more children while maintaining high quality standards. The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and the Kentucky Department of Education have led initiatives (such as community schools and literacy grants) that show how shared responsibility can produce meaningful results.

These partnerships serve as a blueprint for scaling success. By bringing together local districts, community organizations, parents/families, and private partners, Kentucky can ensure that every child, regardless of zip code or income, begins their educational journey with confidence.

Policy Leadership and the Path Forward

Superintendents play a critical role in advancing preschool access. As education leaders, they understand that early learning investment affects not only classroom readiness but also community vitality. KASS advocates for policy solutions that ensure stable funding, equitable access, and quality standards across all early learning programs.

Key policy actions include:

Expanding state funding for preschool programs, particularly in underserved areas.
Supporting mixed-delivery models that allow public schools and private providers to collaborate effectively.
Improving educator pay and professional development to recruit and retain high-quality preschool teachers.
Streamlining regulations to remove barriers that prevent families from accessing programs easily.

These actions align with KASS’s 2026 legislative priorities, which emphasize purposeful advocacy and proactive solutions to improve Kentucky’s public education system.

Economic and Community Impact

When preschool participation increases, communities thrive. Parents remain in the workforce, local businesses experience greater stability, and children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Studies from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis show that communities investing in early learning see higher employment rates, stronger tax bases, and reduced dependency on social services ( Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, 2021 ).

For rural areas, where workforce participation and childcare availability often lag, these investments are particularly crucial. Kentucky’s rural communities, like those in Eastern and Western Kentucky, stand to gain the most from expanded preschool access, both socially and economically.

Voices from the Field

Superintendents across the Commonwealth echo a common theme: preschool investment is an investment in Kentucky’s future. They witness firsthand how early learning changes lives. As one superintendent recently shared, “When children arrive in kindergarten ready to learn, everything changes, from classroom engagement to long-term academic success. The impact is immediate and enduring.”

Local partnerships also reveal how preschool builds stronger family-school connections. Parents involved in early learning programs are more likely to stay engaged throughout their child’s education, fostering a culture of collaboration between home and school. That engagement creates a ripple effect: students thrive academically, and schools become more responsive to community needs.

Putting Kids First

At KASS, our guiding principle is simple: When we put Kids First, everyone wins. Preschool is not an expense to be debated; it’s a commitment to the future of Kentucky’s children and the prosperity of our Commonwealth.

By expanding access to high-quality preschool, we give every child the chance to reach their full potential, every family the opportunity to participate in the workforce, and every community the tools to grow stronger together.

Investing in preschool is more than smart policy; it’s a promise to our future.

Beyond Pay: Kentucky’s Path to a Strong Education Workforce

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:07:01 GMT

Building the Workforce Kentucky’s Students Deserve

Across the Commonwealth, superintendents are confronting the same challenge: how to attract and keep the high-quality educators and staff every student deserves. Compensation matters, but as Kentucky’s education leaders know, it is not sufficient on its own. Building a durable education workforce requires clearing certification bottlenecks, aligning professional learning to the real work of teaching, reducing outdated mandates, and empowering local accountability grounded in United We Learn .

KASS’s 2026 priorities point the way forward: recruit and retain high-quality teachers and staff, study and remove outdated mandates, and build momentum for an accountability system aligned to United We Learn, a model that supports innovation and meaningful measures of student learning.

The Workforce Reality: Vacancies, Turnover, and Competition for Talent

Recent data from the Kentucky Department of Education’s 2023–24 Educator Shortage Report show that 13 percent of all posted vacancies remained unfilled for the entire school year, and districts reported 1,766 classified support staff vacancies as of September 1. These positions are vital to student learning and daily operations.

Turnover is equally costly. According to the Learning Policy Institute , teacher turnover, which includes costs for separation, recruitment, and onboarding, averages between $12,000 and $25,000 per teacher depending on district size. High turnover drains resources that could otherwise support classrooms and is linked to lower student achievement.

Kentucky cannot simply hire its way out of the challenge. The state must compete for talent by making it easier for educators to enter, remain, and grow in the profession.

Certification Reform: Widening the Gate Without Lowering the Bar

One of the most significant barriers to building Kentucky’s teacher workforce lies in certification. For decades, certification structures have been rigid, with limited flexibility for individuals who bring valuable experience into the classroom.

Kentucky has taken meaningful steps to address this issue. In June 2025, the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) reviewed recommendations from its Certification Structure Workgroup to modernize grade bands and expand flexible pathways. These proposals include multiple ways to demonstrate competency, broader grade-band options such as K–8 or 6–12, and smoother entry routes for experienced professionals, particularly in high-need secondary and career and technical education fields.

There are particular high needs areas in Kentucky. Almost every district across the state has experienced certification issues related to secondary math and science positions. Recommendations like general science certifications for 6-12 can help attract potential educators and free up certification quandaries at the secondary level. Currently, unlike say English, where a teacher could teach any of the grade levels in that content, science has highly specific degrees that require not just a science credential, but biology, or chemistry, or physics. The legislature can ensure all stakeholders are brought together to address these types of challenges.

Reforming certification does not mean lowering standards. It means removing barriers that keep capable people out while maintaining high expectations that protect students and the profession.

Professional Learning That Works: Job-Embedded, Ongoing, and Focused

Recruitment without retention is a revolving door. Research shows that sustained, job-embedded professional learning improves both teaching practice and student outcomes.

KASS’s 2026 priorities call for aligning professional development requirements with educator contracts to emphasize personalized, job-embedded learning. That alignment shows respect for educators’ time and ensures that professional learning translates into stronger instruction. Many districts have created wonderful models of this by taking advantage of flexible calendars, instructional coaches, and federal funding. We must ensure those are highlighted and we continue to create these opportunities for teachers across the commonwealth.

When our schools dedicate time for coaching, professional learning communities, and curriculum-aligned professional development, we treat teacher learning as essential infrastructure, not a compliance task. By giving them a voice in this learning, we help retain teachers in the profession.

Local Accountability and Local Empowerment

Accountability frameworks shape how educators experience their work. When accountability emphasizes growth, authenticity, and community goals, teachers are more likely to stay and thrive.

Kentucky’s United We Learn Council is developing a new accountability framework to present to legislators in 2026. The framework aims to capture the full breadth of student learning and opportunity, reflecting goals defined by local communities.

Educators come to work everyday hoping to make a difference for students. This means ensuring essential learning goals but when this happens, what this looks like, and how we go about achieving it are nuanced. Local accountability gives us the opportunity to have a more holistic view of a student as well as the tireless work our educators do each day.

This focus on local empowerment is central to KASS’s vision. Local accountability allows districts to design systems of growth rather than systems of punishment. As we continue building momentum for a unified accountability model that empowers districts to innovate for student success while maintaining clarity and comparability, we will attract and retain teachers to the profession.

Strengthening the Pipeline: From Middle School to Master Teacher

To compete for talent, Kentucky must inspire the next generation of educators long before they reach college. KASS supports expanding Educators Rising chapters in every middle and high school so students can explore teaching as a meaningful career path.

Because most annual teacher demand results from attrition rather than new positions, retention is the most powerful workforce strategy. When early pipeline programs are paired with strong mentoring, induction, and leadership development, educators see a clear and lasting future within Kentucky schools.

Cut the Red Tape: Let Educators Focus on Students

Finally, superintendents across Kentucky report that overlapping mandates and reporting requirements create unnecessary burdens. Legislative and research briefings, including findings from the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission , have highlighted the need for modernization. Simplifying and streamlining these processes would return valuable time to teaching and leadership.

KASS applauds recent legislative progress and supports continued collaboration with policymakers to ensure that reforms are practical, measurable, and sustainable. The Red Tape Reduction Act was a valuable first step in streamlining evaluation requirements and professional learning. There is still much work to do, however, particularly with legislative unfunded mandates, departmental interpretation of existing laws and regulations, and unleashing technology to allow schools to spend more time on student achievement and less time on burdensome bureaucratic initiatives. KASS is ready to work with our legislative partners to identify more opportunities to continue to cut red tape.

A Call to Action

KASS stands ready to partner with lawmakers, the EPSB, the Kentucky Department of Education, higher education, and local communities to recruit, retain, and elevate Kentucky’s education workforce. Together, we can ensure that every student learns from teachers and staff who are well-prepared, well-supported, and proud to call Kentucky home.

District Spotlight: Burgin Independent Schools

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:46:19 GMT

District Spotlight: Burgin Independent School

Nestled in the heart of Mercer County, Burgin Independent School stands as a model of what small schools can achieve when every student is known, valued, and empowered to lead. Serving approximately 530 students from preschool through 12th grade, the district continues a long legacy of community-driven education that dates back to its founding alongside the town of Burgin in the late 1800s.

Under the leadership of Superintendent Chris LeMonds, Burgin Independent has embraced the power of connection—both within the classroom and across generations. One shining example is Burgin Family Day, a monthly, schoolwide initiative that brings together students from every grade level to build relationships, foster leadership, and strengthen the school’s family-like culture. Each month, a new theme—such as kindness, respect, or teamwork—guides activities that pair older and younger students for mentorship, collaborative learning, and fun.

The results speak volumes. Since the program’s launch, 100% of students have participated each month, disciplinary referrals have declined, and teachers report stronger classroom relationships and improved morale. Parents echo that sentiment, often calling Burgin’s approach “a small school with a big heart.” One 10th grader shared, “I like Family Day because I get to spend time with younger kids and help them feel welcome,” while a second grader reflected, “The older students make me feel special because they spend time with me.”

Legislative support has also played a key role in helping Burgin continue its mission. Through the recent increase in SEEK funding, the district is now hiring a full-time School Resource Officer (SRO)—a long-held priority that ensures every student learns in a safe and supportive environment.

As Burgin Independent looks ahead, the district aims to expand Family Day to include community partnerships, parent engagement, and cross-curricular connections, continuing to model the power of unity and empathy in education.

Redefining Accountability: Fleming County’s Moonshot

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 01:05:02 GMT

Redefining Accountability: Fleming County’s Moonshot

Fleming County Schools has emerged as a national leader in redefining what accountability means for public education in Kentucky. Their journey, driven by local voices, bold leadership, and a relentless focus on students, offers a living example of how districts can shape systems that honor both rigorous standards and community values.

The story did not happen overnight. Fleming County’s “moonshot” began with a simple but powerful question: how can we measure success in ways that reflect the growth, readiness, and creativity of every student? Instead of relying solely on one-day test scores, the district committed to building an accountability system that tells a richer story.

Through years of iteration, Fleming County created its Measures of Quality (MoQs) framework. This model balances academic growth with durable skills, real-world application, and readiness for life beyond school. Students are invited to demonstrate mastery through projects, presentations, and authentic work that reflects their unique talents and aspirations.

Dr. Brian Creasman, Superintendent of Fleming County Schools, describes this approach as being “inches from landing.” For him, accountability is not about compliance, but about community. “When families, teachers, and students see themselves in the story of success, accountability becomes a shared promise, not a bureaucratic burden,” he explained.

The district’s progress is visible not only in dashboards and reports, but in the confidence of its culture. Teachers feel empowered to innovate. Students see purpose in their learning. Families trust that their schools are preparing children for both college and careers. This cultural shift is what makes Fleming County’s work so significant.

Artifacts of the journey tell the story best. Students presenting their portfolios to community panels. Teachers collaborating on new performance assessments. Families giving input on what readiness means for their children. These moments showcase accountability not as a policy, but as a practice lived out every day in classrooms and communities.

For superintendents across the Commonwealth, Fleming County provides an inspiring example. Local accountability can be bold, human, and effective. It can honor state expectations while elevating what matters most to communities. Most importantly, it can keep Kids First by ensuring every child is seen, supported, and celebrated for who they are becoming.

District Spotlight: Lawrence County Schools

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:25:46 GMT

Lawrence County Schools: Cultivating Innovation and Community Pride

Nestled in the scenic hills of Eastern Kentucky, Lawrence County Schools has a long legacy of educational excellence and resilience. Once home to more than 100 one-room schoolhouses, the district has evolved into a thriving school system that now offers a blend of tradition and innovation. With programs ranging from Gifted and Talented education to Advanced Placement, dual credit opportunities, and an expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) portfolio, the district ensures every student has a pathway to success.

Superintendent Katie Webb and her team are committed to tailoring learning experiences that inspire, challenge, and empower each student. With a focus on both academic rigor and extracurricular engagement, Lawrence County nurtures school spirit, family involvement, and community pride—values that are central to the district’s mission.

A transformational moment for the district came in 2021 when state leaders approved funding for a new Local Area Vocational Education Center (LAVEC). This investment provided Lawrence County High School with expanded facilities, including a state-of-the-art greenhouse. As agriculture instructor Melissa Blackburn explained, “The new greenhouse is an incredible enhancement to our program. It exposes students to cutting-edge technology they’ll encounter in industry settings, from advanced irrigation to electrical and industrial maintenance”.

The LAVEC has since become a hub of opportunity. Through programs like Building America Apprenticeship (ABA2), students are gaining real-world skills and workforce readiness. Internships and apprenticeships are expanding in collaboration with community partners, while achievements in agriculture, JROTC, FFA, and HOSA showcase how students are excelling on both local and national stages.

Partnerships are central to Lawrence County’s success. Organizations like Three Rivers Medical Center, The Jordan Center, Joe Young Insurance, and Dr. Lester’s Pre-Dentistry Program provide students with internships and job-shadowing experiences that prepare them for high-demand careers. These connections ensure students can stay in their community while pursuing meaningful, future-ready work.

Looking ahead, Lawrence County Schools will continue to expand opportunities for all learners—bridging academics, workforce development, and community collaboration. With the support of their legislative partners and the commitment of district leadership, Lawrence County is demonstrating how rural schools can unlock student potential and strengthen Kentucky’s future.

Why Funding Matters in Local Accountability

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:33:50 GMT

Why Funding Matters in Local Accountability

Any accountability system begins with a simple truth: in order for schools to deliver on their promises to students, adequate and equitable funding must exist. Each Kentucky district faces its own realities: urban and rural, large and small, county and independent, property-rich and property-poor. Yet all 171 school districts share the same responsibility: meet the educational needs for every child in the Commonwealth. This was the promise of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). It took courage to not only paint a picture of what Kentucky schools should be, but also fund those initiatives.

The SEEK formula was designed with this balance in mind. Its founding vision recognized that every community has unique assets and challenges, and that state support is necessary to ensure fairness across the Commonwealth. This is what makes the formula powerful: it allows all districts, regardless of size, wealth, or demographics, to provide the foundational opportunities every child deserves and that’s required by Kentucky statute.

When schools are properly funded, vibrant learning becomes possible. Resources extend beyond textbooks and technology; they include the ability to hire and retain strong teachers, offer diverse programs for every learner, and provide meaningful experiences that prepare students for life. Whether it is advanced coursework, career and technical pathways, robust arts programs, or gifted and talented classes, funding makes these opportunities a reality. And for Kentucky School Districts, the promise of KERA was that the state would shoulder the largest burden. This promise has not been upheld since 2008.

