Doing the Impossible for Kentucky Students

Spring is a time for new beginnings.  I hope that everyone has had a chance to get away or at least find a way to reenergize in preparation for the remainder of the school year. 

Over Easter weekend, I travelled to watch my son row for his university at a meet in Tennessee.  As I sat on the banks of the beautiful lake with incredible weather, my thoughts drifted to Kentucky’s next step in improving education for the Commonwealth’s students. 

Our new vision for Kentucky education is one that puts students at the center of our work, values the profession of education, and values the education of the whole child, not simply test scores.  Our vision values innovation, collaboration, and putting traditional academia and career technical education on equal footing as both prepare students for their futures. Our new vision values students’ ability to show evidence of proficiency in many ways. It values the growth of each student, the students’ readiness to transition from one level to the next, opportunity and access, and closure of the achievement gap. 

So by now you may be saying, “Oh here he goes again talking about the new accountability system.”  Yes, these values are built into the new system, and quite intentionally so. We approached the new system from a vision perspective, not compliance. If we are to move Kentucky education to a next level, we must think more broadly.

As we discuss our new vision for accountability, I have heard several say that people will focus only on what is tested or that accountability will make everything about compliance.  I acknowledge that many have grown into a compliance mentality. But, I simply cannot accept that we are doomed to continue in this way. 

Over the years, Walt Disney has served as an inspiration to me, and no doubt to many others.  One of his sayings is one of my favorite quotes of all time: “I love to do the impossible.” 

I have to believe that quality educators across the Commonwealth have been waiting for the chance to spread their wings and their minds and nurture their students’ futures. I believe that because I have seen Kentucky educators do this very thing for the past 25 years.  When presented with a new challenge, they rise to the occasion and so do their students.  Kentucky educators love to do the impossible!

The second thing Walt used to say was “Plus it!”  Whenever one of his “imagineers” would come to him with an idea that was already innovative, he would tell them to Plus it!  This would push them to think even bigger and work even harder.  They knew he valued them, they knew he counted on them.  I am saying that to all of our educators now.  We have a new vision, so Plus it! 

It is time for our students to experience innovation beyond what we have done before. It is time for our educators to know that I value them and their work.  It is time for our students to get more than they thought they needed.  It is time for us to know that if we work smart and not just hard, our students will fly to new heights.  It is time for the adults to get out of the way and use all our skill and tools solely for students.  It is time to Plus It and do the impossible for Kentucky students.

Overcoming what seems impossible in education

This past week, I, like many others, mourned the loss and celebrated the life of Kentucky native son, Muhammad Ali. He was an incredible individual, showman and athlete. But even more than that, he was an incredible human being.

When you strip away all of the politics and perceptions that often generated controversy, Ali stood for people who often could not stand for themselves. He was a spectacle, and even after Parkinson’s took away his voice and bravado, he still commanded a presence because of his genuine care for people.

Last week, I heard a quote of Ali’s that I do not remember hearing before. I would like to share it because it is not only a testament to the man that Ali was, but also appropriate for what some people say is the impossible job of public education.

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

Some say we face an impossible task with the implementation of the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and collaboratively developing a new accountability system. Our goal is to create a system that reflects what Kentuckians value in education and moves us past a mindset of competition and compliance with a law, so that we may create an attitude of excellence and improvement in our schools that will benefit of all of our students. Difficult and challenging – yes. Impossible – NO!

I believe, to paraphrase The Greatest, the law gives us the opportunity to “explore the power we have to change” the system. We need greater focus on students, more guidance from research and to change our perceptions of equity and opportunity. Now with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the opportunity to make some of those changes is at hand.

Earlier in June, the United States Department of Education (USED) released draft regulations that would govern the implementation of ESSA. While unlike Ali, I am not a fighter, I do believe in standing up for what is right for kids. That’s why already I have been in contact with USED about several issues that I see as potential problems with the draft regulations for implementing ESSA.

As we move forward, we need everyone to submit their thoughts through this website on proposed ESSA regulations. I’ll be honest with you, the regs are dense, detailed and sometimes their meaning isn’t entirely clear, but we owe it to our kids to plow through, devote the time and understanding, and make sure the regulations reflect the best interest of students.

