Sometimes, as a teacher of high school students, I need to remind myself of who I was as a high school student. If memory serves, I was more concerned with friend and boyfriend drama than I was with academics. Sure, there were classes I enjoyed and teachers I liked, but my high school experience was more about being social. Over 20 years…
Month: August 2019
New poll shows Beshear leading Kentucky’s race for governor, but some say not so fast
Unless you’ve been living under a rock or lying comatose for the past four years, you’re aware that Kentucky’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear is the son of a highly-popular, former Democratic governor. He also happens to be running for governor this year against the least popular incumbent in the U.S., current Gov. Matt Bevin, whose political acumen is as…
The good, the bad, and the ugly of Kentucky’s new five-star school rating system
Kentucky’s new school rating system is is set to roll out next month, the Kentucky Department of Education reports. That means that starting in September, you can head on over to the webpage to see exactly how your local school measures up out of five stars. I’ve discussed before how the new five-star rating system presents some clear advantages, but…
When a student says ‘The president is going to take my parents away’
In my fourth-grade classroom in Houston, Texas, the morning after Election Day 2016 was quiet. As students filed into the classroom, I asked them to make a circle on the rug to talk through the question, “How are you feeling today?” My most charismatic, happy-go-lucky student broke into tears. “The president is going to take my parents away, Miss! What…
It’s time for a renewed focus on student outcomes in Kentucky
The accountability drum is typically a lonely one to beat, but thanks to a new study by the good folks over at the Prichard Committee, I’ve got a little extra rhythm in my step today. According to their latest poll, 84% of Kentucky voters said that they were more likely to support a gubernatorial candidate with a plan to strengthen…
State funding cuts are never a good thing, but they’re even tougher for Kentucky’s rural and high-poverty schools
State funding cuts will likely always be a maligned part of the education conversation. Kentucky teachers have known that better than most: over the past decade, funding cuts to K-12 education in the Bluegrass were among the worst in the nation. Regardless of where you live, teach, or send your kids to school, you’re probably already aware of the universal…