Local accountability means communities have a voice in shaping how dollars are used to hold their local districts accountable. Superintendents and boards must be able to deploy funds where they are needed most, reflecting the values and priorities of local families. Adequate SEEK funding, paired with flexibility, ensures that schools can adapt to the specific needs of their students while remaining aligned with state goals.

As we expand accountability to the local community, the call to action is clear: to achieve the goals our community desires, we must have state funding to turn these aspirations into a reality. Districts are committed to transparency, innovation, and results, but they must have the fiscal foundation to succeed. A statewide approach that strengthens SEEK and honors local context is essential to sustaining meaningful learning opportunities in every Kentucky community for every Kentucky student.

Funding is not just about numbers - It is about what those numbers mean in classrooms, in hallways, and in the lives of children. When we fund our schools equitably and responsibly, we build a system of accountability that truly reflects the values of Kentucky: fairness, opportunity, and schools that put Kids First.

Teachers Enable Vibrant Learning

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 23:22:14 GMT

Teachers Enable Vibrant Learning

At the heart of every vibrant learning experience is a strong teacher. A great educator transforms content into curiosity, and classrooms into spaces where students feel both challenged and supported. When we talk about building a future-ready public education system in Kentucky, the starting point is clear: we must ensure a great teacher is present in every classroom.

Kentucky’s school leaders have worked diligently to raise teacher pay in recent years. In fact, many districts have given some of the largest percentage raises in their history, and those efforts have largely kept pace with inflation. But keeping up is not the same as catching up. Teachers have not regained the ground lost during the lean years following the 2008 recession, when salaries failed to keep pace with rising costs. At the same time, private sector wages have surged ahead, widening the pay gap and making it harder to recruit and retain the next generation of educators.

We cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. Long-term commitments such as pensions, health care, and retirement security are essential for stability in the profession. At the same time, year-to-year funding for salaries and classroom resources determines whether teachers feel valued and whether districts can attract the next generation of talent. Both elements matter. Both must be sustained.

Teachers are not asking for luxuries; they are asking for the conditions that make vibrant learning possible. Competitive salaries, reliable benefits, and supportive working environments ensure Kentucky classrooms remain staffed with the kind of educators who bring lessons to life. Without these, we risk losing teachers to other professions or neighboring states, which is an outcome Kentucky cannot afford.

This is why our legislative advocacy must stay focused on both sides of the equation. Investing in SEEK funding, protecting retirement systems, and ensuring sustainable pathways for compensation are not abstract policy debates. They are the concrete decisions that determine whether every Kentucky child has access to a strong teacher, every single year.

As superintendents, we know the stakes. When teachers thrive, students thrive. Vibrant learning is not a slogan; it is the daily work happening in classrooms across the Commonwealth. Let us continue to lead with purpose, advocate with unity, and put Kids First by ensuring that Kentucky teachers have the respect, resources, and rewards they deserve.

District Spotlight: Wayne County

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:31:26 GMT

Wayne County ATC: Building Secure Pathways to Tomorrow’s Jobs

In Monticello, Wayne County Schools is demonstrating the powerful outcomes possible when state investment, district leadership, and industry partnership align. The Wayne County Area Technology Center (ATC), a 75,000-square-foot facility opened in 2020, has become a model for how career and technical education (CTE) can secure Kentucky’s future workforce while transforming opportunities for students.

A Hub for Career Readiness

Designed to replicate real-world workplaces, the ATC immerses students in pathways ranging from Construction, Welding, Automotive Technology, and Machine Tool to Health Science, Agriculture, Computer Science, and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG). Classrooms feature robotics, CNC equipment, additive manufacturing, and industrial-grade tools, ensuring students leave with skills that directly match the needs of local employers.

The ATC’s close proximity to Somerset Community College allows dual credit courses to flourish. All nine ATC instructors serve as KCTCS adjunct faculty, each offering multiple dual-credit opportunities that give students a head start on postsecondary credentials.

Measuring Success

The numbers tell a story of meaningful outcomes:

760 students are enrolled in ATC programs and 543 in high school CTE.
86% of ATC seniors graduate postsecondary ready through certifications, dual credit, or exams.
160 students registered for CTE dual credit in 2024–25, an increase fueled by Work Ready scholarships.
A tailored IEP/ELP tutoring model helped ensure 100% of students with IEPs passed their ATC courses in 2024.

Health Science shines especially bright, with a 100% pass rate for Medical Nurse Aide exams in 2025 and nearly perfect NOCTI results. Meanwhile, Agriculture students are operating a greenhouse that supplies produce to schools and nonprofits, Construction students are contributing to regional building projects, and Automotive students are competing successfully across the state.

Safer, Smarter Facilities

Legislative support has made these successes possible. The biennial ATC funding process through KDE, Federal Perkins allocations, Work Ready scholarships, and a recent HB 6 grant all directly strengthened Wayne County’s programs. Notably, HB 6 funding allowed the district to build a secure breezeway connecting the high school to the ATC—enhancing safety while ensuring seamless access to career pathways.

A Superintendent’s Perspective

“Our facilities are second to none, and our equipment rivals or surpasses what one will find in industry,” said Interim Superintendent Brian Dishman. “Students are being trained for tomorrow’s jobs and beyond.”

Looking Forward

Wayne County is focused on expanding work-based learning, boosting participation in non-traditional fields, and aligning credentials with regional workforce demand. Their story shows what’s possible when policy, funding, and local innovation come together: stronger schools, stronger communities, and stronger futures for Kentucky’s students.

For more information, visit wayne.kyschools.us .

District Spotlight: Carroll County Schools

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Carroll County Schools: Building Pathways to High-Demand Careers

At the confluence of the Ohio and Kentucky Rivers, Carroll County is a close-knit community where schools serve as the center of life. With only 10,000 residents, nearly every family has a connection to the district. Strong partnerships with local industries allow Carroll County Schools to prepare students for futures both within the community and beyond.

Superintendent Casey Jaynes emphasizes that the district’s role extends beyond academics. It is about ensuring students are prepared for the workforce opportunities that await them. Thanks to supplemental state funding for career and technical education (CTE), Carroll County High School launched a new Heavy Equipment Operator Pathway in the 2024–2025 school year. Known as CATALYST (Carroll Area Transportation and Logistics Youth Simulation Training), the program introduces students to heavy machinery operation through state-of-the-art simulators.

The initiative is already opening doors. Students practice on the same equipment used by major employers such as Nucor, Luhn & Oak, and Kemper Construction, giving them a competitive advantage in high-demand fields. Many participants are also working toward a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), a credential that expands career options after graduation.

Industry partners share the enthusiasm. Shawn Keeton of Luhn & Oak Construction said, “For the school to embrace the needed training and worker shortage is a dream come true and something that I have thought about and worked toward for years.” This collaboration highlights Carroll County’s commitment to collective progress.

For students like Dylan Service and Nahomy Lopez Perez, the program is already transformative. Dylan explained that he has gained skills ranging from safety procedures to actual equipment operation, which he believes will help him secure a job after high school. Nahomy, one of the program’s pioneering female participants, noted that the work requires focus and persistence, but with practice, success is possible.

This initiative reflects KASS’s priorities: building a strong workforce pipeline, advocating for funding that delivers opportunities, and ensuring accountability that supports the United We Learn vision. Carroll County Schools is showing how community, education, and industry can come together to create opportunity.

As Superintendent Jaynes put it, “Our community is changing, and we have to provide our employers with a technically skilled workforce.” Carroll County is ready to lead students toward that future.

For more on this initiative, visit carroll.kyschools.us

What Are Local Measures of Quality? Why They Matter

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 02:20:01 GMT

What Are Local Measures of Quality? Why They Matter

In Kentucky, superintendents and education leaders are working toward a bold vision for accountability. Instead of relying only on state test scores, districts are beginning to design local measures of quality that reflect the needs, strengths, and values of their own communities. It’s powerful to watch districts all over the commonwealth engage deeply with their community to determine what is most important for the education of their students.

Why Local Accountability Matters

Every public school exists to serve its community. From its inception, Kentucky’s school districts have supported the local needs of its people and helped to shape generations. We (Families, students, and educators) all agree that schools should be measured not only by numbers on a page, but also by how well they are preparing young people to thrive in life. Local accountability ensures that Kids First is not just a motto, but a measure of success that is meaningful to every Kentucky student.

Community Voice at the Center

Local measures are not imposed from the outside. They are created with input from parents, students, educators, employers and community leaders. Some communities may highlight financial stewardship, while others focus on student leadership, growth over time, or readiness for the workforce. The power of local measures is the innovation that happens that others can learn from. Logan County chooses to provide a focus on student leadership while Bullitt County ensures authentic learning experiences for every child. What matters is that each district is empowered to define what quality looks like for its children.

Kentucky is a commonwealth of diverse communities. What success looks like in a rural county may not be the same as in an urban district. Local measures allow each community to reflect its own priorities while contributing to a broader statewide vision. Together, these measures strengthen public education in Kentucky by ensuring that accountability is rooted in both excellence and relevance.

Looking Ahead

Launching a modern accountability system is one of the key priorities for Kentucky’s education future. Local measures will play a vital role in this system by providing a clearer, more complete picture of student learning and growth. By working together, superintendents and communities can ensure that every Kentucky student becomes the best version of themselves. KASS believes in strong accountability for our public schools. This means we MUST have our communities at the table to help us define what these measures should be. This has already started in communities across the state. Now is the time to ensure it is part of our accountability system for every student in the Commonwealth.

Welcome Back: Leading Kentucky Education Forward Together

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 23:40:58 GMT

Welcome Back: Leading Kentucky Education Forward Together

As a new school year begins, we are excited to welcome back our students, staff, and school leaders across the Commonwealth. As we begin this new year, possibilities and challenges await. Our superintendents are the leadership heartbeat of our public education system, shaping futures, strengthening communities, and navigating through every challenge we face.

This year brings both opportunity and urgency. The challenges before us (growing workforce needs, evolving accountability demands, and the need for sustainable funding) require unified, purposeful advocacy. The time is NOW for Kentucky to recommit to the work of public education and KASS remains committed to putting Kids First in every action. We stand with every Kentuckian to advance a vision of education that reflects the promise of every child and the values of every community in the Commonwealth.

Our Top Legislative Priorities for 2026

1. Launch a Meaningful, Modern Accountability System

Kentucky needs an accountability framework that measures more than test scores. Our vision is a system that partners with local communities, honors personal growth, and values the skills and attributes that make each student life-ready. This means elevating community-based accountability alongside state measures, ensuring that what we track truly reflects what matters most to families, educators, and employers.

2. Build a Strong, Sustainable Educator Workforce Pipeline

Our schools are only as strong as the people who lead them. With education now recognized as a top five in-demand sector, we must attract, develop, and retain exceptional educators at every level. This includes competitive salaries, expanded pathways into the profession, and induction programs that set new teachers, principals, and superintendents up for success.

3. Secure a Budget that Invests in Long-Term Student Success

To meet Kentucky’s goals, we must restore SEEK funding to the 2008 inflation-adjusted equivalent of $5,743 per student. Aligning our budget with our ambitions ensures that every district has the resources to address local needs, provide competitive wages, and deliver safe, high-quality learning environments.

A Call to Lead Together

The year ahead will be pivotal. KASS will continue to advocate with clarity, compassion, and resolve because the future of Kentucky’s children depends on it. We invite every superintendent to join us in reaching out to legislators, sharing local stories, and making our united voice heard in Frankfort.

Your leadership matters. Your advocacy matters. Together, we can shape a world-class public education system for Kentucky.

Education is a High Demand Industry - District Solutions

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:09:22 GMT

Education as a High-Demand Sector: What It Means for Kentucky’s Schools

As the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board (KWIB) officially recognized education as a high-demand sector in the state, it is incumbent on local school districts to seize the moment and help build a stronger pipeline of educators: for our students, our schools, and our communities. This is a call to action. It’s an opportunity to reshape how we attract, support, and retain the educators who shape the future.

The question is: What does this actually look like for superintendents, principals, educators, and the local communities that form the foundation for public education? And more importantly, how do we leverage this moment to strengthen our schools?

The answers lie in how we tell the story of education, not just as a system, but as a profession worth celebrating, investing in, and growing.

Recognizing the People Behind the Schools

For years, accountability measures in education have been numbers-driven—test scores, budgets, attendance rates. But in a time when teacher shortages are a growing concern, districts must also turn their attention to the people who make schools thrive. As we embark on the Kentucky United We Learn vision and the opportunity for a new accountability system, we must ensure local measures that recognize our educators are part of this work. Strong teachers in every classroom lead to great results for students.

Imagine a local community where the accomplishments of teachers and staff are as widely recognized as a championship-winning sports team. Where the public knows the names of award-winning educators, innovative teaching programs, and the everyday victories that happen inside classrooms. Where earning additional teaching credentials like rank changes and National Boards come with recognition that your school system is doing something right.

This isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s happening in places like Greenup County Schools, where local accountability measures now highlight faculty achievements and their impact on students. See their dashboard HERE . When we shift the focus from statistics to stories, we make education not just a duty, but a source of pride.

Shaping the Narrative Through Social Media

Walk into any school, and you’ll find moments that deserve to be celebrated—a teacher going the extra mile to help a struggling student, a classroom buzzing with curiosity, a new program sparking innovation. Yet, too often, these stories go untold.

The reality is that negative narratives about public education can drown out the good work happening every day. But districts don’t have to sit back and let that happen.

In Bullitt County Schools, leadership has embraced social media not just as a tool, but as a megaphone for positivity. Their platforms showcase the dedication of teachers, the enthusiasm of students, and the collective effort that keeps schools running. And the results speak for themselves: a community that sees, values, and supports its educators. The best part? This doesn’t just happen as a top-down initiative. Their schools embrace this same philosophy and routinely celebrate all their is to love about our schools.

If we want public education to be viewed as a high-demand career, we must make it visible, personal, and inspiring.

Building the Next Generation of Educators

A sustainable future for education doesn’t just rely on retaining current teachers, it depends on inspiring future ones.

Across Kentucky, schools are investing in Grow-Your-Own Teacher Pipeline Programs designed to encourage high school students to explore careers in education. Some districts, like Hardin County Schools, have gone a step further, offering scholarships, mentorships, and guaranteed employment to students who choose to pursue teaching. For more information on their model, click HERE .

But students aren’t the only ones who can step into the classroom. Many talented professionals in STEM, business, and the arts are eager to transition into education, but the path to certification isn’t always easy. Nelson County Schools has tackled this challenge by creating alternative certification pathways, helping mid-career professionals bring their skills into classrooms without unnecessary barriers as well as pursuing apprenticeship programs so that aspiring educators do not have to leave their county. For more on this work, click HERE .

The message is clear: if we want passionate, qualified teachers in every Kentucky classroom, we must rethink how we welcome them into the profession.

