Equity has long been a buzzword in education, and even topics like school funding aren’t exempt from the conversation. It’s no secret that students in low-income school districts are less likely to have access to high-quality curriculum and digital resources, and in many cases, their schools don’t receive as much funding as those in affluent communities do. However, a new…
One of America’s first states to reopen schools in person, Tennessee serves as ‘experiment’ in COVID safety
This piece was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. Sign up for their newsletters here. Amid a low local infection rate and starting with small clusters of students, Alcoa Middle School last week became one of the nation’s first schools to reopen its campus to students during the pandemic. Within two days, a teacher with…
KentuckyWired may not spell the end of students’ connection woes
KentuckyWired was once considered an answered prayer for families across the Bluegrass, where broadband Internet access is among the worst in the nation. No one told us that prayer would turn out to be a Hail Mary. More than a third of Kentucky students lack adequate Internet access, a major reason why the KentuckyWired project was launched in 2015. The…
KY teacher coalition launches Brave New Teaching KY
Amid the uncertainty of school reopenings during a global pandemic, teacher voices are rising in Kentucky. Brave New Teaching KY, an open, collaborative coalition of Kentucky educators who want to learn and grow, makes its official launch this week. COVID-19 has presented education leaders with a bold opportunity to rethink teaching and learning. If you’re a Kentucky teacher looking to…
Kentucky has selected, but will not yet name, its new education commissioner
If you stayed up late following all of the media updates and Twitter threads last night, you already know the gist of the story. The Kentucky Board of Education met yesterday to interview the three finalists for Kentucky’s education commissioner position, and yes, a decision was reached. But after hours of discussion in closed session, the KBE revealed late last…
KST Podcast: Why Kentucky teachers are leaving (feat. Brison Harvey)
According to a recent study, nearly 30,000 Kentucky teachers have left the classroom in the last decade. My friend, former Hope Street Group Kentucky alum Brison Harvey, was one of them. In this episode, I sit down with Brison to talk teacher retention and figure out what it would take to fix the problem. (Spoiler: We have some ideas.) …
What would the new JCPS student assignment plan mean for West Louisville?
New schooling opportunities may be coming to West Louisville. For decades, students in the historically low-income West End have lacked access to schools close to home. But during a virtual summit earlier this month, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio explained how the district’s new student assignment proposal would create new schooling options for West Louisville families.…
Everything we know about Kentucky’s #HealthyAtSchool guidelines
This week, Kentucky officials released the #HealthyAtSchool guidelines for school reopenings this fall. Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Brown and Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman were quick to point out that flexibility among the finer details will be key, and that what works in small rural districts may not work in a large urban district like Jefferson County. Instead, the #HealthyAtSchool guidelines…
Transformers
“Mommy, why do you have the Transformer sticker? You don’t even like Transformers.” A declarative statement from my new home school student. “Well, yes, I do like transformers, but not in the same sense as you.” Growing up in the ’80s, my toy box had a few Transformers, Cabbage Patch dolls and Barbies; yet it’s the Transformers that stuck with…
Why Teach?
A lifelong love of reading and learning cultivated early in life by several impactful teachers influenced me to become a teacher. In 2nd grade, Mrs. Jackie Crabtree introduced me to a whole new world through books. Early on, she noted that I had an interest in reading and she encouraged that hobby in every way possible. She asked me about…
Culturally Relevant Education Isn’t About “Indoctrination,” It’s The First Step Towards Justice
Back in 2018, I was really fed up with the major incidents of discrimination and hatred going on around the country. (Remember Charlottesville? Or when two Black men were wrongfully arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks?) It led me to write this piece, challenging educators to appropriately call out discrimination when they see it. The feedback was mixed. My message was…
Our Children Need Us Not to Grow Weary in the Work of Anti-Racism
I am finding it difficult to get through most days without crying, without feeling like water is rising above my head, without feeling a great sense of despair. I feel a heaviness in my chest. Watching 400 years of abuse, injustice, and systemic racism play out in history and in the news has proven to be too much for many…
Kentucky Seniors Speak Out On COVID-19 Disruptions
Since March, we have seen our local schools and communities rally around the Class of 2020. We’ve all driven past the signs in the front yards to recognize the seniors. We’ve all posted our own senior pictures with big hair in the 80s to the unforgivable 90s style trends from many moons ago to show support for them. What we…
