For thousands of students across America, high school follows the same path of four years, full of classes, courses, and conversations, all to prepare for what we call “the real world.” For some students, however, this traditional path is not what they need or want. Differing circumstances create an environment where the traditional high school system can become inconvenient or…
Beshear’s plan to raise teacher pay is a good start, but not enough to tackle Kentucky’s teacher shortage
Last week, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear made headlines by proposing a $2,000 pay raise for Kentucky teachers. It’s not yet clear how he plans to pay for it, and of course, there’s no guarantee he’ll win the election, either. But regardless, after all the fiery rhetoric and absurd commentary surrounding Kentucky education these past couple of years, I’m happy…
New JCPS girls’ academy is a win for educational equity in Louisville
Louisville’s W.E.B. DuBois Academy has just opened back up for its second year of operation. In case you’ve missed out on all the exciting video clips, the DuBois Academy is a new, innovative middle school with a mission of empowering young boys of color. It’s been so successful that for the past year, the conversation about opening a similar school…
I got pregnant when I was 18 and my teachers supported me. Now I’m a teacher, too.
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…
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…
Spilling the Tea with Erin Ball, 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year
Today we’re speaking with Erin Ball, the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. She’s here with us to spill the tea on equity, literacy, and life as Kentucky’s most honored teacher. Enjoy! Garris: Hey Erin! First, congratulations on being named the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. You’ve been recognized for the focus you place on multicultural diversity in your…
Solving Kentucky’s teacher shortage crisis begins and ends with the money
There is no getting around it. Any real solution to Kentucky’s growing teacher shortage must involve higher salaries. It has to. That’s my take on the latest debate to strike Twitter feeds across the Bluegrass. With nearly 5,000 teaching positions still unfilled on this final week of July, Commissioner Lewis and Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) officials have become increasingly…
Kentucky Reacts On Twitter To House Approval of Bevin’s Pension Plan
Unless you live under a rock or somewhere not named Kentucky, you’ve probably heard the news. Earlier today, the Kentucky House of Representatives voted 52-46 in favor of House Bill 1, Governor Matt Bevin’s newest pension plan. #HB1 passes. We got this wrong today.#APensionIsAPromise pic.twitter.com/9YArBDu1ki — Buddy Wheatley (@buddywheatleyky) July 22, 2019 This pension plan is different from the controversial…
Rural Families Deserve To Know What Will Happen With KentuckyWired
KentuckyWired, a bold plan to bring broadband Internet access to thousands of rural families, is set to make the Bluegrass State the envy of the nation. Eventually.That’s because the bipartisan plan to provide rural Kentucky families with high-speed Internet access is currently years behind schedule and $100 million over budget, as revealed in an ongoing investigation by the Courier Journal and ProPublica.
145,000 Kentucky kids are coping with parental incarceration. Could programs like this give them the lift they need?
I have long believed that the power of a quality education can transcend the four walls of any classroom. However, after recently learning about a crisis affecting 15% of all Kentucky children, I am more convinced than ever that education must transcend brick and mortar to truly render positive change within our communities. That crisis? Parental incarceration. As it stands, roughly…
Equity Is Like Heaven; We All Want To Get There But Nobody Can Agree How
To know me is to know my aversion to all things buzzwordy. My rule of thumb for education is that if it can fit on a bumper sticker, it’s probably no silver bullet. That’s especially true for “equity,” the Mecca of seemingly every educator in 2019 with an active Twitter account. See, I love equity. I’m all for it, and if…
Holding Teachers Accountable Without Adequate Teacher Prep Programs Is a Set-Up
One of my resolutions for this new year is to think outside of silos and to start connecting the dots between the wide, disparate, and interwoven factors within education, among them teacher accountability, teacher preparation and teacher support. Even after 10 years in the classroom, I’m frequently accused of being anti-teacher. I’m not surprised, though. When you write about the need…
Drop The Judgment, Y’all – Rural Education Isn’t A Monolith
As someone who cares about the nuts and bolts of educational equity, it pains me that so many of those conversations are only focused around urban areas like Louisville and Lexington. That’s why I use my platform here to to argue for things like rural representation in teacher leadership and opportunity gaps in Applachia. Obviously, I was thrilled when I came…
What It’s Like to Attend School in Rural America
Hey y’all, here’s a piece from guest blogger Jennifer Wahl, who was also the 2018 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. She may not teach in Kentucky, but her views here on rural education are something that some of of us here in the Bluegrass may relate to. -GS On a rainy day in May of 2018, I toured a public…
Want To ‘Fix America?’ Public Education Is Where We Begin.