The Road Ahead

Declaring education a high-demand sector is just the first step. What comes next will be determined by how local school districts and communities respond. Do we continue business as usual, or do we take this opportunity to elevate the profession, celebrate its people, and invest in its future?

The answer lies in our ability to shift the conversation to show that education is not just a job, but a calling. A career that deserves recognition, respect, and support. A profession that shapes every other profession.

Now is the time to tell that story.

�� Join the movement. Share the stories of your schools. Highlight the educators who make a difference. Together, we can ensure that Kentucky’s public schools remain strong for generations to come.

Strengthening Kentucky’s Education Workforce: Solutions & Strategies

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:22:17 GMT

Strengthening Kentucky’s Education Workforce: Solutions & Strategies

As we discussed last week, the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board (KWIB) has identified education as a high-demand sector as Kentucky faces persistent teacher shortages and hiring challenges . To address this issue, policymakers, the Kentucky Department of Education, and education leaders, and Kentucky’s communities must take proactive steps to support recruitment, retention, and workforce planning for Kentucky’s educators.

This blog outlines key policy solutions the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and stakeholders can implement to boost the education workforce and ensure long-term success.

1. Reforming Teacher Certification for Greater Flexibility

One of the primary barriers to filling educator positions is certification restrictions that limit schools' ability to hire and retain teachers.

Through the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB), convene a task force to:

Identify certification bottlenecks that create staffing shortages. Navigating transcripts, EPSB, the approval process, different options depending on certification areas, etc. create tremendous work on behalf of local districts. This process could be streamlined to support districts recruitment efforts.
Work with postsecondary institutions to realign teaching programs with modern workforce needs and that would allow greater flexibility for people that graduate with these credentials. For example, high school science is a chronically understaffed position. Instead of requiring Biology OR Chemistry OR Physics certifications, why could a general science degree not qualify someone to teach any of the three?
Expand microcredentials and alternative certification pathways , particularly through local school districts . The Option 2 Alternative Certification could be a major benefit to Kentucky schools. Microcredentials could allow easier options for certified teachers to add certifications to expand what they are eligible to teach.

By simplifying and broadening certification options , schools will gain access to a larger pool of qualified educators .

2. Leveraging Data for Smarter Workforce Planning

To effectively address Kentucky’s teacher shortage , KDE must adopt a data-driven approach to workforce management.

Through the Office of Education Technology , develop and deploy a predictive analytics tool that:

Tracks teacher shortages and attrition trends . This data is already available. How do we put it somewhere and make it usable to policy makers, post-secondary partners, and the general public to better know what areas need to be addressed?
Identifies geographic areas and subject-specific gaps in the workforce.
Helps tailor recruitment and retention efforts based on real-time data.

A data-informed workforce strategy will ensure that resources are allocated effectively, leading to better hiring outcomes and stronger teacher retention .

3. Celebrating the Teaching Profession to Attract Talent

Attracting more individuals into education careers requires a stronger public narrative that highlights the impact and benefits of being an educator.

Through the Office of Communications , KDE should implement a statewide campaign to:

Celebrate Kentucky’s educators and local school districts through celebrating what happens with students, social media campaigns, and public recognition.
Promote teaching as a rewarding career to high school and college students through a comprehensive marketing campaign.
Engage parents, communities, and businesses to help elevate respect for the profession .
This will help restore prestige to the teaching profession and inspire more individuals to pursue careers in education .

4. Reducing Bureaucratic Barriers for Schools and Teachers

Teachers and school administrators often struggle with burdensome regulations that make their jobs more difficult.

KDE should continue to find ways to:

Identify and eliminate outdated, redundant, or unnecessary procedural mandates that cause districts and teachers to spend unnecessary time on unnecessary things.
Streamline reporting and administrative tasks to give teachers more time to focus on students .
Reduce barriers that make it harder for schools to hire and retain top talent .

By cutting through red tape , KDE can improve working conditions and job satisfaction for educators across Kentucky.

Moving Forward: A Collaborative Effort

To successfully strengthen Kentucky’s education workforce , state leaders, policymakers, and education stakeholders must work together to:

✅ Expand teacher certification pathways for flexibility.
✅ Use predictive analytics to address shortages.
✅ Celebrate and promote the teaching profession to attract future educators.
✅ Reduce administrative burdens that make teaching harder.

By implementing these strategic solutions , Kentucky can build a stronger, more sustainable education workforce —ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality teacher .

District Spotlight: Henry County Schools

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:41:10 GMT

How Henry County Schools is Transforming Education with Safety, Career Readiness, and Academic Growth

Henry County Schools, located in Kentucky’s Golden Triangle, is making significant strides in student success through investments in school safety, career and technical education (CTE), and academic excellence. With legislative support fueling these advancements, the district is creating a brighter future for students by ensuring they have access to industry-relevant training, a secure learning environment, and evidence-based curriculum programs.

Prioritizing Student Safety with Expanded SROs

School safety is a top priority for Henry County Schools, and thanks to increased legislative funding, the district has expanded its School Resource Officer (SRO) program. An additional officer has been assigned to elementary schools, providing younger students with a safer learning environment. This initiative underscores the district’s commitment to student well-being and fostering a positive school culture.

Investing in Career & Technical Education (CTE) for Future Workforce Success

To prepare students for high-demand careers, Henry County Schools has upgraded its CTE programs with state-of-the-art equipment and software. These improvements impact pathways in:

Media
Engineering
Health Science
Business
Agriculture

By integrating industry-standard tools into classroom learning, students gain hands-on experience that makes them more competitive in today’s workforce. This initiative is a game-changer for career readiness, ensuring graduates leave high school equipped with the skills needed for success.

Academic Gains Through Evidence-Based Curriculum & Leadership Development

Academic excellence remains at the heart of Henry County Schools. The district has implemented an evidence-based Reading and Math curriculum for grades K-8, alongside the Leader in Me program—a leadership initiative designed to improve student engagement and school culture.

By the Numbers: How These Investments Are Paying Off

Henry County Schools is seeing measurable improvements across multiple areas:

✔️ Ranked 13th in Kentucky for Reading & Math growth (out of 172 districts)

✔️ Largest academic score increase in the OVEC region (from 56.87 to 62.85)

✔️ Notable reductions in novice performance across nearly all grade levels

✔️ Increase in students achieving proficiency & distinguished levels on assessments

Beyond academics, the district has also made incredible strides in school culture and climate :

✔️ School Climate ranking improved from 124th to 19th in the state

✔️ Staff-Leadership relationships jumped from 132nd to 14th

✔️ Student Behavior ranking surged from 71st to 8th

Community & Legislative Support: The Driving Force Behind Success

These remarkable improvements wouldn’t be possible without legislative support, grant funding, and community partnerships. With continued investment, Henry County Schools can further expand career pathways, safety initiatives, and innovative learning opportunities.

What’s Next for Henry County Schools?

With this momentum, the district is planning:

✅ Further expansion of CTE pathways to provide students with cutting-edge career training

✅ Ongoing implementation of evidence-based curriculum for even greater academic success

✅ Potential for additional SRO placements to strengthen school safety

Henry County Schools: A Model for Student Success

At Henry County Schools, education isn’t just about textbooks and test scores—it’s about preparing students for a successful future. Whether through safer schools, hands-on career training, or innovative teaching methods, the district is setting a new standard for excellence in education.

For more information, visit Henry County Schools website.

Education is a High Demand Industry - Policy Solutions for Addressing the Challenge

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 20:49:33 GMT

Education is a High Demand Industry - Policy Solutions for Addressing the Challenge

Kentucky’s Workforce Innovation Board has officially recognized education as a high-demand sector. Every career begins with an educator and it’s imperative that as we recognize the demand, we provide solutions to addressing the challenge. This will mean every education stakeholder - legislators, educators, the Department of Education, parents, and students, must help find solutions to strengthen the pipeline of qualified educators. As the state faces teacher shortages and increasing demands on school leaders, the Kentucky General Assembly has the power to enact policies that will make a lasting impact.

At the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, we believe every district deserves a strong superintendent, every school deserves a highly effective principal, and every classroom a highly qualified teacher. Additionally, many other roles are part of the education sector: instructional assistants, nutrition service personnel, administrative and clerical staff, district leadership, etc. Education as a profession must have bold leadership if we are to see a strong and vibrant Commonwealth. It is foundational to everything we do.

To ensure every Kentucky student has access to high-quality teachers, the legislature must focus on removing barriers to entry, providing financial incentives, and aligning workforce development efforts with education needs. Here are key areas where legislative action is critical.

1. Prioritizing Education Workforce Legislation in 2026

The General Assembly should convene a panel of stakeholders to provide policy and budget recommendations. This panel should include legislators, school and district leaders, teachers and other school personnel, workforce leaders, and post-secondary institutions. Clear guardrails from lawmakers will help shape sustainable, long-term solutions. This effort should be a top legislative priority outside of the budget process but must work in tandem with state funding initiatives to ensure financial feasibility. Senator Wise and the implementation of the School Safety and Resiliency Act (2019) is a great example of the type of panel we recommend. There are many other examples of past legislation where this approach has led to great outcomes for education and sustainable policy solutions. Our blog last week touched on a few of this and can be found HERE .

2. Allocating Workforce Development Funds to Education

Kentucky already invests in workforce development initiatives for high-demand fields, yet education often remains underfunded in these efforts. The legislature should explore ways to direct state workforce development funds that could support:

Scholarships and stipends for aspiring educators in hard-to-staff regions.
Utilizing regional workforce development boards to incorporate education into their planning and resource allocation.
Incentives for school districts to establish grow-your-own teacher programs.

There are examples in Kentucky of these things already happening. Since 1948, the state Department of Transportation recognized a need to have high quality civil engineers and developed a scholarship for students enrolled in Kentucky universities. In exchange, they give service in the summers and upon graduation to the Department. This model could easily be used with education as well, particular in high demand content areas and hard to staff locations.

3. Reforming Teacher Certification Pathways

To expand the educator pipeline while maintaining quality, the legislature should empower the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to give a list of policy recommendations and changes that would:

Streamline alternative certification pathways for mid-career professionals, particularly in STEM fields.
Revise certification requirements to allow greater flexibility while ensuring teacher competency.
Expand micro-credentialing programs that provide targeted training in high-need subject areas.
Align workforce needs to programs and certifications through colleges and universities.

Legislators have attempted to address some of these each session. What has unfortunately happened is that tweaks to the system have created difficulty for aspiring educators to understand, local districts to navigate, and post-secondary partners scrambling to determine the best options to support the profession. Instead of a piecemeal approach, policymakers must look holistically at the system and be bold with the simplification and alignment necessary to strengthen the educator pipeline.

A Legislative Path Forward

Addressing Kentucky’s education workforce crisis requires decisive action from the General Assembly. By prioritizing targeted legislation, allocating workforce development funds, and reforming certification pathways lawmakers can strengthen the future of public education in Kentucky.

The time to act is now—Kentucky’s students, teachers, and school leaders are counting on it.

District Spotlight: Butler County Schools

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:35:42 GMT

Butler County Schools: Investing in Student Success Through Increased Funding and Dual Credit Scholarships

Empowering Students, Strengthening Communities

Butler County Schools is making bold strides to provide high-quality education, career readiness, and equitable opportunities for its students. Located in Morgantown, Kentucky, the district serves over 2,100 students across five schools, focusing on academic excellence, character development, and preparing students for lifelong success.

With the recent increase in SEEK funding and the expansion of dual credit scholarship opportunities, Butler County Schools is ensuring that every student—regardless of background—has the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Addressing Funding Disparities in Rural Schools

One of the biggest challenges rural school districts face is maintaining facilities, attracting top educators, and providing students with the same cutting-edge educational experiences found in wealthier, urban areas. Butler County Schools has been at the forefront of advocating for Tier 1 Funding Equalization, ensuring that all Kentucky students have access to the same opportunities, no matter where they live.

With additional SEEK funding, the district is tackling these disparities by:

• Improving school facilities to create a safe and modern learning environment.

• Enhancing teacher recruitment efforts to attract and retain highly qualified educators.

• Expanding student programs to provide diverse career pathways and extracurricular opportunities.

Expanding Dual Credit Opportunities: A Game Changer for Students

One of Butler County Schools’ most impactful initiatives is its Dual Credit Scholarship Program, allowing students to earn college credits while still in high school. By reducing financial barriers, the district is helping families save thousands on tuition costs while preparing students for postsecondary success.

The Impact:

�� 86.6% of Butler County students are Postsecondary Ready – achieving success through dual credit courses, academic readiness, or career certifications.

�� 79.9% of students are Career Ready, with 66.4% earning Industry Certifications that set them apart in the workforce.

�� 10% increase in math proficiency and 8% increase in reading proficiency, demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted academic interventions.

�� 4% reduction in novice learners, showing a strong commitment to student support and success.

Student Perspective:

“The dual credit program has been life-changing for me. I’m earning college credits before even graduating high school!” – Butler County High School Senior

Investing in Innovation: How Butler County Schools is Leading the Way

To ensure personalized learning experiences for every student, Butler County Schools is investing in STEAM programs, career and technical education, and state-of-the-art resources. These efforts provide students with hands-on learning, mentorship opportunities, and industry partnerships that prepare them for real-world success.

Key Areas of Focus:

✔ Technology & Career Training: Collaborating with local colleges and industry leaders to provide cutting-edge education and hands-on learning experiences.

✔ Community & Family Engagement: Partnering with businesses to offer internships, mentorships, and career exploration programs.

✔ Workforce Preparation: Ensuring students graduate with real-world skills, industry certifications, and a competitive edge in the job market.

The Future of Butler County Schools: What’s Next?

The district isn’t stopping here. Butler County Schools is committed to expanding opportunities, securing additional funding, and implementing new initiatives to better serve students.

�� Upcoming Enhancements:

✔ More career pathways aligned with workforce demands.

✔ Increased funding for STEAM education and technology integration.

✔ Additional scholarships to help even more students access college-level courses.

Butler County Schools: A Commitment to Excellence

At Butler County Schools, education isn’t just about academics—it’s about empowering students, strengthening communities, and shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Through increased funding, expanded dual credit opportunities, and a dedication to innovation, the district is ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed.

District Spotlight: Elizabethtown Independent Schools

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:09:17 GMT

How Legislative Support Transformed Career and Technical Education at Elizabethtown Independent Schools

Expanding Career Opportunities Through State Funding

For over 219 years, Elizabethtown Independent Schools (EIS) has been a pillar of academic excellence in Kentucky. However, prior to 2022, the district faced a significant challenge—a lack of state funding for Career and Technical Education (CTE). This funding gap limited the opportunities available to students, preventing them from gaining hands-on experience in high-demand fields.

Thanks to LAVEC and Supplemental CTE funding, EIS has now transformed its CTE programs, creating new career pathways, upgrading learning environments, and forming strategic industry partnerships to ensure students graduate career-ready.

