KSBA Aware - News from the Kentucky School Boards Association

Aug. 13, 2019

In this issue:

KBE narrows biennial budget priorities
KSBA regional chair nominations
Kentuckians name education as a top priority for the state
Beyond the Board with Diane Porter
Board vacancy appointment process
KSBA president asks members to 'step up to the tee' for students
KSBA will recognize 50th PEAK Award winner this fall
July/August Advocate online
KSBA In the News
Poll question: Questions you're hearing from community
Upcoming dates, deadlines and events

KBE narrows biennial budget priorities

The Kentucky Board of Education plans to ask the 2020 General Assembly for more than $100 million as part of its request for additional funding over current state budget spending levels.

At the Aug. 7 Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) meeting, the board listed its top six priorities for additional budget requests in the next biennial budget. KDE staff presented a list of 25 items before the board’s finance committee narrowed the list to six, in part by combining five career and technical education (CTE) funding items into one.

Though it did not make the top priority list, the board discussed asking for a 1 percent increase in the SEEK base funding to make up for inflation. That increase would be $64 million in the two-year budget.

Chairman Hal Heiner noted however that inflation has been averaging around 2 percent a year.

“It seems like that should be double the number we have there,” he said. “That’s sort of the bedrock for schools, their costs are going up, we know.”

The draft KBE wish list for the 2021-22 budget includes:

$35 million for career and technical education, including funding for both locally operated vocational centers and state-run area technology centers; transportation for CTE students; funding industry certification for students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch; and increase funding for CTE teachers.

$28.8 million in School Improvement Funds to support turnaround measures for Comprehensive Support and Improvement schools.

$29.2 million for the Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS) to increase offers of assistance, computers and restore cuts to educational technology funds.

$3 million for new teacher induction, allocating $600 per new teacher.

$3 million for the Kentucky School for the Blind and the Kentucky School for the Deaf.

$3.7 million for salary supplements for National Board Certified teachers.

Among the other listed items that were not prioritized: $3.5 million for 10th-grade students to take the ACT; $26.2 million to restore funding for preschool; $23.8 million for teacher professional development; $343 million for full-day kindergarten; and $324 million to fully fund student transportation.

The board will give final approval to the list at its October meeting before submitting it to the governor in November.

Photo: Kentucky Department of Education Division Director Charlie Harman and Associate Commissioner Robin Kinney present the additional budget requests to the Kentucky Board of Education.

KSBA regional chair nominations

During KSBA’s 2019 Fall Regional Meetings, six regional chair seats on KSBA’s board of directors will be up for election. Regional chairs help ensure every region of the state is represented in Frankfort, said KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling. For more information about regional chairs and the nomination process, watch the video below and visit our website.

Prichard Committee poll: Kentuckians name education as a top priority for the state

Education, jobs and health care remain top priorities for Kentucky voters heading into the 2019 gubernatorial election, according to results from the second annual Education Poll of Kentucky released by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.

The Mason-Dixon Poll, conducted June 14-26, asked registered voters to name one issue that elected officials most need to address, they responded:

Health care, 32 percent
Jobs and the economy, 24 percent
K-12 public education, 20 percent
Infrastructure, 12 percent
Public safety, 6 percent

The poll also showed support for early childhood education and that voters strongly recognize the need for continuing education after high school.

When asked about preschool and childcare, 74 percent of voters said they support increasing state funding to provide quality childcare and preschool for more low-income working parents.

More than 70 percent said they believe some level of postsecondary education is necessary for a good-paying job (although only 3 percent chose postsecondary as a top priority for elected officials, relative to the other choices).

“Kentuckians want to move their state forward, and these poll results show that voters clearly see the importance of all levels of education – from early childhood through postsecondary – in building a stronger economy and future for our state,” said Brigitte Blom Ramsey, the committee’s executive director.

A majority of voters (58 percent) also said that graduates of Kentucky high schools are prepared for the workplace or postsecondary education after high school.

A majority of voters, 58 percent, believe teacher salaries are too low while 34 percent think they are about right; 3 percent believe salaries are too high. When asked if they support increasing state taxes to fund public education, voters tied, with 48 percent supporting, 48 percent opposing and 4 percent undecided.

Read the full poll.

Q: You’ve devoted more than 50 years to the Jefferson County Public Schools. Why is public education so important to you?

A: Because I am a product of public education. It’s always been my passion to make sure that doors are open and opportunity is available for all students. When students need it, I want to be sure we’re giving them the extra things they need to be successful.

Q. The recent resignation of one of your board members has made your board one of the first in the state to use the new law that makes it the responsibility of the remaining members of the board to appoint the replacement. How do you feel about this new responsibility? What are you looking for in a school board member?