Also, as the new accountability system develops, we need everyone to continue to provide us with their thoughts on the new system, as you did so well during the Town Hall listening tour. You need to hold us and USED accountable to move past mere compliance with a law to develop a system that will promote an equitable and quality, well-rounded education that will encourage each and every student in Kentucky to reach his or her true potential and graduate from high school ready for college, career and life.

While the task for meeting the needs of our students is huge, as Ali said, nothing is impossible. It is a dare – a dare I embrace. I hope you will all take that dare with me as we push to change an accountability system so that it will be meaningful and bring about genuine school improvement for the benefit of all of Kentucky’s children.

Off to a good start on a new accountability system

Last week, we had our first meeting of the Accountability Steering Committee. It is composed of 37 individuals representing teachers, principals, superintendents, community members, higher education, education advocates – including the business community, legislators and parents. It is a huge group, but I felt it was important to ensure we had the perspective of all shareholders. In the coming weeks, you will learn more about the overall process. The steering committee is just one facet. There are nine other committees that have similar makeups.

At the meeting, the steering committee reviewed the main themes that emerged from the Town Hall meetings held across the state this spring. Department staff reviewed all the comments that were made at the meetings along with submitted emails, which can be found under the Town Hall portion of this webpage, and categorized them into central themes. The themes we most often heard were:

• Our children must be at the heart of the system.
• A well-rounded education is important and necessary.
• All subjects, both tested and non-tested, need to be valued. 
• Access and opportunity for students are critical. 
• An emphasis on teaching is needed.
• Collaboration instead of competition among schools and districts needs to be the focus.

We are continuing to take feedback through a special email box, so keep your thoughts coming. You may join a virtual Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET or on demand anytime thereafter by clicking here. I am so glad we decided to do the Town Halls. I learned a lot from them and plan on making them an annual event (although not so many in such a short time).

The Steering Committee agreed on a few principles to guide the work – based on the feedback from the Town Halls and discussions in the committee. The Steering Committee agreed that:

• The system should be focused on the welfare of all students and promote good decision making for their benefit.
• The system should promote a holistic and quality education for all students.
• The system should reflect the Kentucky Department of Education’s guiding principles of equity, achievement and integrity.
• The system should be simple and easy to understand.
• Data should be reported in a dashboard that better illustrates school/district progress or deficits than a single number.

So, we are off to a good start. Shortly we will be communicating about the rest of the process. There is much work to do, but I believe that we have an incredible amount of brainpower in our state to make what we are doing a model for the rest of the country. We will need to work together and hold each other accountable. We will need to develop our common vision and stick to it. Most of all, we will need to remember who this is for, our students.

On a related topic, last week, the United State Department of Education (USED) released the draft regulations for the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Some of you may have heard that I am not thrilled with a couple of issues in the proposed guidance including the timing of some issues and the use of a summative number rather than a dashboard for reporting. I want to encourage all of you to be engaged in the public input process by going to the Federal Register website, reading the draft regulations and making your voice heard.

We cannot move ahead as long as we keep a foot in the past. I have already made my thoughts known loud and clear, I need the Commonwealth to do the same. We need to do this to ensure the full impact of ESSA is realized here. If it is, I firmly believe we will continue to build a world class education system for Our Children and Our Commonwealth.

Our Children, Our Commonwealth

I have now been in my position for six months. I cannot believe how quickly time flies when you are having fun. This has been the greatest six months of my professional life. I am looking forward to the future. 

This past week, we had our first Town Hall Meeting in Shelbyville. It was a great start. We had almost 300 people come to the meeting to discuss what we value in Kentucky schools. I was very impressed and excited with the discussion and passion of our shareholders. Guess what we heard? Of course there were a lot of different ideas. But, I heard clearly two things, our new accountability system is about Our Children, Our Commonwealth. 

As we move forward in education, I think we need to focus and take ownership for our students' education. We will establish equity, achievement and integrity as the pillars of our work. But we should remember why these matter. Yes, accountability has as its measure, schools and districts. But what really matters are the students in those schools. Education is about our students. That sounds like such an obvious statement, but oddly enough it gets lost sometimes – especially when we discuss accountability. We have accountability to ensure a quality education for students, but it can become about the adults. 