The Power of Legislative Support in Education

With newly allocated state funding, EIS was able to:

✔ Introduce Three High-Demand Career Pathways – The district launched Health Science, Education, and JROTC pathways to meet student interest and workforce demands.

✔ Enhance Engineering and Business Pathways – Investments in state-of-the-art equipment have elevated hands-on learning experiences.

✔ Establish a School-Based Enterprise – A student-run business within the business pathway is providing real-world entrepreneurial training, with plans for expansion next year.

Measurable Impact: Student Success on the Rise

The impact of these initiatives is already visible:

Increased Enrollment in Career Pathways – More students are choosing CTE programs, preparing them for high-paying, in-demand careers.
Stronger Transition Readiness – EIS is seeing a rise in students graduating with job-ready skills and industry certifications.
Project-Based Learning Expansion – Hands-on learning is now embedded across all schools, preparing students for real-world problem-solving before high school.

“This funding has completely changed what we can offer our students. They now have access to career pathways that were previously unavailable, setting them up for success beyond graduation.” – Paul Mullins, Superintendent

The Role of Community Partnerships in Student Success

One of the key drivers of EIS’s CTE expansion has been strong community and industry partnerships. These collaborations have provided resources, mentorship, and job training opportunities that directly benefit students.

Baptist Health – A critical partner in launching the Health Science Pathway, providing medical equipment and supplies to support student training.

By working with local businesses and organizations, EIS is ensuring that students gain hands-on experience and industry exposure, making them highly competitive in the job market.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Career and Technical Education at EIS?

The transformation of career and technical education at Elizabethtown Independent Schools is only just beginning. Looking ahead, the district is focused on:

✔ Expanding the School-Based Enterprise – Giving students even more opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills.

✔ Growing Industry Partnerships – Strengthening ties with local businesses, healthcare providers, and educational institutions to enhance learning experiences.

✔ Exploring Additional Career Pathways – Identifying new programs that align with workforce needs and student interests.

With continued support from legislators, industry leaders, and the community, EIS is shaping the future of career and technical education, ensuring that every student has the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to thrive in college, careers, and beyond.

Join the Movement: Supporting the Future of CTE

The success of Elizabethtown Independent Schools demonstrates the power of legislative funding in transforming education. By investing in career pathways, workforce training, and hands-on learning, districts across Kentucky can prepare students for real-world success.

A special thank you to Representative Steve Bratcher and Senator Matt Deneen for their continued support of education and workforce development. Their commitment to expanding opportunities for students is making a lasting impact on our schools, communities, and the future workforce.

Want to learn more about how EIS is leading the way in career education? Visit their WEBSITE for more details.

The Best Legislation Takes Time

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:43:18 GMT

The Best Legislation Takes Time: Thoughtful Policy for Schools

Crafting meaningful legislation that positively impacts schools is a process that requires patience, collaboration, and oftentimes, multiple legislative sessions. Thoughtful policy development ensures that changes are not only effective but also supported by the key stakeholders who will be most affected and in charge of implementing the legislation and the local school and district level.

Why Time Matters in Legislation

Rushing legislation can lead to unintended consequences, lack of stakeholder input, and policies that fail to address the complexities of the education system. By allowing time for discussion, revision, and stakeholder involvement, lawmakers can craft policies that truly serve Kentucky’s students and educators.

Legislation is step one in the change process. In order for change to truly occur, local schools and school districts must adequately implement this change in a way that’s consistent with their local community needs and in a proactive, rather than a compliant mindset.

Stakeholder Involvement: A Key to Success

One of the most effective ways to ensure the success of new legislation is by incorporating input from those directly impacted. When superintendents, educators, parents, and policymakers work together, the result is legislation that is both practical and widely supported. This collaborative approach builds trust in the legislative process and ensures better outcomes for Kentucky’s students.

This approach also provides legislators with valuable real-world insights that can shape more effective policies. Education leaders understand the day-to-day realities of schools, from budgeting constraints to curriculum implementation. When their voices are included, policies become more responsive and actionable, rather than top-down mandates that may not fit the realities of Kentucky’s diverse school districts.

Slower Legislation, Better Outcomes

Taking time to develop legislation allows:

Thorough research and analysis of potential impacts
Inclusion of a diverse range of perspectives
Development of policies that are sustainable and adaptable
Greater buy-in from schools and communities

When legislators take a deliberate and measured approach, they ensure that education policy is not only well-intentioned but also effective in practice. Legislation that is rushed through often leads to unintended gaps that require additional amendments later, creating inefficiencies and confusion for school leaders. Thoughtful legislation ensures clarity, proper funding, and smoother implementation.

Learning from Past Legislative Successes

Past legislative successes in Kentucky serve as a blueprint for future policymaking. The School Safety and Resiliency Act (2019) is a prime example of how careful deliberation led to comprehensive safety measures that are both enforceable and effective. Likewise, the Read to Succeed Act and Numeracy Counts Act demonstrate how bipartisan support and research-backed strategies can improve student outcomes in fundamental subjects.

A particularly notable case is the Shared Responsibility pension reform of 2010, which tackled the complex issue of funding educator pensions. By taking the time to study the financial implications and consult with various stakeholders, Kentucky was able to implement a solution that balanced the needs of retirees while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the system.

The Path Forward: Thoughtful Policy for the Future

As Kentucky continues to refine its education policies, maintaining a deliberate and collaborative approach will be key. Looking ahead, issues such as school funding, teacher recruitment, and student support services require long-term strategic planning. Legislators should view the policymaking process as a marathon rather than a sprint, focusing on building frameworks that will endure beyond election cycles and immediate pressures.

At the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS), we believe that the best policies are those that prioritize the needs of students and educators while taking the necessary time to get them right. By advocating for well-researched, stakeholder-supported legislation, we help create a stronger foundation for Kentucky’s education system.

We encourage policymakers to continue prioritizing thoughtful, well-paced legislative processes that ultimately benefit Kentucky’s schools and students. Thoughtful legislation isn’t just about passing laws—it’s about shaping the future of education in a way that ensures lasting success for generations to come.

Every District Deserves a Strong Superintendent

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 10:57:59 GMT

Every District Deserves a Strong Superintendent

Kentucky’s public education system thrives because of visionary leadership. This happens in our classrooms, in our schools, and across our districts. For many years, Kentucky superintendents have led this work and work tirelessly to overcome complex challenges, shape policy, and drive long-term improvements that benefit every student. In this blog, we explore the multifaceted roles of KY superintendents and why competitive compensation and robust support are essential for the future of our schools.

The Expansive Role of Kentucky Superintendents

Kentucky superintendents carry a heavy responsibility. Their role goes far beyond traditional management and with each year and increasing mandates, the role continues to expand. In addition to being the educational leader for their local districts, school superintendents must also:

Ensure compliance with state and federal mandates that have only increased over the years and include a substantial number of regulations.
Oversee a large number of employees. Local school districts are often the largest employer in many counties.
Secure and manage hundreds of thousands of square feet of building space, including construction, routine upkeep, and the usage by the school community.
Ensure the safety and well-being of every student and employee in their care.
Steward a significant budget and be prudent with taxpayer dollars.
Optimize efficiency in major operations including transportation and food services

This is just a sampling of the vast responsibilities of today’s superintendent. To be successful, the role demands an exceptional breadth of expertise. Superintendents must be:

Educational visionaries who can implement research-based strategies to improve student outcomes
Financial managers who can navigate complex state funding formulas and maintain fiscal responsibility
Political liaisons who work effectively with school boards, community stakeholders, and state officials
Crisis managers who handle everything from weather emergencies to public health challenges
Human resource executives who attract and retain quality educators in a competitive market
Facilities managers who oversee maintenance and construction of physical infrastructure
Public relations professionals who maintain transparent communication with diverse constituencies

Undercompensation in a Demanding Field

In the private sector, executives managing organizations of similar scale and complexity routinely command significantly higher salaries, often complemented by substantial bonuses and stock options that superintendents don't receive. When making a comparison to this group, it is clear that when comparing executive leadership roles across industries, Kentucky superintendents lag behind their counterparts in the private sector.

The compensation package for Kentucky superintendents, while substantial, typically falls well below what private sector executives earn for managing organizations of comparable size and complexity. A CEO of a mid-sized company with similar budget and personnel responsibilities often earns two to three times more than a superintendent, not including equity compensation and performance bonuses.

Furthermore, the stakes in education leadership are arguably higher than in many private sector roles. Superintendents' decisions directly impact community development, social mobility, and the future workforce. Their success or failure affects not just quarterly profits but the life trajectories of thousands of students and the long-term economic health of their communities.

Consider also the demanding nature of the position. Superintendents regularly work 60+ hour weeks, attend numerous evening events, and must be available 24/7 for emergencies. They operate under intense public scrutiny, with their decisions and actions constantly subject to community oversight and media attention. Unlike private sector executives, they must conduct all business in the public eye, adhering to strict transparency requirements and open meetings laws.

The qualifications required for the position further justify the compensation. Kentucky superintendents must possess advanced degrees, specialized certification, and extensive experience in education leadership. Many hold doctoral degrees and have invested significantly in their professional development. Their compensation should reflect this substantial investment in expertise and credentials.

When comparing superintendent salaries to other public sector leadership positions, the compensation appears even more reasonable. University presidents, hospital administrators, and other public agency executives often earn comparable or higher salaries while managing smaller budgets and fewer employees.

Looking at the return on investment, effective superintendents create value that far exceeds their compensation. Through strategic leadership, they can:

Improve student achievement metrics that enhance property values
Secure grants and alternative funding sources
Implement efficiency measures that save taxpayer dollars
Drive economic development by producing well-prepared graduates
Build community partnerships that leverage additional resources

Finally, the Kentucky Superintendency operates in four year contracts. Unlike other educational professionals or those in leadership positions, superintendents have no guarantee of tenure or continuing employment status. Much like their private sector counterparts, they are on a specified contract, determined by an elected board of education, every 4 years.

A Future Built on Informed Investment

The success of Kentucky’s public education system hinges on the strength and stability of its leadership. By recognizing the full scope of a superintendent’s role—from strategic vision and daily operations to overcoming budgetary and contractual challenges—we see that the compensation for superintendent salaries are best set when locally elected boards of education, held accountable by elections from their community, work with key stakeholders to hire, evaluate, and extend contracts to superintendents, without state directive or outside influence. When we invest in our superintendents, we invest in the future of every student and impact every community in the Commonwealth.

Kentucky superintendents are more than administrators—they are visionary leaders dedicated to creating thriving, future-ready schools. Through the combined efforts of our superintendents, school leaders, educators, and our committed stakeholders, we will continue pave the way for a brighter educational landscape in Kentucky.

KASS Urges Senate to Pause on HB 694

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 10:53:28 GMT

KASS Urges Senate to Pause on HB 694

Dear Senator,

We urge the Senate to NOT move HB694 during the short session and allow a collaborative process with public education stakeholders during the interim. This will honor the collaborative process that made HB540 of 2010 a success by ensuring all stakeholders have adequate time to review, understand, and provide feedback on the proposed changes before any vote occurs on HB694. The strength of the original legislation came from its inclusive approach—let's maintain that proven tradition of shared responsibility.

Our Position

We respectfully request the Kentucky General Assembly provide stakeholder feedback and input prior to final passage on HB694 that proposes changes to the Teacher Retirement System Medical Insurance Trust Fund (MITF) and the “Shared Responsibility” Plan approved in HB540 of 2010. We believe this will be best discussed during the interim since the MITF is several years from full funding.

Background: A Legacy of Successful Collaboration

The 2010 House Bill 540, known as "Shared Responsibility for Retiree Health Insurance," stands as a model of effective legislative collaboration. This landmark legislation succeeded precisely because it brought together all affected parties—legislators, school districts, and certified employees—to develop a sustainable solution.

According to TRS projections, the MITF is only 3-4 years away from reaching 100% funding—clear evidence that the original collaborative approach is working as designed. This funding status provides ample time for thorough stakeholder review of any proposed changes.

Our Concern:

The current proposal makes significant departures from the original shared responsibility framework of HB540 of 2010, yet affected stakeholders have had minimal opportunity to:

Fully understand the financial implications of the proposed changes
Provide informed feedback on potential unintended consequences
Suggest possible refinements that maintain the collaborative spirit of the original legislation

Request for Action

We ask that the General Assembly:

Pause consideration of HB694.
Convene meetings with all stakeholder groups who participated in the 2010 solution.
Provide detailed analysis of how the proposed changes would affect the long-term stability of the fund and those groups contributing to its funding and any possible legal implications for shifting district funding from the MITF to the TRS Pension.
Allow a reasonable comment period for affected parties to respond.
Consider clarification that the normal costs to maintain the MITF will be continued upon achieving full funding (100%) which is currently 2.01%.
Consider reducing employee contributions to 2.01 upon full funding to the MITF which would result in a reduction of 1.74% from the current level of 3.75%. As an example, a teacher making $50,000 per year would get $870 back into their salary adding another step in improving the earnings of our educators to help recruit and retain high quality professionals working with and around our students.

We believe that we are better when we work together to find common solutions to these issues and are better able to serve our students, teachers, school districts, and the Commonwealth with an approach like this.

District Spotlight: Bourbon County Schools

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:11 GMT

Investing in the Future: Legislative Support Strengthens Bourbon County Schools

Bourbon County Schools is making critical investments in students, staff, and school safety thanks to increased SEEK funding and an adjusted Tier I rate . These additional resources have allowed the district to make meaningful improvements that benefit both education and operations , ensuring that every student has a safe and enriching learning environment.

Investing in Our Educators & Staff

A strong school system starts with strong educators and staff , and Bourbon County prioritized competitive salaries to attract and retain top talent. With $900,000 allocated for staff raises , the district was able to increase bus driver wages by up to $8 per hour —a much-needed step in addressing Kentucky’s ongoing driver shortages and ensuring reliable transportation for students.

Enhancing Student Learning Environments

With additional SEEK funding, Bourbon County Schools made substantial investments in new K-12 curriculum , ensuring that students have access to high-quality, modern learning materials . Additionally, the district upgraded classroom and cafeteria furniture , creating more comfortable and engaging environments that support both academic success and student well-being.

Prioritizing School Safety & Transportation

School safety remains a top priority , and Bourbon County took bold steps to enhance security measures district-wide. Investments included:

�� Audio Enhancement Epic System – A new system that interfaces directly with 911 , improving emergency response times and communication.

�� New Bus Fleet & Safety Features – The district purchased five new buses and equipped the entire fleet with real-time GPS tracking and stop-arm cameras to increase student safety on the road .

These upgrades ensure that Bourbon County students not only have a safe learning environment but also a secure and reliable way to get to and from school each day .

A Shared Commitment to Student Success

The progress made in Bourbon County would not have been possible without strong legislative support. The district extends its gratitude to Representative Matt Koch and Senator Steve West for advocating for critical education funding that directly benefits students, staff, and families.