A: The board is looking for someone willing to give their time to the children of Jefferson County. I am committed to following the policy and procedure and making sure that we get everything done within our 60-day time period.

Q: What makes you excited and hopeful for the future of your district?

A: Knowing that education is not an option. It’s something that we must do well. What makes me most excited is going into my schools. Whenever I need a little energy, I just go to a school. I don’t bother the kids, but I like watching them work and seeing them in the halls. I’m always excited about how we can do things better, how we are reaching our kids better. The older I get, I’m limited on how many places I can get to every day and night, but I continue to be there. It’s as much a part of the job as being at a board meeting. That’s my personal perspective.

For more with Diane Porter, including her thoughts on increasing diversity among teachers, read this month's In Conversation With in the Kentucky School Advocate .

Board vacancy appointment process

During the 2019 General Assembly, legislators restored to local school boards the power to fill vacancies to the board. To assist your local school board in the event of a member vacancy, KSBA provides a checklist, as well as the statute, policies/procedures that govern this process and a comprehensive "Frequently Asked Questions" document on our website. In the video below, KSBA Director of Advocacy Eric Kennedy discusses the appointment process and how KSBA can help districts.

KSBA president asks members to ‘step up to the tee’ for students

As Kentucky’s 172 public school districts kick off yet another year, I wish each of you the best of luck.

Locally elected school board members strive to see each and every student positioned for a bright future. We are not just marching them toward a diploma. We are instilling in them a passion for learning and a drive to achieve excellence in whatever field they may choose. For a notable percentage of our students, the next step after graduation will be post-secondary education in the form of a certification, two-year degree or four-year degree. Despite their best academic efforts, financial barriers may stand in the way of a promising career path. I challenge you to ‘step up to the tee’ for these students by joining me on Friday, Sept. 20 in Danville for the second annual KSBA Golf Scramble.

This year we are opening the event to all members, superintendents and district central office staff. Proceeds will directly support the First Degree Scholarship program, awarding financial support to high school graduates who will be the first in their immediate families to earn a post-secondary education. I cannot think of an easier way to empower some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable young people.

To learn more and to register to play, please visit the golf scramble page of the KSBA website. Teams are filling up quickly, so act fast. Thank you for your generous support of the First Degree Scholarship program.

Sincerely,

Ronnie Holmes

KSBA President

KSBA will recognize 50th PEAK winner this fall

Nominations are now being accepted for KSBA’s Fall 2019 PEAK (Public Education Achieves in Kentucky) Award. This will mark the 50th occasion that KSBA will honor a program with the PEAK Award.

KSBA established the award in 1997 to bring greater attention to noteworthy efforts by public schools aimed at enhancing the learning skills of students.

We invite districts who have not won a PEAK Award in the past five years to nominate a program. Innovative programs and proven results are generally received well by judges.

An article about the winning program will appear in the December issue of the Kentucky School Advocate. Representatives from KSBA will travel to the winning district in early December for an award presentation and the winning district will be invited to present a clinic session on the program at KSBA's 2020 Annual Conference in Louisville.

Some of the previous winning programs have involved early childhood education or dropout prevention, while others have focused on enhancing music education or college and career readiness, just to name a few. Links to articles on previous winners are at ksba.org/peak.aspx.

The deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 10. Visit our website for more information, including award criteria and nomination information.

KSBA in the news

Because of the unique roles school boards play in matters of policy and education trends, KSBA is often called on by media outlets to discuss important school-related issues. Here are some of the stories to which your association contributed in recent weeks.

Opioid aftershock: Ky. kids born drug-exposed entering school, special education sees jump

Lexington Herald-Leader, Aug. 5, 2019

JCPS exploring tax options with $1B in unmet facility needs

WDRB-TV Louisville, July 28, 2019

Where are the teachers? Thousands of unfilled teaching jobs threaten education in Kentucky.

Lexington Herald-Leader, July 26, 2019

July/August Advocate available online

Three Kentucky high schools have more in common than just the first letter of their names. They are showing how districts can work together to transform high school.

Read more about all three schools in this month's Kentucky School Advocate.

Ignite Institute in northern Kentucky is preparing to open Wednesday, while iLead Academy and Owensboro Innovation Academy celebrated their first graduating classes this past spring.

Also in the July/August Advocate:

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and Republican Lt. Gov. candidate Sen. Ralph Alvarado, and Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate Jacqueline Coleman addressed attendees at KSBA's Summer Leadership in Lexington.

KSBA's Director of Advocacy Eric Kennedy told school board members during KSBA's Summer Leadership Institute they should "always be mindful of the advocacy piece to what you are doing."