Kentucky schools could reopen in late July
Yes, you read that correctly. Governor Beshear is encouraging school districts to be flexible in their plans to reopen for next school year, and this week, he outlined three possibilities to the Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Brown for what the timeline may look like. One such possibility would involve an early start to the 2020-2021 school year, with schools opening…
How should Kentucky’s CARES funding be used? With equity, we hope
Thanks to Congress’ approval of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, states are now set to receive over $30 billion of emergency education funding to help offset any impending budget crunches on the horizon. Kentucky’s K-12 public schools are slated to receive roughly $193 million of CARES funds, which the Department of Education says can be used…
Thinking critically about Kentucky’s next Commissioner of Education
The search is on. In late March, the Kentucky Department of Education finalized a contract with the Greenwood/Asher search firm to help lock in a new education commissioner. Kentucky’s previous education chief, Wayne Lewis, was ousted in December by Gov. Beshear’s new-look Kentucky Board of Education. Interim Commissioner Kevin Brown has overseen the Kentucky Department of Education in the meantime.…
#LetThemTeach: Grant Waivers For All Student Teachers Struggling Due to COVID-19
As our schools grapple with the unfolding COVID-19 crisis, it’s difficult for school leaders to plan far ahead into the future. Many have adopted an insular approach, focusing their efforts on the tangible, short-term implications of school closures and funding uncertainties. However, while the threat of the new coronavirus occupies the airwaves, the truth is that there has never been…
Your Educational Role During COVID-19
Dear Administrators, Teachers, Parents, and Students: Please don’t panic and overwhelm yourself with all of this digital/distance learning. This is a whole new ballgame for most of us and we’re all adapting the best way we know how. Administrators, please remember that teachers are doing the best they can. Not all teachers are tech savvy and that’s ok. Don’t expect…
States are right to cancel testing amid COVID-19, but we can’t make accountability an enemy
Accountability isn’t the most fun discussion topic in education, but it’s a crucial driving force for our schools. As students complete their state assessments each spring, the data that school districts receive back in the fall provides them with valuable information about how effectively they’re reaching their most vulnerable students, closing achievement gaps, and creating learning opportunities for students. Having…
Resources For Learning and Taking Action During Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Over the past month, we’ve all been watching as coronavirus (COVID-19) quickly spreads across state lines and borders. So far, 14 individuals have tested positive in Kentucky, and Governor Andy Beshear’s recommendation to close all schools for two weeks was intended to keep that number low. As a result, school districts are rapidly applying for “non-traditional instruction days” to keep…
With KTIP Gone, Here’s How Kentucky Can Support and Retain New Teachers
For too many young people, teaching is not an attractive profession. Even the dynamic few who are called to this profession fall prey to heavy workloads, disrespect, and eventual burnout. Perhaps no statistic is more condemning than the fact that almost half of all new teachers now leave the profession within five years. Programs like KTIP, the Kentucky Teacher Internship…
Prichard Committee makes ‘Big Bold Ask’ for Kentucky education
During the upcoming legislative session, the Prichard Committee has a Big, Bold Ask: $1 billion in additional funding by 2026 to address critical needs in education – from early childhood to postsecondary. The Prichard Committee, a statewide citizens’ education advocacy organization, is calling on state leaders to move forward with key investments across education, including: Early childhood – Investing in childcare…
Louisville Teacher Residency Program sets standard for teacher recruitment
Last week, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) and the University of Louisville announced a joint initiative to bolster teacher diversity in Louisville. The Louisville Teacher Residency Program, which is setting its sights on bringing diverse, highly-skilled teachers into low-income communities, will provide participants with a Masters degree and a teaching certificate all in one year. In return, participants agree to…
Tell Kentucky’s new commissioner to make teacher recruitment a priority
After ousting former commissioner Wayne Lewis, Kentucky’s new-look Board of Education (KBE) is now in the middle of a national search for a new state education chief. And they need your help. Kentucky residents, teachers, and other stakeholders are invited to take this survey to provide direct feedback to the KBE on the qualities they want to see in our…
Kobe Bryant Embodied Everything We Can Ask Of Our Kids
Yesterday was one of those days where the world seemed to stand still. Tragically, Kobe Bryant and eight others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. They were headed to a basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy in nearby Thousand Oaks. I grew up rooting for Kentucky standout Rajon Rondo and the Big 3 Era Boston Celtics,…