With continued investment in staff, curriculum, and safety , Bourbon County Schools remains committed to providing a high-quality education for every student while ensuring that the district remains a safe, supportive, and forward-thinking place to learn .

�� Learn more about how legislative support is shaping Kentucky’s schools: kysupts.org/success-stories

�� Follow Bourbon County Schools for updates:
�� Facebook: @BourbonCountySchools

Investing in the Future: Legislative Support Strengthens Bourbon County Schools

Investing in Our Educators & Staff

Enhancing Student Learning Environments

Prioritizing School Safety & Transportation

School safety remains a top priority , and Bourbon County took bold steps to enhance security measures district-wide. Investments included:

�� Audio Enhancement Epic System – A new system that interfaces directly with 911 , improving emergency response times and communication.

These upgrades ensure that Bourbon County students not only have a safe learning environment but also a secure and reliable way to get to and from school each day .

A Shared Commitment to Student Success

�� Learn more about how legislative support is shaping Kentucky’s schools: kysupts.org/success-stories

�� Follow Bourbon County Schools for updates:
�� Facebook: @BourbonCountySchools

Kids First Kentucky: Addressing the Teacher Shortage Through Funding and Accountability

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:06 GMT

Addressing the Teacher Shortage Through Funding and Accountability

Every Child Deserves a Great Teacher

Kentucky’s public schools are facing an urgent challenge: a growing teacher shortage that threatens the quality of education for students across the state. There is rarely a conversation with a superintendent or principal where this issue is not brought up. The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) believes that every classroom deserves a highly qualified teacher, every school a highly effective principal, and every district a strong superintendent. This is perhaps the most important issue currently in front of us. Success for Kentucky’s students require great classroom teachers. KASS and the Kids First Kentucky Legislative Agenda is helping to lead the charge to ensure that funding and accountability systems work together to address this crisis.

The Role of Funding in Recruiting and Retaining Educators

Adequate funding for classroom instruction, typically through the SEEK program, is the foundation for ensuring high quality resources for our students and competitive salaries and benefits that attract and retain talented educators. There is clear evidence to show that the most impactful thing on a child’s learning is the quality of the teacher in that classroom. When school districts receive the funding they need, they can:

Invest in classroom resources that improve student outcomes and support teachers in planning and curriculum implementation.
Offer competitive salaries to recruit and retain educators in the profession.
Enhance benefits to make education a more sustainable career choice.

A well-funded system isn’t just about paychecks—it’s about creating environments where teachers feel supported, valued, and empowered to make a difference. Almost every survey done across the country on why people are leaving the profession and why they are not pursuing the profession boil down to a lack of pay compared to other comparable fields and a lack of adequate resources and support staff to do the job and not cause burnout. The SEEK formula, in its original design and funding structure, helps all 171 local districts meet this challenge. But the funding must be adequate and in line with what the first 18 years of SEEK promised to local districts.

The Connection Between Accountability and Teacher Satisfaction

Since schools have existed, assessment and accountability is something that educators embrace to ensure students are learning and progressing to meet the challenges of today’s society. In 2025, however, the stress and pressure associated with high-stakes testing and rigid accountability measures have created profound adverse impacts on students and their mental health and have driven many educators out of the profession. For many of our accountability measures, one day with one assessment and one grade level determines the entire quality of education in that school. An accountability system designed with multiple opportunities for students to showcase their learning can ease some of the burden on teachers and create a more engaging, meaningful educational experience.

Since the No Child Left Behind federal law over 20 years ago, high stakes testing has been a reality. At one point, from 1999-2006, Kentucky was showing improvement across every content area at every level to the point that elementary schools were projected to reach proficiency goals by 2014. Assessments were changed, however, the stakes were increased, and we’ve yet to see substantial gains from these changes.

Research and real-world experience show that increasing testing stakes has not improved educational outcomes for either students or the teaching profession. What has occurred is that students are more anxious with increased test anxiety and fewer people want to stay in the profession or sign up for it as this approach has taken hold. It’s time to rethink this approach.

Strengthening Community Ties Through Local Accountability

A locally designed accountability system fosters stronger community engagement and could encourage more individuals to pursue careers in education. When districts have the flexibility to shape accountability measures that reflect their students’ needs, they can:

Build trust between educators, parents, and policymakers.
Inspire local professionals to consider alternative certifications and teaching roles .
Reduce administrative burdens that push teachers away from the profession.

By giving communities a voice , we can create an education system that reflects the values and priorities of Kentuckians while ensuring students receive the best possible education. Every community gets the schools it wants. It requires effort, energy, and support to create the types of environments we want for every student. Local accountability is meant to highlight the way that the state and local community can partner together to create impactful teaching and learning experiences in every district across the Commonwealth.

Kentucky superintendents and policymakers must work together to push forward the Kids First KY Legislative Agenda , where accountability reforms drive impactful learning for students and a funding plan ensures resources exist to recruit and retain high quality educators to deliver on this promise.

With bold leadership and community support, we can ensure that every Kentucky student has access to a qualified, passionate educator —because kids come first.

�� Further Reading & Resources:
Measuring What Matters: The Case for a New Accountability System
Closing the Funding Gap: Ensuring Kentucky’s Education Budget Delivers
The Teacher Shortage Crisis in Education (Forbes)

Measuring What Matters for the CommonWealth of all Students

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 01:50:23 GMT

Measuring What Matters for the CommonWealth of all Students

Kentucky’s public schools are filled with potential, but our current system of accountability does not fully capture the breadth of student learning and success. At the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS), we believe it’s time to rethink how we measure student progress and school effectiveness. The current system, overly reliant on single-test measures and largely based on federal and state standards, fails to paint a complete picture of what’s happening inside Kentucky’s classrooms. It’s time for a change—one that puts students first, fosters innovation, and supports educators in meaningful ways.

The promise of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) was remarkable, outlining capacities to ensure that students possessed the knowledge, skills, and dispositions across a whole host of areas to be successful in life. Initially, the KIRIS system sought to measure these capacities in very forward thinking ways. Unfortunately, the advent of No Child Left Behind and other factors has left Kentucky’s accountability framework largely defined by standardized test scores. While assessments play a role in measuring student achievement, they often fail to capture the full learning experience. Schools and districts should not be evaluated solely based on a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, accountability should be flexible, allowing communities to emphasize the values that matter most to them while maintaining high standards. Kentucky is a complex and diverse place - our accountability system should reflect that.

Some of the key concerns with the current system include:

Limited Measures of Success : A single test score cannot fully represent a student’s knowledge, skills, or growth over time. Can a science teacher make instructional decisions when a student takes a singular test one time every 3 years?
Lack of Real-Time Feedback : Many assessments do not provide timely or useful feedback to students or teachers, making it difficult to adjust instruction effectively. Students take these assessments in May and it’s September before any relevant data is available.
Overburdening Educators : Kentucky has exceeded federal testing requirements, adding layers of bureaucracy that do not necessarily improve student learning outcomes.

A more effective system would provide school districts with greater flexibility while maintaining high standards for all students. By shifting toward an accountability model that prioritizes growth and multiple measures of success, we can create a system that truly reflects student learning and progress.

Aligning Accountability with Workforce Readiness

As noted in the Prichard Committee’s recent article, “Making Kentucky High School Diplomas Matter,” employers are looking for graduates who can think critically, communicate clearly, and adapt to new challenges. Thirty five years ago, these were similar skills that KERA promised Kentucky students. These skills are not captured by traditional test-based metrics, but they are cultivated through personalized and innovative educational approaches.

School districts across Kentucky have developed a Portrait of a Learner/Graduate that represents a transformational approach to education. Instead of focusing solely on standardized test scores, this framework emphasizes the development of durable skills such as:

Critical thinking
Collaboration
Communication
Creativity
Adaptability

Employers consistently identify these competencies as essential for success in today’s rapidly evolving job market. A graduate who can adapt to challenges, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively is far more prepared to contribute meaningfully to their community and the workforce than one whose education was defined solely by test scores.

The Vision for a New Accountability Framework

Kentucky’s United We Learn Initiative presents a unique opportunity to rethink how we assess student success. This framework balances traditional education priorities around reading, math, transition readiness, and graduation rates with a local component that’s more agile when the local context changes. By designing an accountability system that aligns with these values, we can ensure that education in Kentucky is meaningful and impactful.

A more effective system would:

Prioritize Student Growth : Rather than comparing one group of students to a different group of students, we should measure student learning progress over time.
Offer Multiple Ways to Demonstrate Learning : Students should be able to show proficiency in various ways, such as projects, presentations, and portfolio assessments, rather than relying solely on standardized tests.
Reduce Unnecessary Mandates: Schools should be free from excessive testing requirements that do not add value to the learning experience.
Embed Workforce-Ready Skills : Ensure accountability includes measures for critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability to align with employer expectations.

This shift will not only benefit students but also support teachers by fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability in the classroom.

Accountability That Works for Everyone

A well-designed accountability system benefits both students and educators. For students, it means access to diverse learning opportunities and assessments that truly reflect their strengths and abilities. For teachers, it means a system that values their work and encourages creativity in instruction.

By moving beyond test-driven accountability, Kentucky can:

Provide a more accurate representation of student achievement.
Help recruit and retain passionate educators by creating a system that supports and empowers them.
Foster community-driven education, ensuring that schools align with local values and needs.
Strengthen workforce connections, ensuring graduates are prepared for meaningful careers.

The future of Kentucky’s education system depends on our willingness to embrace change. By advocating for a new, more effective accountability system, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed in a way that reflects their unique strengths and potential.

Legislative leaders and education policymakers must work together to develop an accountability system that puts students first and supports educators.

Kentucky’s children deserve an education system that measures what truly matters. Let’s work together to build a brighter future for all students.

District Spotlight: Woodford County Schools

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 22:40:25 GMT

Investing in the Future: Legislative Support Strengthens Career and Technical Education in Woodford County

In Woodford County, a strong foundation in Career and Technical Education (CTE) is preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Thanks to legislative support and targeted funding, Woodford County Public Schools has been able to expand opportunities in robotics, healthcare, culinary arts, agriculture, and business —all critical fields for Kentucky’s workforce and economic growth.

Building a Skilled Workforce

The additional CTE funding has allowed Woodford County to upgrade equipment, expand industry certifications, and develop partnerships that ensure students graduate ready to enter competitive job markets. Whether they pursue advanced manufacturing through robotics, medical careers in healthcare, entrepreneurship in business, or sustainability in agriculture , students now have access to the tools and experiences necessary for success.

With continued investment in CTE , Woodford County is not only providing hands-on learning but also creating pathways for economic mobility and helping to meet the workforce demands of Kentucky’s top industries . Programs like these ensure that our students are career-ready while keeping Kentucky at the forefront of innovation and economic development .

Strengthening Industry Partnerships

One of the most significant outcomes of this funding has been the ability to form stronger partnerships with industry leaders . These collaborations bridge the gap between education and real-world careers, ensuring that students have mentorship, internships, and direct pathways to employment after graduation.

A Shared Commitment to Student Success

This progress would not have been possible without the partnership between legislators and education leaders . Representatives Dan Fister and Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe have played a key role in advocating for CTE funding , ensuring that schools have the resources needed to keep students competitive in an evolving job market.

At Woodford County Public Schools , we believe that investing in Career and Technical Education is an investment in Kentucky’s future . With continued legislative support, we can expand these opportunities, empower students with real-world skills, and strengthen our local economy for generations to come.

Read the full story here

District Spotlight: Rockcastle County Schools

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:51:01 GMT

Investing in the Future: Expanding Opportunities for Rockcastle County Students

At KASS, we celebrate strong leadership, strategic investments, and legislative support that make a tangible difference in Kentucky’s public schools. Rockcastle County Schools is a prime example of how targeted funding and advocacy are shaping the future for students through new learning spaces, expanded career pathways, and enhanced school safety initiatives .

Building a Stronger Future: Rockcastle County Middle School

The construction of a new Rockcastle County Middle School marks a significant milestone for the district, reflecting a commitment to modern learning environments that foster collaboration and growth. Made possible through legislative facility funding , this state-of-the-art school will provide students and educators with the resources they need to succeed for years to come.

KASS recognizes the dedication of Senator Brandon Storm and Representative Josh Bray , whose support has been instrumental in securing funding for this transformative project. Their leadership in advancing education investments will have a lasting impact on students, educators, and the broader Rockcastle community.

Expanding Career Pathways: Culinary & Computer Science

Through SEEK funding , Rockcastle County Schools has expanded career opportunities for students, equipping them with real-world, workforce-ready skills in two critical fields:

�� Culinary Arts Pathway – Students train in food service operations, meal preparation, and kitchen management , using industry-grade tools that prepare them for certifications and careers in hospitality.

�� Computer Science Pathway – In partnership with WE Lead , students now have access to cybersecurity, programming, and advanced computing courses , including AP Computer Science Principles , ensuring they are prepared for technology-driven careers.

These programs highlight the power of strategic investments in career and technical education , made possible by the continued support of Senator Storm, Representative Bray, and the Kentucky General Assembly .

Strengthening School Safety: Expanding the SRO Program

Ensuring safe, welcoming learning environments is essential for student success. With the help of legislative funding for school security , Rockcastle County Schools has expanded its School Resource Officer (SRO) team , adding three new officers for a total of five SROs across the district .

SROs play a vital role in school communities , not only providing safety but also serving as mentors and trusted adults for students. Their daily presence fosters stronger school connections and a safer learning environment .

A Model for Success in Kentucky Public Schools

The work happening in Rockcastle County Schools exemplifies how strong leadership, legislative support, and strategic funding come together to create meaningful opportunities for students . At KASS, we continue to advocate for sustained investment in public education to ensure every district has the resources needed to thrive .

�� Stay connected with KASS as we highlight the impact of education investments across Kentucky and advocate for policies that support students, educators, and communities.

Closing the Funding Gap: Ensuring Kentucky’s Education Budget Delivers

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

Closing the Funding Gap: Ensuring Kentucky’s Education Budget Delivers

In 1989, the Kentucky Supreme Court, in Rose vs. the Council for Better Education (commonly referred to as the Rose decision), declared the entire state system of public education unconstitutional. The court found that Kentucky’s public education system failed to meet the requirements of Section 183 of the state constitution, which mandates an "efficient system of common schools throughout the state." This lawsuit was prompted by major deficiencies in both the adequacy of public school funding and the equity of that funding in districts across the state. From this decision, the Kentucky legislature passed the Kentucky Education Reform Act, which, among many overhauls, included a new funding formula known as the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK).

The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents commends the legislature for passing an education budget that moves us closer to adequate funding. Currently, however, a funding shortfall exists and it’s imperative this gap is closed in order for the budget to work and be made whole. Inadequate funding harms the entire budget process.

How is SEEK Calculated?

Every two years, Kentucky lawmakers set a per-student base funding amount multiplied by the district’s average daily attendance from the previous year. This is just a starting point, however, and not a guaranteed amount per student.