Our Children
No one will debate that our schools and education should be about students. All educators went into education to help shape future generations. We have to do more than acknowledge this; we must own it. These are the children of the Commonwealth, our children. In saying they are our children, we move past acknowledgement and into accepting responsibility for our children's education. It's a must. They are not someone else's children, but ours. When we embrace this, it gives us a new sense of urgency. This has been what has driven Kentucky’s education improvements for 25 years. I am calling on us to do this once again. 

Our Commonwealth
Improving education must be done collaboratively. We need all shareholders working together to improve the lives of our students. We need to rally around the idea that we possess the ability to affect the future of our state. The preparation of OUR children will impact the future of OUR Commonwealth. Interesting word, Commonwealth. To me, it means working together for the common good. Focusing on our children is the single most important thing we can do for them, for our state, for the common good. Together, the shareholders of education in the Commonwealth will move us forward and improve the lives of our citizens. 

We will be in Campbellsville next week. I hope to see you there. Our children need your voice and your values. 

As always, I continue to be proud to serve Our Children, Our Commonwealth. 

Accountability that promotes what’s best for students

If you have followed my blogs over the past five months, you probably know by now that my favorite thing about being commissioner is that I get to see firsthand our incredible teachers and students at work.  I continue to stand in awe of our teachers and most importantly our students.  Given that education is and should be all about our students, we should have an accountability system that reflects that.

Last week, I announced the first step toward developing new state and federal accountability system under the Every Student Succeeds Act – a series of Town Hall Meetings.  I will be traveling around the Commonwealth to 11 locations to hear from our parents, educators, elected officials, community members and students about the things they value in our schools.  This is a key first step, but there are a couple of things that I believe we must keep in the forefront as we undertake this exciting, but daunting task of building a new accountability system.  

First, we must keep in mind the pillars of our work:  equity, achievement and integrity. These three pillars are student focused.  Of course, they affect adults, but they are first and foremost about students.  As such, our new accountability system must anchored in these three components and students must be our focus.  

In 2001, when the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act was signed into law, the way we think about accountability changed.  The one really good thing that came out of NCLB was that we cast a spotlight on the performance of ALL students.  It has forced us to consider how we need to change instruction to support all of our traditionally underserved populations.  
There are two things, however, that I believe were unintended consequences of NCLB that I have not heard a lot of people talking about.  

First, accountability and assessment became synonymous.  This is something we must correct going forward.  I am a believer in a quality assessment system, and a strong accountability system.  However, they are separate issues.  Assessment must be a part of the accountability system, but it should not be the system.  We can glean a lot of data from assessment, but assessment should not be the sole focus of our accountability system.  When it is, it effectively limits the curriculum that is taught and I believe ultimately limits the overall learning of our students.  We must go beyond just the outputs of tests and look at what is going on with our students in schools and classrooms to evaluate whether their needs are being met.  

The second unintended consequence from NCLB is that while we were disaggregating data for our students, we were aggregating school practice.  We basically said it was okay to do whatever you need to do to get students to pass the test, often at the expense of other necessary aspects of education such as science, social studies, visual and performing arts, career and technical education, and even how we meet the needs of our gifted and talented community.  

Since accountability is reported at the school and district levels, it will be critical that we inspect our new system from every angle to ensure that there are no unintended consequences.  

In my opinion, we need a system that promotes best practice and collaboration among our districts. We need a system that promotes learning opportunities to achieve education of the whole child. Items such as school culture, availability and promotion of subjects outside the tested subjects, special attention to equity and diversity with regard to access are all things that will lead us to even greater levels of proficiency for our students. Finally, we need a system that celebrates the good things that go on in our schools and districts and holds all accountable for providing a quality education for all students.

I hope you will join me at one of the town halls.  If you cannot, I hope you will make your thoughts known on what our new accountability system should include through a special e-mail box we have set up, KyEdListens@education.ky.gov. Please include the perspective from which you are writing – as a parent, educator, student, lawmaker, community member or other shareholder in our education system.

I need your help.  The Commonwealth needs your help.  Most importantly, the students of this great Commonwealth need you to be part of the conversation and put aside the issues that we have as adults and do what is right for them.