I’m back from a two-week hiatus. Much to my wife’s chagrin (she tells me I’m on my phone too much), I had ample time from all of the flight delays and such to keep up with the latest controversies in education reporting. Let me tell you, this op-ed from The Atlantic entitled “Better Public Schools Won’t Fix America” takes the…
Teacher-Led Advocacy Isn’t a Choice, It’s Just What We Do
Historically, Teacher Appreciation Week has included cute coffee mugs stuffed with candy and treats for beloved teachers. Apple themed gift baskets, Starbucks cards and handmade gifts from students and parents abound. I’m sure in many classrooms across the country, this will continue to be the case. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never turn my nose at a thoughtful gift! However,…
Kentucky Is Replacing Common Core With… Common Core
When Kentucky became the first state in the nation to adopt the Common Core standards in 2009, America suddenly developed curriculum fever. Viral “Common Core math problems” baffled parents. Questions of local vs. centralized control lingered in statehouses around the nation. Shortly after forty-one states and the District of Columbia had adopted the Common Core standards, public resistance had reached…
Has School Choice Become The Litmus Test For 2020 Democrats?
American politics is a sport of trends. In 2016, we witnessed a progressive uprising among Democrats and left-leaning independents who embraced Sen. Bernie Sanders’ vision of “democratic socialism.” The Vermont Senator may have gone on to lose that race against frontrunner Hillary Clinton, but his platform was no less successful. Bernie moved the party to the left, setting a trend…
I’m Not Down With Adversity Scores Because All Kids Can Excel
Many moons ago, the late rap genius Tupac spoke about “the rose that grew from concrete.” It’s a metaphor of course, and as a teacher, I’ve seen lots of roses (students) that must blossom in spite of harsh environments. Difficult family and home situations make it tough for kids to persevere, and in some areas, incessant crime and drug abuse…
So You Really Wanna Know What’s Wrong With Ed Reform?
It seems like every week I come across another article that tries to point out where “school reform has gone astray.” Many of them are penned by teachers, angry and confused by the adoption of charter school laws and rapid changes to their state’s accountability systems. Others are written by reform-minded folks with legitimate concerns about the direction that the…
I Am ‘Just A Teacher’ And Proud Of It.
OK, so here’s this embarrassing thing I did recently. I kinda promised myself I would never admit this to anyone, so please don’t tell. It was my friend’s birthday, and my friend is this super impressive person who has been elected to office and whose friends are all impressive people that help people get elected to office and have job…
Kentucky’s Getting A New Teacher of the Year. Their Job Is Going To Be Tough.
If you follow my site regularly, you’ve probably noticed that I don’t talk about myself very often. I’m an issues guy — I focus my writing pretty squarely on the policies and practices in Kentucky that impact equitable outcomes for our children, and I try to use my platform here to discuss how we can fix the obstacles that hinder…
How One Program Is Fighting To Solve Teacher Shortages In Rural Schools
Last April, when I was invited on to the Rural Matters podcast to talk with former Assistant Education Secretary John White, I argued that the recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers is at the heart of inequities in rural schools. Communities like mine have major shortages of high-quality science and math teachers, and in many cases, schools have to rely…
Spilling The Tea with Tyler Murphy
We’re back with another Q&A session, this time with Lexington’s Tyler Murphy. He made waves by winning his race for Fayette County Board of Education last fall, and he’s continued to make a name for himself as an education and equity advocate since then. Enjoy! Garris: Hey Tyler! Thanks for joining us. For those who may not know you well…
We Have To Set High Expectations For Our Kids, But Getting It Right Is A Pretty Tough Balancing Act.