Next, add-ons adjust funding based on student needs:

At-risk students (free lunch eligible) = number of students x 15% of the base funding per student.
Home-hospital students = previous year’s average daily attendance x the base amount minus $100.
Exceptional children = funding varies by need level and the number of students (low, moderate, or high incidence).
Limited English proficiency students = number of students x 9.6% of the base funding per student.
Transportation funding is based on distance, frequency, and type of travel.

After calculating adjusted base funding, local effort is subtracted. Districts must contribute 30 cents per $100 of assessed property value , reducing the amount provided by the state. Wealthier districts receive less state aid, while poorer districts receive more to promote fairness.

Districts can raise local taxes beyond the required amount:

Tier One : Up to 17.5% more, with state equalization for poorer districts.

Tier Two : Up to 30% more (requires voter approval) but gets no state equalization.

A hold harmless provision ensures no district receives less than it did in 1992.

In short, SEEK funding aims to balance resources so all students, regardless of their district’s wealth, have access to similar educational opportunities.

Why do we have a funding gap?

Funding gaps are not new. When developing the budget for SEEK, estimates must occur as legislators are projecting two years out. Based on any number of factors within the formula, a surplus or shortfall will almost always happen. Over the past 15 years, shortfalls have occurred 4 times. But during the last fiscal year, there was a $156.3 million SURPLUS in SEEK funds that were swept to the state general fund.

Factors that impact SEEK include changes in:

Enrollment
Average Daily Attendance
At-risk students
Students w/disabilities and category of that disability
Students utlizing home-hospital services
Students with limited English proficiency
Transportation patterns within the district
Increase or decrease in property values
Local district tax rates

Since 2022, total enrollment has increased by almost 4,000 students across the state. In that same time frame, Kentucky public schools have seen an increase of over 10,000 at-risk students, 12,000 students with limited English proficiency, and 9,000 students with a disability. The shifts in these groups combined with a large variance in local property values across the state make the SEEK estimate an imperfect science. And yet, the shortfall is less than 1.5% of the total SEEK budget.

Why can’t local districts just pick up the cost?

A common argument is that local school districts have contingencies to cover just this sort of thing. In Kentucky, 2% of a local school district’s budget is REQUIRED to be in contingency, while at least 5% is recommended. In fact, many accountants recommend at least 3 months of operating costs in reserve. Much like people who try to save a portion of their income, school districts do the same.

The average school district in Kentucky has around 2200 students. When you are dealing with thousands of people (students and staff) being transported, fed, utilizing hundreds of thousands of square feet of buildings, ensuring their safety, and supporting the educational efforts of the next generation, there are many expenses. The roof has leaks, the heating unit stops working, an extra teacher is provided for a program needed for students, the bus breaks down - these costs are why a district has a contingency. In many districts, the contingency is developed because of expected large future expenses like a building project, staff raises, or expanded programs.

What must happen now?

It is crucial the Kentucky Legislature close this shortfall. The money is there. Last year, over $156 million from the SEEK fund lapsed back to the general fund. To close this year’s gap, 25% of that money is needed - a small drop in the bucket. School districts utilize expected SEEK dollars to create their budgets for the next year. Not closing the gap will lead to budget shortfalls locally, which could impact jobs, whether or not districts can give raises, and uncertainty in the budgeting process moving forward. This budget was a good education budget. It should not be short changed because of the SEEK shortfall.

The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents encourages every superintendent to reach out to their local legislators to discuss more specific talking points and how this shortfall could affect your district and your long-term plans. Now is the time to act to ensure we continue to focus on Kentucky public education funding.

Keeping Kids First: Advancing Education in Kentucky Through Legislative Action

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 19:17:45 GMT

Keeping Kids First: Advancing Education in Kentucky Through Legislative Action

The Kids First KY Legislative Agenda was built around three pillars: unleash lifelong learning in every classroom for every student, recruit and retain high quality public school teachers and staff, and a focus on Kentucky public education funding that allows us to achieve the first two. Recent legislative sessions, including 2024, produced significant progress towards each of these goals and showed that when elected officials and school leaders work together, we can advance shared goals and elevate the quality of education across the Commonwealth.

We have seen significant steps to unleash learning in every classroom for every student with the passing of the Read to Succeed (2022) and Numeracy Counts Act (2024) to focus on fundamental priorities as well as providing some funding to begin implementation. In addition, the legislature continued to fund the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Dual Credit Scholarships as well as establishing funding for school resource officers. Safe schools enable greater learning for every student. These measures will have a lasting impact on students across Kentucky.

The 2024 session also enabled significant progress towards recruiting and retaining high quality public school teachers and staff. We believe every classroom deserves a high quality teacher. Every school deserves a high quality principal. And every district deserves a high quality superintendent. To that end, the legislature continued to fully fund (and provide even greater investments) in the ARC for the TRS and MITF (retiree health insurance & shared responsibility) as well as funding educator health insurance, creating student teacher stipends and educator scholarships, and allocating funding through SEEK to give local districts the authority to provide raises for staff.

The 2024 budget policy was a positive step forward for our schools. Included in that budget was an increase to SEEK in both years of the biennial budget, adjusting the Tier 1 rate to address disparities in school district funding, increasing transportation funding, continued funding of full-day kindergarten, and codifying and funding CTE programs and facilities. With the loss of significant federal dollars, the decision to fund our schools enabled local school districts to maintain a steady financial footing as stewards of taxpayer dollars.

The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents are grateful for these steps and celebrate the work we were able to accomplish, together, with our legislators. While progress has been made, our three pillars remain the same, and even with only 24 days left in this legislative session before concurrence, there is still much we can accomplish together. Over the next few weeks, the focus with our legislators will include:

Unleash Lifelong Learning

Build momentum for the need and possibilities for a new accountability system aligned with the Kentucky United We Learn Framework
Study and make recommendations to identify outdated, redundant, and/or unnecessary mandates imposed on schools and districts
Continue to support and fund the Read to Succeed and Numeracy Counts Act
Improve homeschool provider qualifications and eligibility requirements to include a “stay-put” provision prohibiting homeschool enrollment for students in truancy or pending disciplinary issues

Recruit and Retain High Quality Public School Teachers and Staff

Support EPSB with reviewing and reforming certification limits to broaden options for schools and districts to maximize the talents of their teachers to meet the needs of their students. (eg. K-8, 6-12 certs) Consider changes to the gatekeepers of certification to provide multiple paths to demonstrate competencies for earning certification (“weed in” vs. “weed out”)
Align educator professional development requirements with educator contracts to emphasize job-embedded training and personalized learning to enhance instructional and leadership capacities.
Support a “grassroots campaign” through educator rising chapters in every middle school, high school and education preparation program in the state including a robust slate of student activities to cultivate their knowledge and interest in the education career pathway.
Continue to explore ways to build the education pipeline for the long term

A Focus on Kentucky Public Education Funding

Closing the SEEK shortfall to ensure the budget cycle and long-term planning continues for school districts across Kentucky.
Improve school facility construction funding and administration process, namely to codify the construction administration provisions passed in HB727 of 2024 that reduced redundancies and enhanced efficiency
Requiring a fiscal note of financial impact statement for every education bill to ensure we have no unfunded mandates.
Fix the language in the budget bill to ensure districts can be reimbursed for all SRO’s and ensure safe schools for every student

At KASS, we believe deeply in our state motto, “United we Stand, Divided we Fall.” We have shown what happens when we come together to truly put Kids First - our students, our schools, our districts, and our communities have the ability to thrive. There is still much work to do but now is the time for us to continue doing that work. Our children and future generations deserve nothing less.

District Spotlight: Johnson County Schools

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:37:23 GMT

Johnson County Schools:
Transforming Literacy Through the Read to Succeed Initiative

Johnson County Schools is setting a high bar for early literacy education with its Read to Succeed Initiative, supported by the Read to Succeed Act and strategic use of SEEK funds. Thanks to the visionary leadership of the district and the steadfast support of Representative Bobby McCool and Senator Phillip Wheeler, this program is ensuring that every K-4 student in Johnson County gains the literacy skills essential for lifelong success.

A Comprehensive Approach to Literacy

At the core of this initiative are Johnson County’s dedicated Read to Succeed Facilitators, whose efforts are driving real change by:

Developing and implementing district-wide Read to Succeed Literacy Plans.
Designing Read-at-Home Plans that actively involve families in supporting their child’s learning.
Delivering targeted interventions for K-4 students who are below proficiency.
Leading daily Magnetic Reading Groups, which provide systematic, explicit instruction tailored to individual student needs.

Empowering Educators Through Strategic Support

Teachers in Johnson County are equipped with high-quality curriculum-based coaching through Curriculum Associates, empowering them to maximize the impact of High-Quality Instructional Resources (HQIR) like Magnetic Reading. This targeted coaching ensures sustainability and excellence in instructional delivery.

Collaborative Efforts for Lasting Success

The success of the Read to Succeed Initiative is built on teamwork and collaboration. Administrators, teachers, instructional assistants, Digital Learning Instructional Coaches, and SEL Specialists work together to:

Participate in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) that enhance teaching strategies.
Conduct unit and lesson internalizations for seamless instruction.
Leverage proven strategies like Kagan structures to engage students and foster active learning.

Personalized Learning for Every Student

Students in Johnson County thrive with 45 minutes of daily, personalized, small-group reading instruction tailored to their unique needs. Additionally, high-quality Wonders instruction further strengthens foundational literacy skills, ensuring every student is set up for academic success.

A Model for Kentucky

Johnson County Schools’ Read to Succeed Initiative demonstrates the profound impact of focused literacy efforts, collaborative leadership, and strong legislative support. Programs like these not only prepare students for academic success but also build the foundation for engaged, capable citizens and a thriving workforce.

Thanks to the dedication of the district’s leadership, the efforts of educators and staff, and the support of Rep. Bobby McCool and Sen. Phillip Wheeler, Johnson County Schools stands as a shining example of how strategic investment in education can transform communities. Together, we are building a brighter future for Kentucky—one student, one school, and one success story at a time.

Legislative Support Powers Literacy Success

The success of the Read to Succeed Initiative highlights the importance of strong legislative backing for public education. Support from Kentucky lawmakers has enabled Johnson County Schools to prioritize literacy and implement programs that directly benefit students. Legislative initiatives like the Read to Succeed Act and strategic funding through SEEK have provided the resources necessary to equip educators, engage families, and ensure that every child has access to high-quality literacy instruction.

This partnership between local schools and state leadership demonstrates the impact of thoughtful education policy in driving innovation and empowering communities to create brighter futures for all students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y89Y1zxqrog

Nick Carter named Superintendent of the Year

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 15:09:40 GMT

Dr. Nick Carter, Superintendent of Breckinridge County Schools, has been named the 2025 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year by the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA). This prestigious honor recognizes his exemplary leadership, commitment to public education, and dedication to the Breckinridge County community . As Kentucky’s honoree, Dr. Carter will represent the state in the competition for the 2025 AASA National Superintendent of the Year .

Since 2017, Dr. Carter has led Breckinridge County Schools with a strategic vision focused on student success, staff development, and community engagement . His leadership is deeply rooted in servant leadership principles , consistently prioritizing the needs of students and staff. Under his guidance, the district has flourished, earning recognition as one of Kentucky’s top school systems.

Recognized for his ability to foster collaboration, communicate effectively, and solve complex challenges , Dr. Carter is widely respected among his peers. His leadership extends beyond Breckinridge County, as he has served on the KASA Board of Directors and is one of only two Kentucky superintendents on the AASA Governing Board .

“Dr. Carter is a beacon of leadership in our public education community, from Breckinridge County to Washington, D.C.,” said KASA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Rhonda Caldwell. “His core values shine through in his work and his dedication to Kentucky educators. His commitment to students, advocacy for public schools, and exemplary service embody the spirit of KASA’s 2025 theme: Live Well, Lead Well, Serve Well. Congratulations, Dr. Nick Carter, on being selected as the 2025 Superintendent of the Year !”

A Career Dedicated to Education

Dr. Carter’s career spans teaching, coaching, and leadership roles at the elementary, high school, and district levels . Before becoming superintendent, he served as:

Principal of Breckinridge County High School for seven years
Elementary Assistant Principal
High School Social Studies Teacher and Coach at John Hardin High School and Breckinridge County High School

He earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and Rank I certifications from Western Kentucky University before completing his doctorate at Morehead State University in 2018 . Since 2022, he has also taught as an Adjunct Instructor in Morehead State’s Superintendent Certification Program .

Dr. Carter has been actively involved in professional organizations, joining KASS in 2017 and KASA in 2008 . He completed a three-year term on the KASA Board of Directors and currently serves as Past President of KASA .

A Commitment to Public Education

Dr. Carter’s leadership is driven by his belief in the transformative power of public schools . He remains committed to ensuring that every student has the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive .

He resides in Irvington, Kentucky , with his wife, Robin , and their two daughters, Hannah and Chesney .

Support the business of educating our most precious resource – Kentucky children

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 14:16:00 GMT

Make teacher and school staff salaries competitive

It might surprise you to know that Kentucky school districts often are the largest employers in their communities, manage the largest food service and transportation operations, have the largest physical plants and include a wide array of staff members including teachers, teacher’s aides, food service workers, mechanics, bus drivers, nurses, safety resource officers, principals, school secretaries, guidance counselors and many others.

Put simply, Kentucky schools must do business much like entire cities or any number of large organizations. They must have enough money to offer competitive wages or their employees will go elsewhere, keep the facilities maintained or they will fall into disrepair and serve healthy food for children or they may not eat. While Kentucky public schools aren’t set up to make a profit, they must have positive financial margins to meet their mission of providing educational opportunities that set up our children for success inside and outside the classroom.

With record state revenues and budget reserves at nearly $4 billion, now is the time to take bold action and invest in the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) Bases and Allotments. We urge the Kentucky General Assembly to implement a funding plan to get P-12 education back on track to the 2008 buying power over the next four years:

Let’s put dollars toward our most precious asset – our children. It’s up to us to ensure that they succeed in the classroom, at home and in the workplace. They deserve the type of education we remember and would want for our own children.

Jim Flynn
Executive Director
Kentucky Association of School Superintendents

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Kentucky legislators – make teacher and school staff salaries competitive and put KIDS First

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:17:00 GMT

Kentucky legislators – make teacher and school staff salaries competitive and put KIDS First

We must pay Peter and Paul; enhance funding for House Bill 6

We’ve all heard the old saying about robbing Peter to pay Paul. Unfortunately, many Kentucky teachers and staff are either working second jobs or may find themselves in that very position – making tough decisions between paying the rent or buying food. Here’s the bottom line, Kentucky’s budget, if not improved upon significantly , will equal about a $58 per month raise for these dedicated professionals. On behalf of the children, teachers and school staff across the commonwealth, we can do better.