As always, I am so proud to be Kentucky’s Commissioner of Education, but I am especially proud at this point in history.

How do Kentuckians define school success?

On the surface, the question sounds pretty simple, “How do we define school success?” But the answers are usually not that simple – one reason that our current Unbridled Learning Accountability model is so complex.

In the past, we’ve defined school success based solely on student achievement. Most recently, we’ve done so by also considering measures such as reduction in the achievement gap, graduation rate, college- and career-readiness rate, student growth, and learning opportunities and in mostly non-tested programs such as arts and humanities, world languages and practical living and career studies. We’ve also included a measure of teacher effectiveness – at least on paper.  The state board voted to delay including it in accountability for a year.

With the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), we have the opportunity once again to answer the question, “How do Kentuckians define school success?” as we work to design a new education accountability system that will be used as the basis to improve our schools and celebrate their educational progress. It is my goal to collaborate with legislators, educators, students and the public to produce a system that is fair, reliable, valid and easier to understand than what we currently have.

Soon, I will be embarking on an 11-stop listening tour across the state. I invite you to attend one or more of the sessions we are calling, “Education Town Hall Meetings: How does Kentucky define school success?” Below is a list with the dates and locations of the Town Hall Meetings which will run from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. local time.

During the meetings we will provide a brief overview of our current accountability model and what the feds are requiring be included in our new accountability system under ESSA. Then it will be up to you to let us know your thoughts.  We will be using these questions as a way to start the conversation:

• What do you expect from our schools?

• What school characteristics are most important?

• How should we measure school success?

• How do we ensure all schools are successful?

• How should we celebrate school success?

This listening tour is your opportunity to provide input to Kentucky Department of Education staff and me on the design of the accountability system. Please plan on attending one of these Education Town Hall Meetings to let your voice be heard. 

EDUCATION TOWN HALL MEETINGS: How does Kentucky define school success?

All meetings are 6:30 – 8 p.m. local time.

Monday, March 14
The Blair Center @ Southside Elementary
728 Ginkgo Drive
Shelbyville, KY 

Tuesday, March 22
Campbellsville University – Gheens Recital Hall
210 University Drive
Campbellsville, KY

Tuesday, March 29
Daviess Co. High School Auditorium
4255 New Hartford Road
Owensboro, KY

Thursday, March 31
Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative
412 Roy Campbell Drive
Hazard, KY 

Thursday, April 7
Kentucky High School Athletic Association
2280 Executive Drive
Lexington, KY 

Monday, April 11
Southeast/Southcentral Educational Cooperative – Corbin Center
222 Corbin Center Drive
Corbin, KY

Monday, April 18
Kentucky Educational Development Corporation – Ashland Conference Center
904 Rose Road
Ashland, KY 

Thursday, April 21
Seneca High School Magnet Career Academy – Stickler Theatre
3510 Goldsmith Lane
Louisville, KY

Monday, April 25
Northern Kentucky Northern Kentucky University
James C. and Rachel M. Votruba Student Union – Ballroom
Kenton Drive
Highland Heights, KY 

Wednesday, April 27
GRREC Offices and Training Center
230 Technology Way
Bowling Green, KY

Thursday, April 28
Murray Middle School Auditorium
801 Main Street
Murray, KY 

For those who may not be able to attend a meeting in person, an online meeting will be offered at a later date. As a third alternative we have set up a special email, KyEdListens@education.ky.gov, for you to submit your thoughts. 

Your feedback on this critically important topic is essential. We must work together to shape a new accountability system that accurately measures the success of Kentucky’s students, schools and districts.

Hope to see you at one of the town halls!

If you are from Frankfort, bring evidence

What constitutes evidence? As a former science teacher, this question has always been an important consideration for me. The dictionary defines evidence as the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.

So why am I writing about evidence when this is an education blog? Well, when we talk about policy it is a critical point – one that we, as a society and as a Commonwealth, need to embrace.This will be essential as we embark on creating a new accountability system for our schools.

First, there is a difference in data and evidence. Data are the things you collect. They can be qualitative or quantitative. They can be descriptive and even predictive. However, all the data in the world does not constitute evidence. Evidence is only achieved when the data are put into a logical order that reveals patterns or trends AND reasoning is applied to address the phenomena.

