5-star rating system released; KBE discusses results

The Kentucky Board of Education met Oct. 2 and 3, just one day after the release of the new 5-star accountability system’s results.

Under the star-rating system, 89 schools received one star; 251 received two stars; 643 received three stars; 233 received 4 stars; and 56 received 5 stars. Schools that would have been a four or five star but had a statistically significant achievement gap lost a star.

In his report to the board, Commissioner Wayne Lewis took issue with what he said were “lies” about the new system being spread on social media. The information, he said, included that poor and black children can’t learn, that the system was designed to put more Jefferson County Schools in the bottom 5 percent and that the system reduces schools’ performance to a single rating.

Lewis also pointed out his concern about the number of black students who scored in the Novice category, noting that the rate was double that of their white peers.

Overall, the results showed that achievement rates in math and reading remained mostly stagnant, the state’s graduation rate remained high at 90.6 percent, 11 schools were designated for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement and the bottom 5 percent of performing schools (50) were designated as Comprehensive Support and Improvement. 

Tobacco-free schools signs still available

More than 90 percent of Kentucky school districts have adopted 100 percent tobacco-free schools policies and districts can still get free signs to communicate those policies.

The free signs are part of a partnership of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHky), the Kentucky Medical Association and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC).

Districts that adopted the policy after April 2019 can  get the signs on a first-come, first-served basis. Deliveries will start in November. The program will be expanded in January 2020 to include school districts that previously passed tobacco-free schools policies but want to refresh their campus and vehicle signage. 

Across the state, 157 districts have adopted a 100 percent tobacco-free policy as envisioned in House Bill 11, which was signed into law in April 2019. The model policy prohibits the use of all tobacco products at all times on school campuses and in school vehicles. It also prohibits tobacco use by school officials on field trips when students are present. The law does not prohibit adult use of nicotine replacement therapy products for tobacco cessation. 

Strong support for education funding

In the annual PDK Poll, which measures public opinion about K-12 education, Americans continued to express their concern about the lack of financial support for public schools. Respondents named lack of funding as the biggest problem facing their local schools for the 18th consecutive year.

In the poll, 25 percent of all adults said inadequate financial support is the biggest problem and among teachers, even more — 36 percent — called lack of funding the biggest problem.

Sixty percent of respondents said schools have too little money, with even a majority of more affluent Americans saying the public schools in their community are underfunded. Although they were not willing to raise taxes to solve this problem, Americans said they are ready to vote for candidates who will support greater funding for public schools. About 9 in 10 parents, teachers and all adults supported using revenue from state lotteries for public schools. About three-quarters of all adults favored using taxes on legal recreational marijuana and 80 percent favored using taxes on sports gambling as school funding sources. A majority of all adults also supported using revenue from legal recreational marijuana and legal sports gambling to beef up school coffers, the results show. 

What should be done to improve reporting requirements for children who are home-schooled?

I really don’t have anything against home schooling, but I think that there should be some accountability and the easiest way, and, to me, the best way would be for those students to have to come in every year to do the end-of-the-year testing. And should those students not meet the mandate, then the following year they would have to come back to a public or private school, and not be home-schooled. There needs to be some type of accountability. If those parents aren’t held accountable, their children aren’t going to have the education they need to be successful.

The Breathitt County passed a nickel tax in 2017, before you joined the board. How has the district used the revenue to improve the learning environment for its students?

For eastern Kentucky, basically it’s a have to. One thing we did, I taught in a school called LBJ and it was falling down. My room flooded five times the last year I was there. But we really had no money to band aid it more so when we did the nickel tax, it allowed us to update the middle school. We’re renovating it in hopes of building a new elementary school in the next two to three years. But we would not have had the renovation money had we not had the nickel tax. And then too it allows us to do bonding so that we can look to the future for a new elementary school. If not, we wouldn’t have had any hope of having a new elementary school.

What have you learned during your first year as a school board member?



The biggest thing I learned is it takes time. I can’t get things done quickly enough that the need is met when it needs to be met. If someone gives me a problem, I will go to the superintendent, but it seems like I can’t get things rolling quick enough that whatever the situation is that rises can be taken care of in a timely manner. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned, that you have to slow down to go through the channels. 

Registration now open for 2019 Winter Symposium

Registration is now open for KSBA’s 2019 Winter Symposium. Click the button below for quick and easy online registration. Printed registration booklets are in the mail and will hit homes shortly. You can also download the booklet here . Join approximately 400 board members, superintendents and education leaders for a two-day intensive training. Network with colleagues from across the state and participate in informative sessions designed to enhance your school board service.

This year’s event will be held Nov. 22 and 23 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown (new location). The deadline to reserve a room at the conference hotel is 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. After this deadline, the room block and special rates expire, and attendees will have to make other hotel arrangements.

Note for exhibitors: Registration for affiliates, sponsors and trade show exhibitors will be available soon. This online registration is for general conference attendees only. 

More than 1,200 students participate in Bus to Biz

Students across the state visited business in their communities on Oct. 2 to learn about career opportunities as part of the first Bus to Business Day.

The program, a partnership of the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Kentucky and businesses, is designed to connect business with students.

During Bus to Business Day, more than 1,200 students visited 32 businesses in 24 counties. Students had the chance to tour businesses, complete hands-on, work-based learning activities, and speak directly with business leaders about their professions.

Among the trips, Scott County students visited Toyota, Graves County students visited Murray Bank, Barbourville Independent students visited Barbourville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Bowling Green Independent students visited Afni Inc.

Sargent elected Central Kentucky Region chair

James Sargent, who has served nine years on the Anderson County board, was selected as the Central Kentucky Regional chairman for KSBA's Board of Directors at the region's fall meeting. Sargent, who previously served as regional chairman, won the KSBA Kids First Advocacy Award in 2012. He is a member of the United Way and serves on the board of directors for CASA of the Bluegrass. Sargent received an associate degree from Bluegrass Community and Technical College and is a service technician for AT&T.

KSBA's Third Region will elect a new regional chairperson at its Oct. 28 meeting in Bowling Green. Four new regional chairs were elected earlier this fall.

October Advocate available online

As school district budgets get tight, some Kentucky districts are turning to their neighbors for help. Sharing non-instructional services and operations can help both districts save taxpayer money that can be used in the classroom. See how districts are making it work with a little help from their friends in the October issue of the Kentucky School Advocate.

Also in this month's Advocate:

KSBA Poll Question

Upcoming dates, deadlines and events

October: National Bullying Prevention Month

October: National School Principal Month

Oct. 14-18: National School Lunch Week

Oct. 20-26: Kentucky Safe Schools Week

Oct. 21-25: National School Bus Safety Week

Oct. 23-31: Red Ribbon Week

Oct. 28: Entry deadline for KSBA's First Degree Scholarship

Nov. 22-23: KSBA Winter Symposium

This edition of KSBA Aware is made possible in part

by the following KSBA Affiliate Members.