While we acknowledge the positive steps taken in House Bill 6, we believe it falls short in addressing a critical need – adequate funding for public schools. The main challenge we face in Kentucky is the ability to offer competitive pay for teachers and other school staff. This urgent priority needs additional attention as the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) Bases and SEEK Allotments, as proposed in the budget, do not provide the funds necessary to make education salaries competitive. The SEEK funding program is a formula driven allocation of state provided funds to local school districts. The formula includes funding for transportation costs and special needs students as reported by districts.

We appreciate the proposed increase in SEEK; however, in essence it will only provide enough revenue for districts to provide an approximate 2% raise for teachers and staff, even if every single dollar of the increased amount of SEEK goes directly to employee raises. We urge lawmakers to consider the broader picture. With record revenues and substantial budget reserves, now is the time to take a bold step toward prioritizing our education system. Investing in our schools means investing in the future of Kentucky.

We do applaud proposed legislation that includes strong investments in the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) pension program, the Medical Insurance Trust Fund and increasing funding for student transportation, facility equalizations, school resource officers and student teaching stipends. We’re also happy to see a pilot Teacher Recruitment Loan Forgiveness Program. Still, we must do better by our teachers and school staff, or they will leave Kentucky for higher pay or leave the profession entirely.

We cannot continue to rob Peter to pay Paul – we must find a way to pay Peter and Paul – both the SEEK Bases and SEEK Allotments are essential in providing the recurring funding necessary to provide crucial learning resources for students and increasing salaries for the professionals who serve them. Education is a people business and the quality of the professionals working with and around our students is the key to our success.

When looking at our investment in the SEEK Bases and SEEK Allotments over the years, the math is simple – we are not keeping up with inflation. Not only does this impact our ability to provide critical learning resources for students in our classrooms and much needed salary increases for staff, the SEEK distribution formula ensures these funds are distributed equitably among school districts.

We urge the Kentucky General Assembly to implement a funding plan to get P-12 Education Back on Track to the 2008 buying power over the next four years :

This funding will show our commitment to Kentucky’s future workforce, economic and community development, all of which begin in our public schools where children learn to become the very best version of themselves.

Dr. Jim Flynn
Executive Director
Kentucky Association of School Superintendents

The post Kentucky legislators – make teacher and school staff salaries competitive and put KIDS First appeared first on KidsFirstKY .

Encourage lawmakers to use Kentucky’s prosperous financial position to benefit children, teachers and school staff across the Commonwealth

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 17:07:00 GMT

Our state has the money; let’s fund public education and put KIDS First

Kentucky is enjoying one of the most economically prosperous eras in its history. The state’s reputation for innovation and its business-welcoming environment have attracted countless industries to build and grow here.

Thanks to Kentucky lawmakers for making it easier than ever to do business here and for the progress seen daily as many reap the benefits of a fiscally sound and successful state that even has reserves in the bank.

Recently, the Kentucky General Assembly kicked off the legislative session which will include the 2024-2026 biennial state budget. It is clear legislators intend to address student learning needs, teacher and staff salaries and critical shortages through the budget policy.

The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) consistently delivers messages urging the legislature to provide a budget plan that restores an inflationary equivalent to the 2008 buying power through Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) and to fully funding student transportation as prescribed in the statute. This is a realistic goal over the next two biennial budgets and will:

Besides the strong state revenues and almost $4 billion in reserve , additional funding opportunities to support SEEK, student transportation and other education funding needs, include:

The “ask” here shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s up to the adults in this state to ensure a brighter future for our children. They deserve highly qualified teachers and school staff, education that’s tailored to their individual needs and much more. With monthly state revenues strong and an improved business climate in Kentucky, now is the time to invest in public education!

Stay in close contact with lawmakers and use the KASS Legislative and Advocacy Priorities with Key Points and the resources at KidsFirstKY.com in conversations and communications with legislators. Your voice matters!

See links for important resources to use during the 2024 Legislative Session:

To learn more, visit kidsfirstky.co m . Together, we can put KIDS First!

Dr. Jim Flynn
Executive Director
Kentucky Association for School Superintendents

The post Encourage lawmakers to use Kentucky’s prosperous financial position to benefit children, teachers and school staff across the Commonwealth appeared first on KidsFirstKY .

This holiday season, lawmakers need to prioritize the gift of ensuring Kentucky kids and teacher can be at their best

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:02:00 GMT

The post This holiday season, lawmakers need to prioritize the gift of ensuring Kentucky kids and teacher can be at their best appeared first on KidsFirstKY .

Fostering Trust in Our Organizations

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 12:57:00 GMT

As the leaders of our educational institutions, you play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our students, schools, and communities. One of the most crucial aspects of effective leadership is fostering trust within your organizations. Trust forms the bedrock of any successful institution, and in the context of schools, it is even more […]

Delivering for Public Schools: Lawmakers Pass Bills to Give Educators, Students Tools They Need to Succeed

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 12:15:00 GMT

Education continued to be a key topic throughout this year’s legislative session, as educators, families
and community members raised issues with legislators that are crucial to student achievement. By the
session’s end, lawmakers had passed bills, several of which align with the priorities of KASS, that will
give public schools and those who work closest with our students the tools and options they need to
better support school communities throughout Kentucky.

Fostering a high-quality public education system is one of the key factors in moving our state forward, and strong public schools play an important role in the workforce and economic development health of communities across the Commonwealth. We are grateful for the partnership with lawmakers in helping improve education for students and the professionals who serve them.

We look forward to working with the General Assembly in 2024 to build on this foundation to enact a strong education budget that gets to the equivalency of 2008 funding; prioritize statutory provisions to recruit, retain and develop educators and staff; and continue to identify ways to personalize and provide
deep learning experiences for all students in a safe, conducive learning environment.

CALL TO ACTION: Contact Lawmakers, Urge Them to Stabilize Education Budgets Now

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 15:30:00 GMT

March 17, 2023 – With just two working days left in this legislative session, public education
continues to be a key topic among lawmakers. The Kentucky Association of School
Superintendents remains committed to championing crucial issues related to student
achievement, but we need your help! We urge you to talk to your legislators and voice support
for ensuring students have the resources they need to make progress, be engaged and receive
a quality education in every school.

Unfortunately, school districts are facing a catastrophic funding cliff brought on largely by
attendance-related effects of the pandemic. Please urge lawmakers to put Kids First in Kentucky
by stabilizing public education budgets now to ensure students have the resources they need to
be at their best in the classroom, and out of it.
In Kentucky, public school funding is based on how many students show up every day, or
average daily attendance (ADA). If attendance drops, so does funding. Schools, however, must
be prepared each day to function as if every student will walk through the doors: Classrooms
are staffed. Buildings are heated and cooled. Meals are prepared. Buses run their regular
routes.

This funding model is sufficient when attendance averages about 95 percent of a district’s total
enrollment, which is about what Kentucky districts averaged pre-pandemic. But that model
poses significant risks to providing the education we all want for our children when attendance
slips into the low 90 percent range. And make no mistake – nearly every school district in our
Commonwealth has seen a drop in ADA.

At the onset of the pandemic, legislators allowed districts to use 2019 attendance rates for
purposes of funding, to counterbalance Covid absences. That provision, however, will expire
June 30, 2023, and the impact will be significant for districts all across Kentucky. Currently,
attendance rates are down 3% or more on average, posing considerable funding challenges for
districts when the school funding formula returns to the traditional ADA model.
At the same time, districts that have seen their enrollment grow over the past three years are
also at a critical juncture. These districts have continued to educate, transport, feed and
support an increasing number of students, but have received no additional dollars while the
funding formula was effectively frozen. These districts and the students they serve need relief
as well.

Fortunately, there is a solution: With nearly $56 million in excess SEEK funds, money is already
appropriated and available to help offset these anomalies. We implore the Kentucky General
Assembly to redistribute the excess FY23 SEEK funds – which have already been designated for
education purposes but will lapse to the General Fund if not redirected – to help soften the
financial loss for districts experiencing a drop in the current year’s ADA, as well as to provide
districts that have grown during the pandemic with the catch-up funding they need.

These mechanisms will provide a bridge to help in FY24, during which the General Assembly will
reconvene for a budget session to consider education funding with fresher data and a clearer
direction forward. In the meantime, we urge action to address these issues so that Kentucky
students will have the resources and educational programming they need and deserve in the
upcoming school year.

The post CALL TO ACTION: Contact Lawmakers, Urge Them to Stabilize Education Budgets Now appeared first on KidsFirstKY .

We Need Less Political Influence in Public Education – Not More

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 21:42:00 GMT

Two bills that would make school boards and city councils partisan offices, with partisan primary elections, are being considered by the Kentucky General Assembly. The impact of HB50 & SB50 would have harmful effects on local school boards, and the students and districts they serve.

There are numerous reasons to oppose school board elections becoming partisan. The drafters of the Kentucky Constitution had the wisdom to explicitly assert that public education shall be nonpartisan. Our forefathers recognized that education must transcend partisan politics. While there are places where partisan discussions are appropriate, the classroom, which reflects the work of the local school board, is not one of them. Simply put, we need less political influence in public education – not more.

Community-elected school board members, along with the dedicated professional educators and staff, best understand the needs of the students and schools in their districts. Injecting partisan issues into school board elections would shift the focus to national-level political fights that have no connection whatsoever to education in Kentucky communities. In the process, we’d lose community-driven decisions like how we teach reading and math, how we fund SROs and mental health professionals, and when and where new schools should be built.

We must keep Kids First in Kentucky. I encourage you to contact your lawmakers now and urge them to oppose HB50 and SB50.

The post We Need Less Political Influence in Public Education – Not More appeared first on KidsFirstKY .

HB 3 Introduced

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 17:46:00 GMT

On February 16, 2023, House Bill 3 (HB 3) was introduced in the Kentucky House of Representatives. KASS supports this bill as a positive first step in improving student learning, student attendance, and teacher and student working conditions.

KASS, Education Leaders Recommend Juvenile Justice Reforms

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:47:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Mental health issues are ‘significant threat to public education’

FRANKFORT, KY (February 9, 2023) – Education leaders from across Kentucky met with the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council on Feb. 9 to highlight the challenges and opportunities within Kentucky’s juvenile justice system.

Dr. Jim Flynn, executive director of Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS), said the mental health issues facing public school students and staff are an urgent, pressing need.

“The unmet needs of our most vulnerable children constitute a significant threat to public education in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Dr. Flynn said. “Kentucky school districts are not equipped to serve students with severe behavioral, psychiatric, and/or violent behaviors.”

Schools across the Commonwealth are reeling from the impact of those challenges, he added: difficulty retaining and recruiting certified teachers, administrators and classified employees such as bus drivers, bus monitors, and instructional assistants; a decrease in student attendance as parents hesitate to send children to school; overall loss of instructional time for the general student population; lack of public confidence for a safe and healthy school culture; and a school safety crisis for students and employees.

“We know these issues are complex, but we cannot put a price on the life of a child,” Flynn said. “We must work together to find solutions.”

Education leaders recommended several changes in state law that would ensure students receive the support they need, and improve the safety of school campuses, including:

Brian Bowland, director of Pupil Personnel for McCracken County Public Schools, also offered common sense options for diversion of students in public schools, to provide earlier interventions for students in need.

The issues facing students are universal throughout Kentucky, and transcend district size and urban/ rural geographies, according to Dr. Carrie Ballinger, superintendent of Rockcastle County Schools.

“Public schools are not equipped to deal with the severe behavior issues we’re seeing,” she said. “We’re not equipped to deal with the psychiatric and violent behaviors that we’re seeing. It’s not for lack of trying because we’re giving it everything. We have to try to serve our kids. We need more support.”

Todd Hazel, director of Student Services for Warren County Public Schools, said his district has an average of two staff members assaulted by students either verbally or physically on a weekly basis, and an average of two threats of school violence per week by a student, either in person or through technology.

“Warren County Public Schools has a process in place to address these threats through referrals,” he said, “but law enforcement is limited in what they can do, and consequences are nominal.”

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Kentucky Must Employ Creative Strategies to Lure People to Teaching Profession

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:31:00 GMT

Our teachers are trained to be experts in instruction. More than ever, now public school educators and support staff – from administrators to classroom teachers, from bus drivers to nutrition workers – are tasked with additional roles, like counselor, social worker, nurse and investigator, to ensure students’ needs are met, and they’re engaged and ready to learn.

But those additional duties, coupled with a severe staffing shortage across all educational roles, are taking a toll on our public schools. And Kentucky kids are ultimately the ones to pay the price.

Over the past few years, schools have been innovative in making sure classrooms are covered, whether it’s by filling a classroom vacancy with administrative staff, school personnel taking on non-assigned roles like bus monitors, or giving up planning sessions to take another class.

These additional duties decrease time for direct student involvement and planning, and increases burn out among staff.

All this is happening while teachers realize an effective pay cut:

A new analysis from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy shows that the average teacher pay has fallen for the seventh straight year. When adjusted for inflation, it dropped more than 5 percent in the past year alone. In fact, the latest inflation-adjusted analysis shows that teachers took a $3,152 pay cut this year on average.

Last year, schools got a much-needed lifeline: lawmakers invested additional dollars in our public schools, allowing nearly every district to provide raises to employees. Although those funds didn’t get teachers close to the 2008 earning power equivalency, we recognize and appreciate this important first step by legislators.

While continuing to increase pay would likely help with the staffing crisis, salary alone won’t lure the number of people into the profession that we need. Kentucky must think broadly to encourage and incentivize people to pursue teaching as a profession in the first place.

Kentucky lawmakers can take specific steps to increase the number of candidates in the teaching pipeline:

Across the Commonwealth, people are exiting the teaching profession or choosing to forgo a career in public education all together. These actions would help put Kentucky on a path to correcting its teacher and school staff shortage.

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Urging Lawmakers to Make Adjustments to Laws Now to Avert Catastrophic Funding Cliff

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:27:00 GMT

A key issue facing Kentucky public schools is so well-known by now it’s almost cliché: our schools are suffering from long-term, persistent underfunding. It’s a problem made even worse by the pandemic, which has disrupted learning for hundreds of thousands of students across our state, and required more resources from our schools and staff than ever before.

Last year lawmakers took a welcome, important first step in appropriating additional dollars to help bolster Kentucky’s public schools. This year they have the opportunity to perform another crucial act: averting a catastrophic funding cliff facing many districts by updating laws to address inflationary pressures on schools, and stabilize funding and attendance-related anomalies of the last few years.

Kentucky is one of only six states that factor average daily attendance (ADA) into districts’ baseline funding formula. If attendance drops, so does funding. Schools, however, must be prepared each day to function as if every student will show up: Classrooms are staffed. Buildings are heated and cooled. Meals are prepared. Buses run their regular routes.

At the onset of the pandemic, legislators allowed districts to use 2019 attendance rates for purposes of funding to counterbalance Covid absences, but that provision will expire June 30, 2023.