Not Everything Of Value in Education Can Be Captured By a Number
The past decade is the first that I have spent entirely as an educator, and it is incredible to reflect back on how much things have changed over that time. At the federal level, our education system has experienced the shift from No Child Left Behind to the Every Student Succeeds Act, followed by the different approaches to ESSA implementation resulting…
Kentucky education: 6 things to watch for in 2020
Gone are the days when education is a backburner issue in Kentucky. 2020 is here, and with it comes a host of changes to education in the Bluegrass State. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or someone who simply cares about providing the best education possible to the kids of the Commonwealth, here are six major trends to keep your eye…
Go Teach KY aims to recruit new teachers to the Bluegrass—here’s how it will (and won’t) succeed
Back in the fall, the Kentucky Department of Education officially announced the launch of Go Teach KY, an initiative aiming to recruit new teachers to the Bluegrass. In tandem, KDE also announced plans for a new loan forgiveness program called the Kentucky Academy for Equity in Teaching (KAET) in hopes of diversifying Kentucky’s teaching force. “Ensuring that Kentucky students have…
5 reasons teachers remain in toxic work cultures
Currently, we are experiencing an unprecedented teacher exodus, in addition to shrinking applicant pools and education program enrollment. The reasons for leaving the teaching profession are abundant, but what’s not talked about, are the reasons many remain in a toxic culture. It’s time for teachers, many of which, if not most, view their profession as a “calling”, or “passion,” to…
Successful Schools Have Teachers Who Lead
I’ve been in a lot of schools in my time. Whether as a student, a staff member, or a casual observer of Kentucky’s public schools, I’ve always commented that each school has its own personality, created by the unique community both inside it and surrounding it. And yes, while it’s true that administrators are responsible for setting the tone and…
Andy Beshear is our next governor. So what’s next for Kentucky education?
Last Tuesday night, the majority of Kentucky teachers got their wish: Andy Beshear, the “public education candidate,” defeated incumbent governor Matt Bevin to become the next leader of the Bluegrass. (We think.) Beshear and his educator-turned-running mate Jacqueline Coleman landed their victory thanks in no small part to public education groups like 120United and KEA, who lauded their commitment to…
As student achievement stalls in Kentucky, Bevin and Beshear paint different paths forward
The Battle for the Bluegrass is nigh, and no, we’re not talking about the Cats and the Cards. Tuesday, November 5th is Election Day, and Kentucky find itself resting firmly in the national spotlight. Proclaimed by some as a litmus test for Trump’s true influence, Kentucky’s 2019 gubernatorial election has already proven unconventional at the least. For education voters,…
Should teacher evaluations be tied to student growth data?
Teacher quality is widely acknowledged as the most crucial school-wide factor impacting student learning. There’s nothing that benefits students more than having an effective teacher in the classroom. Naturally, when the recent “State of the States” report from the National Council on Teacher Quality revealed that several states like Kentucky have backed away from research-supported teacher evaluation practices, it’s no…
We Can’t Let Our Love For Our Students Morph Into Low Academic Expectations
I remember the day like it was yesterday. The year was 2013 and I was in the oval office with President Obama to receive an award for excellence in teaching. I was there as the 2013 RI Teacher of the Year to represent the teachers in my state and to honor the hard work they do every day. I loved…
#NatGeoEdSummit 2019 | Kentucky School Talk Goes To Washington
“Why can’t school be like this?”That’s the question I’ve overheard more times than I care to admit this past weekend. It may be fall break across most school districts in Kentucky, but I’ve had the incredible opportunity to spend part of my week here in DC for the 2019 National Geographic Education Summit. You’re familiar with National Geographic, of course…
This Hispanic Heritage Month, Let’s Give English Language Learners The Support They Need
Your first year of teaching isn’t usually filled with victories, but I’ll never forget the brightest moment of mine. It was a Friday in early May, right around state testing time, when a student brought me a recommendation letter for Teacher of the Year written proudly in Spanish. Let me explain. The student had moved to our school earlier in…
Kentucky’s accountability system looks set to change again
Trying to keep up with all of the changes to a state’s accountability system is a little like drinking from a waterfall. Thanks to this new bombshell from the Courier-Journal, it appears that Kentucky’s accountability system is looking more and more like Niagara Falls every day. The debacle du jour deals with Kentucky’s identifying labels for schools. If you aren’t…
Could early graduation in Kentucky lead to more equitable outcomes for students?
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.