Gov. Andy Beshear said he plans to allow schools in counties with high coronavirus spread to open in January, but with some new restrictions.

In a Nov. 18 executive order, Beshear closed all schools to in-person instruction as the virus continued to surge across the state. Elementary schools in counties out of the red zone – those with less than 25 cases per 100,00 residents – could reopen Dec. 7 if they followed all of the expectations in the state’s Healthy at School guidance.

Just seven counties were not red on the state’s Dec. 3 COVID-19 incidence map. Of the eight districts in those counites, only three chose to bring back elementary students this week. At least 41 districts have already decided to keep all students virtual until after Winter Break. The map that determines whether any elementary schools can be in-person next week will be updated Dec. 10.

Under the executive order, middle and high schools can resume in-person classes on Jan. 4. Beshear said on Dec. 1 that school in January will look different “with fewer kids in the classroom and virtual options for those who choose it.”

The guidance on how schools will open could be released as early as next week, Beshear said. On Wednesday he told WDRB-TV that the new requirements will include having a virtual option for every class and having protections in place for faculty and staff.

“We need to make sure the most vulnerable have options and that there are real protections for our educators,” Beshear said.

Meanwhile, Education Commissioner Jason Glass said Wednesday he was seeking input from Kentucky’s education community in order to make recommendations on reopening schools to the governor’s office.

Through the contributions of our members, education leaders, friends and community partners, the KSBA Educational Foundation strives to advance the service of school boards and empower public school districts. From funding student support services (including our First Degree Scholarship Program) and technology initiatives, to school safety training and professional development for districts, we make every dollar count. Thanks to the leadership of American Fidelity Educational Services, right now every dollar counts double!

American Fidelity will match every gift made to the KSBA Educational Foundation until Dec. 31 or until the foundation hits its goal of $10,000 - whichever comes first. Whether you give $50 or $500, your contribution will be matched dollar-for-dollar. KSBA challenges you to make a gift to the foundation, taking advantage of this matching opportunity.

KSBA’s Director of Advocacy Eric Kennedy joined in a discussion on Dec. 7 about reopening Kentucky schools on KET’s Kentucky Tonight.

Moderator Renee Shaw lead the panel which, in addition to Kennedy, included Senate Education Chairman Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, Education Commissioner Jason Glass, Union County Schools Superintendent Patricia Sheffer, Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents Jim Flynn and Rowan County teacher Allison Slone.

Wise said he wished Gov. Andy Beshear had collaborated with legislators before ordering schools closed.

“I think if we could have some open communications lines, it would be better for everyone,” he said. Wise noted that with the incidence rate map having so many counites in the red, it was inevitable that schools would have to close; that’s why he believes the threshold for being a red county should be reconsidered.

“We may have some counties that may never get out of the red, we may still be in summer 2021 and still be in the red,” he said.

Sheffer said that her district was successful with in-person learning while the county was in the red because the district used a hybrid model that reduced the number of students in classrooms to limit transmission. In addition, she has worked with the local health department, judge-executive and emergency management, as well as with other superintendents.

“I must consider the health of my staff in addition to our students,” Sheffer said. The district has not had any cases that were spread from the school system, she said.

Kennedy noted that while students aren’t in the classroom, they could spread the virus by being with friends or being cared for by elderly grandparents.

No one, parents nor educators, believes that online learning is the best long-term option for students.

“We do want to do everything we can to get back to in-person instruction as much as we can, as quickly as we can,” he said.

Gov. Andy Beshear recently gave educators some hope that the end of the pandemic is near.

Beshear, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack and Education Commissioner Jason Glass on Dec. 4 held a virtual meeting with all superintendents to ask them to prepare rosters of school employees who are willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We want to make sure that our educators get the priority that they deserve,” Beshear said. “So we can get back to as close as we can to normal as quickly as possible.”

Teachers are expected to be in line for the vaccine behind healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities, he said. The state expects to receive 38,000 doses of the Pfizer two-dose vaccine by Dec. 15. Although that won’t be enough for everyone in the first round, the state expects nearly 150,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the end of December, he said.

“Help is on the way, I can’t tell you exactly when it’s going to come,” Beshear said. “This is going be a hurry up, prepare and wait. But my goodness, the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter than I ever thought it was going to be.”

While there’s no timetable for when teachers and school staff will be able to get the vaccine, Beshear noted that he wants districts to be ready so when it arrives the vaccine can be administered as quickly as possible.

Beshear noted that it’s not only teachers who should get the vaccine, but any staff members who come in direct contact with students should also be included on districts’ lists.

The Kentucky Department of Education is working with the Department of Public Health to create guidance about the vaccine in the coming weeks, Glass said.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has released guidance on vaccines. Please see question 13 on page 10 regarding exemptions to mandatory vaccination requirements. Board members and superintendents should discus the issue with counsel, school district health coordinator and local health department. 

KSBA successfully hosted its first fully interactive virtual conference, the 2020 Winter Symposium on Dec. 4-5. Nearly 300 conference registrants gained access to two dozen breakout sessions, an impressive keynote lineup and a virtual tradeshow, all from the comfort of their homes or offices. The first day was highlighted by keynote addresses from Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass and Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams. KSBA’s Winter Symposium was the last major training opportunity offered before the end of the calendar year (the deadline for completion of state-mandated annual board training hours).

Access to on-demand recordings of most sessions is available for only a few more days. Registered virtual conference attendees can access the on-demand content using their conference login credentials. Those not previously registered who wish to access on-demand content should contact KSBA as soon as possible. (Participation in on-demand sessions may be eligible for board training credit.)

KSBA’s 27-member board of directors held its quarterly meeting on Dec. 4 in coordination with the virtual 2020 Winter Symposium. Agenda items included a recap of 2020 Regional Meetings, strategic plan updates, review of association finances and various board committee reports.

In keeping with KSBA tradition, the board also drew names from a pool of eligible applicants to determine the winners of the 2021 First Degree Scholarships. The names and districts of the four selected winners will be announced at the 2021 Annual Conference. This year's First Degree Scholarship sponsorships were generously provided by Houchens Insurance and American Fidelity.

The board’s Selection Committee reported on the association’s four new at-large members and president-elect, to be presented for ratification at the 2021 Annual Conference. Outgoing members, participating in their last scheduled board meeting, were recognized for their contributions to the association. Meet the members of KSBA's board of directors.

January is School Board Recognition Month, a time when communities recognize the work of their locally elected school boards and highlight the important governance role they play in charting the future of our districts. KSBA will once again offer helpful resources and templates – from social media graphics to certificates and sample media releases to help districts recognize their members.

Visit our website to review and download the materials. Districts are encouraged to seek out unique ways to celebrate board service. Tag KSBA on Twitter and Facebook and use the hashtag #LoveKySchoolBoards. We will share some of our favorites.

The board is changing the property disposal regulation 702 KAR 4:090. KSBA Executive Director Keri Schelling submitted comments to the board saying that the new regulation contained a conflict of interest section that was in conflict with existing laws.

We thank the state board of education for making the requested changes which will improve upon the proposed amendments and prevent any confusion or unintended consequences for districts.  

Over the next several months, KSBA will be spotlighting our Tier 1 and Tier 2 Affiliate Members in Q&A videos. The videos will provide information on the services the companies provide to school districts and why they choose to support public education.

This week's spotlight is Compass Municipal Advisors. Michael George and Anthony Strong of Compass Municipal Advisors joined KSBA's Matt McCarty for a Zoom conversation.

Check out all KSBA Affiliate members on our website.

This edition of KSBA Aware is made possible in part