Now in their fourth school year impacted by Covid, districts continue to grapple with a ‘pandemic effect:’ school attendance seen as less of an obligation and more of an option. And many communities are still reeling from another of Covid’s impact: a portion of our population’s immune systems are still adjusting to the world as communities open up and more people move about freely, and largely unmasked, resulting in a surge in cases of flu and RSV in addition to Covid.

Doing nothing would have devastating consequences for the vast majority of our schools. Most districts are seeing about a 3 percent drop in attendance compared to pre-pandemic attendance levels. At the same time, several districts have experienced exponential growth over the past few years; reverting to a prior year’s attendance rates would deny those districts of desperately needed funds as well. The fix can’t be one-size-fits-all. The solution must take into account districts at both ends of the spectrum.

We continue to urge lawmakers to get education funding back on track, but the more immediate need is to ensure schools don’t fall even further behind. It’s urgent that lawmakers make necessary adjustments this legislative session so catastrophic effects don’t adversely affect our students.

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Kentucky Kids Facing Mental Health Crisis

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:12:00 GMT

This year, Kentucky public schools started to look a lot like they did before the pandemic hit. Most districts returned to in-person classes, masks were optional, and events like sports, graduations and plays took place as they had before COVID-19. But for many of our students, the challenges they continue to face are just as dangerous, but far less obvious.

Across the Commonwealth, as across the country, students are facing a mental health crisis. According to the 2022 KIDS COUNT® Data Book , about 1 in 6 Kentucky kids face anxiety or depression, as family issues, economic stressors, community events and lingering effects of the pandemic continue to take a toll. Those factors are having a profound, and deadly, impact on children.

Plainly put: thousands of our children are struggling just to make it through the day. Students simply can’t focus on classwork when they’re depressed, insecure, or emotionally unstable. And the same can be said for school staff, who are often grappling with similar circumstances in their own lives, in addition to trying to manage their students’ conflicts. According to the 2020 Impact Kentucky Working Conditions Survey, 56 percent of teachers who responded said they were extremely concerned with emotional well-being in the classroom.

The Commonwealth is falling short in its goal to make sure our children and teachers can be at their best every day. And having access to the mental health services and support they need in and outside the classroom must be a priority.

That’s why the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) is urging lawmakers to put Kids First, and support initiatives that focus on student and staff wellness and safety.

We ask lawmakers to:

More than ever, students and teachers are coming into schools carrying more than just books and supplies. Let’s prioritize mental health and safety options so schools can continue to be a refuge where they can get the support they need to be a success in the classroom, and in life.

Find out how you can help here .

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Warren County Superintendent Rob Clayton Named National Superintendent of the Year

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 17:32:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

‘Having a national platform to share that vision is truly powerful’

FRANKFORT, KY (November 15, 2022) – The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) today announced that Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) Superintendent Rob Clayton was named the 2022 National Superintendent of the Year by the National Association of School Superintendents. Clayton has served as the superintendent of WCPS – the fourth largest and fastest-growing public school in Kentucky – since 2013.

“Rob was a natural choice for this honor,” said Jim Flynn, executive director of KASS. “He works tirelessly to provide high-quality learning and engaging opportunities for the students and staff of Warren County. But his dedication to the education profession doesn’t stop at his district. He has always been a champion for giving all students in Kentucky, regardless of where they live, the same meaningful experiences. Having a national platform to share that vision is truly powerful.”

Clayton was also selected as the 2023 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year at the Kentucky Association of School Administrators’ (KASA) Leadership Institute in July.

During Clayton’s tenure, the district has experienced significant growth, increasing its student body by 25 percent. At the same time, WCPS has opened three new elementary schools and undergone major athletic renovations at all four high schools.

“I’m honored by this recognition, but it’s an award that really has to be shared throughout our entire district,” Clayton said. “I am fortunate to have the support of tremendous staff and families, and I know the difference that kind of support can make. That’s why it’s so important to get our public education funding back on track, recruit and retain top-notch teachers and staff, and focus on student and staff wellness and safety. We have to put our kids first in Kentucky.”

To learn more about the Kids First initiative, visit kidsfirstky.com .

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About Kids First Kentucky

Kids First Kentucky is an initiative by the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) to make sure our children and teachers can be at their best every day. We believe in wisely investing public dollars to support public schools. We believe in empowering local school districts to make the best decisions for their communities. Most of all, we believe improving our public schools means greater opportunities and brighter futures for all Kentuckians.

About Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS)

The mission of KASS is to develop the capacity of Superintendents, and those who aspire to the Superintendency, to reach their full potential in transforming their educational systems to produce students who successfully compete in a global society. KASS supports superintendents and their school districts by influencing education policies and legislation, facilitating networking and mentoring, enhancing professional development and sustaining relationships with other Kentucky education organizations.

Media Contact
Dominic Manecke
(202) 465-5488
dominic@c2strategic.com

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Kentucky Teachers and School Staff Leaving the Profession in Record Numbers

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 17:28:00 GMT

Ask any parent or guardian who had to guide their child through online classes and virtual schoolwork, and they’ll tell you: teaching is a heroic profession.

As countless Kentucky households discovered at the outset of the pandemic, the single most important tool in making sure students are engaged, prepared, inspired and excited about learning every day is a high-quality teacher in the classroom. And our strongest asset in ensuring students can thrive at home and in life, is also our greatest challenge.

Today, Kentucky public schools are facing a teaching and staffing crisis. Across the Commonwealth, people are exiting the teaching profession or choosing to forgo a career in public education all together. A record 30,000 teachers are expected to leave the profession this year alone according to the Kentucky Department of Education. As the number of certified teachers and educational professionals drop, students are the ones paying the price, through larger classes, overworked staff and inconsistent lessons and programs.

To counter that trend and put Kids First in Kentucky, we must act now to recruit and retain highly skilled teachers and staff. At the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS), we pledge to work with families, community leaders and local lawmakers to see that happen, and are committed to championing deliberate steps – like providing incentives to enter the education profession, identifying the education career pathway as a high-demand work sector and encouraging young people to pursue education as a career – to help make sure our children are taught by the best and brightest.

There is simply no substitute for a dynamic, supported and highly skilled teacher in the classroom every day. Our kids deserve no less.

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It’s Time to Get Kentucky Public School Funding Back on Track

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 15:30:00 GMT

Despite an additional $100 per-pupil allotment in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, regular funding for public education in the Commonwealth continues to fall further behind, putting Kentucky students – and the Commonwealth as a whole — at a competitive and economic disadvantage.

Last legislative session, the General Assembly increased the SEEK guaranteed base amount, rising from $4,000 to $4,100 per pupil in FY 2023 and then to $4,200 in FY 2024.

The budget action was a welcome, if all too rare, step toward correcting years of funding deficiencies and unfunded mandates.

Sadly, however, the additional dollars fall far short of what our schools need to keep up with mandatory programs and inflationary impacts, and to inspire our students to reach their full potential.

Simply put, we need to get Kentucky public school funding back on track.

To do that, KASS calls on the General Assembly to bring SEEK dollars to the inflationary equivalent of 2008 funding. In other words, we’re asking lawmakers to appropriate the same amount of money as was budgeted when Taylor Swift was still a country music singer, if those dollars had just kept up with inflation.

In today’s dollars, that would mean an increase in statewide funding by more than $1.08 billion, and a per-pupil average increase of $1,775. (It is important to note that these figures are based on December 2021 inflation rates and will undoubtedly be higher when adjusted for December 2022 inflation numbers.)

With that funding, schools can build modern, state-of-the-art learning spaces. Complete needed repairs and upgrades on older buildings. Purchase new, safer and more efficient school buses. And recruit and retain the best teachers in the Commonwealth.

Let’s invest in our future by putting Kids First in Kentucky. Help us make it happen today !

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Building on 2022 Momentum | The Work Continues

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 14:34:00 GMT

Last year, Kentucky lawmakers took a much needed and important step toward addressing longstanding funding deficiencies and unfunded mandates in Kentucky’s public education system.

As part of its biennial budget in 2022, the General Assembly increased the SEEK per-pupil guaranteed base amount, rising from $4,000 to $4,100 this year and then to $4,200 next year.

As educators, administrators, employers and parents ourselves, we commend – and continue to appreciate – the move to direct long-overdue funds to our public schools. Those resources will help begin to offset the impacts of yearly inflation, pandemic-related needs and requirements, and the higher maintenance, fuel and construction costs that school districts across the Commonwealth are experiencing.

In short, it was a good first step. But it was one of many that must be taken to ensure Kentucky’s kids reach their full potential.

In the months and years ahead, we pledge to work with our legislative leaders to build on that momentum and gradually bring SEEK dollars to the inflationary equivalent of 2008 funding. There is no investment more powerful or that pays greater dividends than educating our children.

To do that, we must get public education funding back on track. And we must put Kids First in Kentucky.

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KASS Calls on KY Lawmakers to Put “Kids First”

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 19:25:00 GMT

With Kentucky’s public teacher shortage at a crisis point and school funding levels essentially stagnant, there has never been a more crucial time for our Commonwealth to put “Kids First.”

In that spirit, Kids First Kentucky is an initiative launched by the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) to do just that by championing the urgent needs of public education. The effort highlights the urgency of (1) getting Kentucky public school funding back on track; (2) recruiting and retaining high quality educators and school staff; and (3) improving student and staff safety and wellbeing.

As we work to put Kids First, we are committed to partnering with lawmakers, local officials, business and community leaders, schools and parents to develop innovative, modern and common-sense approaches to attract people to the teaching profession, and keep them there. In addition, we support measures to close the public education funding gap and more freedom for school districts to mold education curriculum to fit the needs of their students. Moreover, we believe strongly that public tax dollars should be spent on public schools, and advocate for full-day kindergarten to be enacted into law, among a whole host of important issues impacting public schools and Kentucky’s economy.

On September 20 ^th , KASS Executive Director Dr. Jim Flynn had the opportunity to present before members of the Kentucky General Assembly during an Interim Joint Committee on Education hearing. During Flynn’s testimony, he impressed on Committee members’ the need to put “Kids First” and urged lawmaker to act on KASS’ three priorities for the upcoming legislative session . An archived recording of his testimony can be viewed on KET’s website.

With the 2023 Legislative Session slated to begin in January 2023, we encourage you to please check back here often for updates on education policies, pending legislation and tips on how you can get involved in helping put “Kids First” in Kentucky.

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Senate Bill 1 Passed by General Assembly

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:50:00 GMT

The Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1 (SB1) on March 25, 2022. SB1 will provide greater flexibility to local school districts and superintendents to help guarantee student, principal and faculty success. Some of the reforms KASS is proud to have pushed for will:

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House Bill 9 (Privatization Bill) Passed by General Assembly

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:48:00 GMT

On March 29, 2022, House Bill 9 (HB9) was passed by the Kentucky General Assembly. KASS objects to this bill as it has the potential to:

KASS will continue to oppose any legislative efforts to further these ends.

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House Bill 1 (Budget Bill) Passed by General Assembly

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:46:00 GMT

As of March 30, 2022, House Bill 1 (HB1) was passed by the Kentucky General Assembly.

With this bill, lawmakers are taking several positive steps toward creating a brighter future for Kentucky students and public schools. KASS has been advocating for many of these developments, which include:

We are greatly encouraged by these reforms and will work to ensure our General Assembly continues to build on this progress toward putting kids first in Kentucky.

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Senate Bill 1 Referred to House Education Committee

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:13:00 GMT

Following passage by the Kentucky Senate, Senate Bill 1 (SB1) was most recently referred to the House Standing Committee on Education on March 11, 2022. This pushes the bill another step closer to being signed into law. SB1 will provide greater flexibility to local school districts and superintendents to help guarantee student, principal and faculty success. If signed into law, SB1 would:

See the “ How We Can Help ” page to access SB1 social media posts to help us get the bill over the finish line.

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House Bill 1 Passes Senate

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:29:00 GMT

House Bill 1 (HB1) was passed in the Kentucky Senate 30-6 on March 9, 2022 and is now headed conference committee. KASS is working hard to make sure the final piece of legislation is the most impactful and makes a positive difference on Kentucky students and public schools.

As a result, KASS is urging lawmakers to include in HB1, four common ground measures, including:

Go to the “ How We Can Help ” page to access social media posts, talking points, email and call scripts and much more to make sure your voice is heard.

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House Bill 9 Introduced

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:12:00 GMT

On March 1, 2022, House Bill 9 (HB9) was introduced in the Kentucky House of Representatives. KASS strongly opposes this short-sighted and misguided bill, and as it is currently written would harm our schools and communities. If signed into law, House Bill 9 would:

Visit the Kids First Kentucky’s “ How We Can Help ” page to access social media posts, talking points, as well as email and phone scripts to help us defeat House Bill 9.

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KASS launches its Kids First KY website and social media campaign!

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 18:23:00 GMT

KASS has launched its Kids First KY Campaign to make sure our children and teachers can be at their best every day. We believe in wisely investing public dollars to support public schools. We believe in empowering local school districts to make the best decisions for their communities. Most of all, we believe improving our […]

KASS Legislative Update Zoom Podcast – January 31, 2022

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:29:00 GMT

KASS Legislative Update Podcast – this week we hear from KASS Legislative Committee Chair and Ludlow Independent Superintendent Mike Borcher and JCPS Executive Administrator for Government and Community Relations Chuck Truesdell. Listen to this informative update while on your walk, the treadmill or catching up on some office work. We hope you find it valuable and feel […]

PUTTING KENTUCKY KIDS FIRST BUILDS A STRONGER KENTUCKY

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:25:00 GMT

As Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS), I go to work every day determined to make sure that 640,000 students, across the Commonwealth’s 171 school districts, can be at their best in and outside the classroom. Making that dream a reality is the driving force behind everything that we do at […]

House Bill 1 Passes House

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:30:00 GMT

House Bill 1 (HB1) is a comprehensive bill outlining the state budget for 2022. HB1 highlights include:

While KASS applauds state lawmakers for prioritizing education funding, our 171 superintendents representing every school district in the Commonwealth, calls on the Kentucky Senate to add three common sense, common ground reforms to HB1:

Go to the “ How We Can Help ” page to access social media posts, talking points, email and call scripts and much more to make sure your voice is heard.

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House Bill 5 Becomes Law

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 19:16:00 GMT

We appreciate the hard work of the Kentucky General Assembly and the Beshear Administration for their collective support for the countless students, families and schools affected by the devastating December 2021 storms. Signed into law by Governor Beshear on January 13, 2022, House Bill 5 (HB5):

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Senate Bill 25 Signed Into Law

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:23:00 GMT

During the first week of the legislative session, KASS scored an important bipartisan victory with Senate Bill 25 (SB25). Signed into law on January 14, 2022, SB25 will:

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Senate Bill 1 Approved by Senate

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:51:00 GMT

The Kentucky Senate voted in favor of Senate Bill 1 (SB1) on January 8, 2022. The measure will provide greater flexibility to local school districts and superintendents to ensure student, principal and staff success. The bill is waiting further consideration by the Kentucky House of Representatives. If signed into law, SB1 would:

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