I’m going to be honest with you. If you’re a teacher too, then my version of “high expectations” might not look like yours. We know that high expectations are the goal, of course, but knowing what they look like is a lot tougher than we may realize. Let me clarify a few things about my own expectations so you’ll see…
4 Ways We’re Getting The Teacher Shortage Crisis All Wrong
The end of the school year is approaching, which means that principals are pulling out all the stops to recruit new hires and fill those hard-to-staff positions. After all, there’s a major teacher shortage across the country, so schools need to act fast to pick up any solid free agents they can find. Just like pro sports, am I right?…
Coal Helped Shape Our Rural Community’s Schools. Now, Everything Stands to Change.
My family roots have been here in Muhlenberg County for as long as I can remember. This is coal country, and for decades, local mines and industries like TVA have provided economic security in a community where not many other opportunities exist. The mark that coal has left on our local school system is indelible. In addition to providing jobs,…
There’s An Obvious Way To Improve Teaching Quality, But Getting There Won’t Be Easy
As conversations on school quality rage on, the authors of a new study from Education Next tackle a question that seems so obvious, you would never think to ask: “Do smarter teachers make smarter students?” Based on research in math and reading performance across 31 different countries, it appears that they do, and the relationship is much stronger than some…
Afi Tagnedji’s Making Sure Students’ Voices Are Heard in the Equity Conversation
Everyone is talking about how schools should care about equity for their students, but that can’t be the whole conversation. Equity has to mean more than just policies or decisions made for students—it also has to mean the process of fighting for fairness along with students. That’s the message that Afi Tagnedji, a senior at Louisville’s Iroquois High School, has been spreading far and…
Kamala Harris Wants to Raise Teacher Pay, But Some Argue Not So Fast
The 2020 primaries may be ten months away, but that hasn’t stopped over a dozen Democratic candidates from launching early campaigns for a chance to take on Donald Trump. Among the heavyweights so far is Kamala Harris, a California Senator whose announcement brought thousands together in Oakland to support her bid to become the first African-American woman president. Her first…
Students Need Diverse Educators
Growing up in a hollow (pronounced “holler”) in southeastern Kentucky, I never considered if I I was getting equitable access to effective, experienced, and diverse educators. In fact, most of my teachers were a lot like me: white, low/middle class, hillbillies. When I came to Eastern Kentucky University for my undergraduate studies, my exposure to a more diverse pool of…
In the Wake of Christchurch, Sanaa Kahloon Refuses to Let Hatred Win
After the recent mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, new attention has been called to the fears that Muslims experience every day. Just ask Sanaa Kahloon, a first-generation Pakistani-American from Lexington. Sanaa points out that while the Christchurch shooting was gutting, persecution isn’t exactly new to the Muslim community. For her, no Friday prayer passes without a…
Don’t Like Who’s on the School Board Ballot? Run.
With headlines dominated by news of 2020 presidential candidates, it’s easy to forget that there are elections happening across the country in 2019. But in fact, 47 states will hold elections this year for 85,000 different positions from governor to city council. To take one example: school board. Thirty nine states have school board elections in 2019, electing leaders for…
Students Need Deep Exposure To Content Knowledge. This New Project Can Help.
Some of the best teaching advice I ever received came from an undergrad professor I really admired. “Don’t try to teach the standards,” she instructed me. “Teach to the standards.” Hidden within that pearl of advice was an important caveat. State standards only tell us what students should know and be able to do at each grade level, but they…
Gov. Matt Bevin Is Big Mad About Teacher ‘Sickouts’
He does not like them here or there, he does not like them anywhere. But alas, this one isn’t about green eggs and ham. If you couldn’t tell, the “he” that I’m talking about is none other than Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin. And if you’ve spent any time at all in the Bluegrass State, you’ll know all about his distaste…
Spilling The Tea With Miss Kentucky Katie Bouchard
Hey folks, for those of you new to the site, this is little Q&A session we like to call “Spilling the Tea.” Here with us this week is reigning Miss Kentucky Katie Bouchard of Owensboro, whose platform is “Being the Voice For Kentucky’s Children.” You can also check out our other Q&As with KYREADS founder Allison Slone and Kentucky Teacher…
Kentucky Third-Graders Would Have Been Held Back Under This Proposal. Here’s What Changed.