I am a pragmatic guy who likes things simple. But I am also a person who does not accept the things people say as true without data AND evidence. In education, we have heard too many times, “Research shows….” What research? Who did it? Was there bias? What does the data say? WHAT is the evidence?

I believe evidence is a key principle to make one’s thinking visible. Evidence explains not just the data, but how decisions are made and the logic behind them.

I have a sign in my office that states, “In God we trust, all others must bring data.” I love my sign and its intent, but I think we may need to amend it to include providing evidence.

So, what does this have to do with what is going on in Kentucky education? It is about our education shareholders holding everyone in Frankfort accountable, including me. I challenge you to hold our policymakers, educators and all of our partners accountable by demanding evidence. I call on our citizenry to not respond to education work based on hearsay or rhetoric, but to require that we present evidence that backs up the reasons for proposed and final decisions.

In short, it is my belief that in all we do in Frankfort, we should make our thinking visible. We should not be allowed to stand on anecdote or just data. We cannot be allowed to give simple one liners that attempt to justify our decisions. Rather we should be able to provide data that shows patterns or trends toward the things we value in education. But again, the key is that we make our thinking visible. It’s said the devil is in the details. So also, I would call on all Kentuckians to inform themselves with the facts and thoroughly read everything that is produced regarding proposed changes in education.

We have an incredible opportunity ahead of us in developing Kentucky’s new accountability system. It will be hard work with a lot of feedback and moving parts.

Shortly, you will see announcements about my town hall tour to hear from all Kentuckians about what we value in schools so we may begin shaping Kentucky’s vision for accountability. I am looking forward to meeting a lot of people, hearing their views on what we value in education, and developing a system that will be the envy of the country.

If we are to build Kentucky’s public education system on equity, achievement and integrity, we need all of our shareholders to hold Frankfort accountable for providing evidence and visible thinking about all of our decisions, but especially this one.

Data is valuable, but evidence is critical to good and transparent decision making. So, perhaps every Kentuckian needs a sign that states, “In God we trust; if you’re from Frankfort, bring evidence.”

Board of education members critical to future of public education

The boards of education in our state and country share a tremendous responsibility. They are critical to improving the lives of students, and in turn our state and nation. Although we officially celebrate their contributions next month in Kentucky, in advance of that, I think it is important to highlight the significance of their work as we prepare for a new legislative session and to take on increased state and local control of public education should the federal Every Student Succeeds Act become law, which it likely will be by the end of the year.

I want to start with my thoughts on my own state board. I believe that some of the most important work I do is with the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE). Our work together forms the basis of the vision we have for education in Kentucky. Our relationship is critical to progress and our working together helps us come to the best answer. That does not mean they always agree with each other, or with me. What it does mean is we that work hard – together – to consider every possibility and develop policy that will result in a better educational experience for our students. In my opinion, I have the opportunity to work with the best board in the country. The members understand the need for their leadership, commitment, focus on policy and taking action based on what will provide the greatest benefit for our children. They are a great model for the Commonwealth and the nation.

This is an interesting time in Kentucky and if there has ever been a need for the leadership of our local boards, it is now. We know from research across the country that the best boards work well together, with their district offices, and focus on policy. I know this can be tough given all the demands and information board members receive on a daily basis, but it is critical that we all focus on children and make it a priority to act in their best interest. 

In the face of new accountability, lower budgets and shifting priorities, our local board members stand between the policies at the state level and implementation at the school level. Local board members play a special role in our communities. Unless they have served on a local board, I do not think people realize that being a board member is a full time job – with little or no pay. They do not get to turn off being a board member at the grocery store, the mall, or even church. They listen to the concerns of the community, their superintendents, their parents and their community at large. They then have to take those concerns and determine the best course of action for students given the resources at their disposal. I applaud their work and their dedication.  

As we move into our legislative and budget session, it will be critical that our local board members provide leadership on policy work at the local and state level. Their constituency does not only elect them to manage the school system, but also local board members are entrusted with providing the conditions by which our students can achieve the American Dream. 

I am excited about our work ahead. With the expected approval of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, we are about to embark on the huge task of developing a new accountability system for the Commonwealth. I am honored to do that work for our students with our local board members and our other education shareholders.