Federal & State Law Update is less than a month away

Registration is open for KSBA's 13th Annual Federal & State Law Update. This year’s conference will be held on June 14 at Fayette County’s Frederick Douglass High School to showcase the school’s safety and security features through a student-led tour and panel discussion.

Additionally, Kentucky Center for School Safety Executive Director Jon Akers and Department of Criminal Justice Training Commissioner Alex Payne will be presenting plans for their work to implement the School Safety and Resiliency Act (SB 1 2019). As always, KSBA’s attorneys and staff will provide a detailed legislative update, federal and Open Meetings Act update, and a policy and procedure update.

Catered breakfast, lunch and afternoon refreshment will be provided.

Approved for credit: This year’s event has been approved for school board training credit, district administrator training credit (EILA) and attorney continuing legal education credit (CLE for KY, IN, WV and OH bar requirements). 

Policy updates will be sent by end of May

KSBA staff is working to update approximately 50 polices and 30 procedures which stem from revisions to state and federal law. The annual update will be sent to superintendents and policy contacts by the last week of May so that boards can have two readings before the start of the school year. Under state law, districts must update their policies by Aug. 15.

 

Unless a completely new policy or procedure is involved, the update will include changes marked in edit mode so that reviewers can see what has been added or removed. The update must be signed by the superintendent and board chair and returned to the district’s KSBA policy consultant.

Beshear, Bevin to face off in general election

Incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin will face Attorney General Andy Beshear in November's gubernatorial election after each won their primary Tuesday.

Bevin won 52 percent of the Republican primary vote over state Rep. Robert Goforth, who received 39 percent. Beshear captured 38 percent of the Democratic primary vote with House Minority Leader Rocky Adkins receiving 32 percent of the vote.

The results set up a battle between Bevin and Beshear, who have clashed in the courtroom several times since both took office. Beshear sued after Republicans passed a pension bill in 2018. The judge ruled in favor of Beshear and the pension bill was tossed out.

Click to view speeches from Tuesday's winners and losers from the governor primaries and for information on other statewide contests.

KSPMA to lead LPC service

KSBA is pleased to partner with the Kentucky School Plant Managers Association (KSPMA) to ensure that local school districts continue to meet state facilities planning requirements. For many years, as an aid to members and their districts, KSBA has offered a facilitation service for Local Planning Committees (LPCs). This quality service will now primarily be offered and managed by KSPMA.

With the transition of this service, KSBA will collaborate with KSPMA with the goal of equipping school board members with the knowledge and preparation necessary to make sound facility decisions for their districts. We thank KSPMA for continuing this important work for our Commonwealth’s public schools, and we look forward to their enhanced presence at KSBA conferences and events.

For more information on KSPMA, visit their website.

Erin Elizabeth Ball, center, a language arts teacher at Georgetown Middle School (Scott County), was named the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. Also honored were Melanie Callahan, a fourth-grade teacher at London Elementary (Laurel County), and Matthew Kaufmann, an English teacher at Marion C. Moore School (Jefferson County). (Photo: KDE)

Scott County Schools teacher named 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year

Erin Elizabeth Ball, a language arts teacher at Georgetown Middle School in Scott County, has been named the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. Ball has four years of teaching experience in Scott County Schools.

Melanie Callahan, a fourth-grade teacher at London Elementary (Laurel County), was named the 2020 Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Matthew Kaufmann, an English teacher at Marion C. Moore School (Jefferson County), was named the 2020 High School Teacher of the Year. The three joined 21 other teachers from across the state honored with 2020 Valvoline Teacher Achievement Awards.

Valvoline Inc. and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) made the announcement Monday at a ceremony in Frankfort.

“These teachers ignite learning and provide exemplary instruction in classrooms throughout our Commonwealth,” Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis said. “They are student-focused leaders and stewards of change. I look forward to working with them as we map a course to close the achievement gap and raise the learning bar to ensure that all of our students reach higher levels of learning.”

Ball received $10,000 and a commemorative art-glass statuette from Valvoline, and Callahan and Kaufmann each received $3,000 and a customized art glass statuette. In addition, KDE will provide an ambassadorship or suitable alternative for Ball, who also will represent the state in the 2020 National Teacher of the Year competition.

The remaining 21 winners each received $500 cash awards.

How to bolster cybersecurity in your schools

Edweek recently discussed the important role of internal controls as part of a district’s efforts to ward off the threat of cyberattacks. Melissa Tebbenkamp, IT director for a large school system in Kansas City, highlighted some of the most common vulnerabilities for schools and how districts can be proactive.

“Making sure your staff know what a phishing email looks like, what those scams look like, how to respond or not respond. Where it's important to share student information, and where it's not," Tebbenkamp said. "That end-user training is going to protect you. That will protect you against the lost USB drive with personal information on it. That training can't be once a year. You have to keep it front of mind.”

View the Edweek story.

KDE seeking feedback on draft assessment blueprints

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking feedback on draft assessment blueprints for reading/writing, mathematics and social studies.

Senate Bill 1 (2017) calls for KDE to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments with one or two content areas to be reviewed each year, and every six years after that on a rotating basis.

Beginning May 22 and continuing through June 21, the draft blueprints will be available for feedback and suggestions for use in the review process for the new assessments. Feedback and comments will be considered and any needed revisions made before bringing a final set of proposed blueprints for further comment and approval by the Kentucky Board of Education.

Interested individuals can view the assessment blueprints and provide feedback by clicking reading/writing, mathematics and/or social studies. Due to the amount of text within the survey, it is recommended complete them on a full-size computer or laptop.

KSBA's Spring Training tour

There are three stops remaining in KSBA's regional trainings at Kentucky’s educational co-ops. The events provide three training hours/courses on the topics of Ethics, Finance and Charter Authorization. Members can sign up for one, two or all three hours at a cost of $50 per hour. 

M ore information on the training in your area .

More calendar items

 

Kentucky Board of Education meeting, June 5, Frankfort

KSBA's 13th Annual Federal & State Law Update, June 14, Lexington

U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) training, July 11, Louisville

KSBA's Summer Leadership Institute, July 12-13, Lexington

KASA's Annual Conference, July 17-19, Louisville

2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark  Rose v. Council decision, paving the way for education improvement in Kentucky and the nation. Throughout the year we will join our partners to remember that mandate and honor our shared mission. Check out KSBA’s Facebook and Twitter pages as we regularly share language from the court decision using the hashtag #RoseAT30.

This edition of KSBA Aware is made possible in part

by the following KSBA Affiliate Members.