Last week, Kentucky found itself playing a high-stakes game of “Would You Rather?” But this time, it affected a much different demographic than we’re used to: third-graders. Following the lead of states like Ohio, Indiana, and Florida, Kentucky considered adopting a real catch-22 of a policy that would require struggling third-graders to be held back for failing an end-of-the-year reading…
JCPS Is Closed Again. What Does Today’s ‘Sickout’ Mean for Kentucky Teachers?
Closed for the second time in seven days, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) is very, very sick. Last week, they were sick of lawmakers trying to restructure the state’s pension board. Today, they’re sick of the legislature’s proposed plan for scholarship tax credits, which would allow donors to contribute to a scholarship fund for low-income students seeking private school enrollment. …
Teacher “Sickouts” Strike Again. Am I Missing Something?
In case anyone thought we might make it through this legislative session without another walkout or protest, they were wrong. Today, teachers from across the Bluegrass are flocking to our state capital in droves (again) to rally against another controversial retirement policy. Let me add that I won’t be there. I’ll be teaching about ecosystems to my middle schoolers while…
No Matter Where They Live, Kentuckians Want Better Schools
Lately, there has been much ado about the “war on public education” in Kentucky. I have my own thoughts on that, but if there really is a battle worth fighting for, I say it’s improving our state’s public schools. I’m not alone on that. According to a study that was just released by the good folks over at the Prichard…
Spilling The Tea With Jessica Dueñas
Hey y’all! Our first Spilling the Tea piece did so well that we decided to bring it back for even more. (If you didn’t get the chance to check out our first session with Allison Slone, go read it now!) Our next guest is Jessica Dueñas, Kentucky’s current Teacher of the Year. She’s here with us to spill the tea…
‘School Choice’ Includes Independent Schools And Districts, Too
School choice is a hot topic across our state and nation. Many public school leaders frown at the thought of charter schools, private schools, and even home school options. But I want to bring to light school choice in relation to public school options. In many of our counties across the state, we have both county school districts and independent…
He Never Dreamed Of Being A Teacher. Programs Like This Changed His Entire Career.
Chris Stunson never dreamed of going into education. He wanted to be an engineer, and teaching was the furthest thing from his mind. But in a message he wrote to the Bowling Green Daily News earlier this month, Stunson credited loan forgiveness programs for his surprising start in the classroom. “The minority education scholarships, loan forgiveness programs and positive role models…
How Our Rural School Is Closing the Opportunity Gap and Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers
This piece by Leah Luke originally appeared on Education Post. While Leah’s experiences take place in Wisconsin, my hope is that Kentucky’s rural schools and districts will find value and relevancy in her work as well. Teacher shortages in Wisconsin, and across the country, have a stranglehold on the profession. Enrollment in educator prep programs in Wisconsin is down 30 percent. Teachers are retiring in…
These Students’ Black Panther Reactions Show Us Why Black History Matters Every Month
Most of us are familiar with the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta. It’s an insanely awesome, student-centered school that has an intense commitment to students’ cultures. Teachers at RCA use highly-engaging, culturally responsive teaching methods to reach their students. Their lessons are so engaging, in fact, that many of their students’ projects end up going viral on social media. Like…
Spilling The Tea With Allison Slone
Hey all! As we approach the first anniversary of Kentucky School Talk’s launch, I’ve decided to start digging deeper into the great work that’s going on in schools and districts across the Bluegrass. Throughout 2019, you’ll see short Q&A sessions like these pop up with fantastic educators, parents, and students from around the state. We like to call it “Spilling…