In this issue:
- Survey seeks cost of school safety upgrades
- Sickout subpoenas saga
- Kentucky Day of Giving is May 14
- Beyond the Board with Beth Brock
- Utility rate case settled
- NSBA Continuing Education Portal closes May 31
- KSBA presents PEAK Award to Dayton Independent
- May Kentucky School Advocate available online
- Upcoming dates, deadlines and events
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Survey seeks cost of school safety upgrades
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State legislators have acknowledged that implementation of Senate Bill 1, the school safety bill, will depend on funding in the next state budget and have committed to providing funding. However, to estimate the amount of funding necessary for the facilities portion of the bill, all districts will need to analyze their facility needs, produce an accurate estimate of the costs and convey those estimates to legislators before the next session begins in January.
To assist in these efforts, KSBA has recently distributed an electronic survey to school board chairs and superintendents to assess the cost of compliance for the facility provisions of SB 1. We will compile the results and present them to legislators prior to the start of the budget session in January. The target deadline for the survey is Sept. 1.
KSBA’s school safety funding survey in the news:
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The legal fight over turning over teachers’ names to the state has now turned into a
fight over which court should hear the case.
Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear had filed a lawsuit seeking to block the Bevin administration from getting the names of teachers who called in sick during protests at the General Assembly.
The Labor Cabinet, which had issued subpoenas to 10 districts for the names, then asked that the lawsuit be moved to federal court. Beshear has said he will contest the venue change.
A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Lexington.
While the parties are fighting, the Labor Cabinet already received the names from the Kentucky Department of Education. The department
complied with a subpoena from the Labor Cabinet on May 2 for the names it had previously collected from districts.
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Day of giving is one week away
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On Tuesday, May 14, the KSBA Educational Foundation, Inc., will join other nonprofits for Kentucky Gives Day, a 24-hour online fundraising campaign. One hundred percent of the money raised during Kentucky Gives Day will go to KSBA’s First Degree Scholarship fund. We ask our members, partners and friends to consider making a meaningful gift in support of this transformational program. We also invite you to lend your voice to the cause by encouraging others to make a gift via social media using the hashtag #KyGives19.
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The KSBA Educational Foundation, Inc., is the charitable arm of the Kentucky School Boards Association. Formed in 1992, the foundation provides valuable support to KSBA and seeks to fulfill its priorities of training for school board members, research, community engagement, student support services, technology and school safety. One of the foundation’s primary goals is to secure funds for the First Degree Scholarship Program.
View KSBA’s giving page via the button below before making your gift on May 14.
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Why did you decide to apply for Madison County’s School Board vacancy in 2012?
I made a commitment to always be involved in my children’s education. The day I walked them through the front doors of White Hall Elementary School, I became involved. I have served as room mom, PTO president, soccer booster president, site based council member and any other volunteer position where I could help. When the vacancy on the board became available it seemed like a natural progression for me. My children were still in school, so I had a vested interest in serving the students of Madison County.
Why have you decided to continue serving on the board and why do you think so many board members choose to stay involved through board service?
For me it is the ability to have a positive impact on each student’s future. There is nothing more important than providing a solid high-quality education to our students. Whether it is preparing them to go to college or helping them become career ready. Having an education changes the trajectory of not only their lives but the lives of their future family as well. Providing a solid public education to our children is vital to the livelihood of our communities and state.
You often go to schools to read to kids. How important is it for board members to visit schools in their district and to be involved with students?
My favorite thing to do as a school board member is to be in the schools. Whether it is having lunch with kindergartners, reading to students or visiting students in our high schools. I recently had the opportunity to judge the We the People competition that fifth graders participated in as part of their civics course where they learn about the Constitution. I am always amazed by our students. Board members need to see what is happening in our schools and listen to the students, teachers and the staff. It is vital that we build those relationships and stay connected.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing P-12 public education in Kentucky?
Adequate and consistent funding for public education. I think that any legislation that negatively affects funding for our students and our schools is detrimental to our goal of providing a quality education. Everything we do is based on having available funding either directly or indirectly. I would love for our lawmakers to spend time in our schools to see how funding impacts what happens every day in our classrooms. They need to see the great things that are happening in our schools and the great successes that we have with our students.
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Utility rate case settled
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The Kentucky Public Service Commission on April 30 issued an order approving a rate increase for Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities (KU), however the increase is much smaller than the utilities had requested.
The order, which was the result of a settlement, is estimated to save KU served districts approximately $600,000 per year from the requested increase and save LG&E served districts approximately $300,000 per year.
KSBA intervened in the case on behalf of districts along with the Kentucky attorney general, both Louisville and Lexington governments, and eight other entities.
In addition to the settlement, KSBA also was able to negotiate concessions in how the utility rates are designed which will help schools and districts. The rate design changes are estimated to save districts an estimated $100,000 a year for each utility
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NSBA Continuing Education Portal closes May 31
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For those KSBA members who attended the recent NSBA Annual Conference in Philadelphia, this is a reminder that the CEC portal is open through May 31 for you to claim your continuing education credits. After May 31, NSBA will only verify your conference registration. To claim your credits, visit
NSBA’s CEC portal, sign in with the login credentials that NSBA sent to you via email, and follow the instructions. For support, please email
[email protected] or call 888-480-2031.
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KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling (center) presents the Spring 2019 PEAK Award to Dayton Independent Superintendent Jay Brewer and board member Diane Huff (far right). Also pictured are KSBA Board of Director members Kimber Fender (left) and Jeanne Berger.
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KSBA presents PEAK Award to Dayton Ind.
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The Kentucky School Boards Association presented the Spring 2019 PEAK Award to Dayton Independent on April 30 at the district's Lincoln Elementary. Learn more about Dayton's PEAK-winning
Book a Week program in the video below.
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May Advocate available online
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Kentucky was one of six states to compete in last fall's inaugural season of esports. This spring, the number of Kentucky schools that competed in the KHSAA-sanctioned sport tripled.
"Esports is a new way to get kids involved at their school that maybe weren't involved in anything previously," said Joe Angolia, KHSAA communications director. "We're just trying to find new ways to get kids involved."
- Legislative aftermath: We break down what you need to know about the most important education bills to come out of the 2019 session.
- Rocking the schoolhouse: A preview of KSBA's 13th Annual Federal & State Law Update which will be held June 14 in Lexington.
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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.
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Upcoming dates, deadlines and events
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KSBA's Spring Training Tour
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KSBA is hitting the road this spring, offering regional trainings at Kentucky’s educational co-ops. Five training opportunities still remain and each event will 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. Board members can attend trainings outside of their co-op regions.
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This edition of
KSBA Aware is made possible in part
by the following KSBA Affiliate Members.
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Kentucky School Boards Association | 502-695-4630 | www.ksba.org
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