Kentucky School Advocate

April 2025

In Conversation With features an interview between a leader or figure involved in public education and a representative of the Kentucky School Advocate. 

Brian Creasman has been superintendent of Fleming County Schools for 10 years. He presented, along with Kentucky Board of Education vice chairwoman Lu Young, about transforming Kentucky’s assessment and accountability model at KSBA’s Annual Conference. They will also present a Learn and Earn webinar on the topic on Aug. 13. Click here to register.

A. We didn’t just want a beautiful poster of our Portrait of a Learner. Our board wanted to make sure our students demonstrate the competencies our portrait emphasizes. We want these skills embedded into all grades, all subjects, so students can make connections between the competencies in the real world. By identifying those competencies back in 2017, it signaled, ‘We are serious about this because we have embedded it into day-to-day lessons.’ And it showed the community that the board was listening.

A. Our teachers told us, ‘If we’re going to emphasize these durable skills, we’ve got to change the accountability model so that it is more than test scores. So, when United We Learn opened Local Laboratories of Learning in 2021, we saw it as our chance to change the dynamics around accountability and pull these durable skills into the accountability model and emphasize those skills even more. This approach makes learning more real; it’s not just a multiple-choice test. And, these are skills that travel with them. When we prioritize this, we also must report it out to the community. For example, for the last two years our dashboard has shown how skills are playing out. Since 2021, local accountability has become part of our day-to-day operations.

A. The board had to approve our membership in the Local Laboratories of Learning; it was $45,000 for training and learning from the state to launch this work around Portrait of a Learner, vibrant learning and local accountability. Also, we had to form connections with the community. Since I came here in 2014, I’ve never seen the board shy away from listening to the community in terms of direction they think the district should go. In local accountability, the community has a strong voice as far as the values, curriculum, expectations and goals. So, it solidifies that strong connection between the board and the community, and our board has been instrumental in that. At board meetings, we talk about technology and learning updates, what we’re seeing in vibrant learning and Portrait of a Learner and the new assessments we’re bringing online. The community values that we stream our board meetings; we started doing that in 2020. Back in 2014, we were a priority district, and the best way to get out of priority status is to raise test scores. But we got to the point where kids told us they wanted to be known for more than test scores. The board heard that. They also heard from the community that while test scores are great, the kids struggle with durable skills when they go to part-time jobs. So, the board again has emphasized those work ethic, community skills. 

A. One thing we do is have students keep a digital portfolio of their work that shows writing across content, growth in reading and math, ACT scores. We encourage them to personalize these BPI portfolios so we can see their interests, passions and aspirations. Portfolios might have videos of students making a class presentation or include interdisciplinary work or a project where they’ve started their own company or written a book or a song. These portfolios engage students in ways beyond worksheets or standardized assessments. They are the student’s story. So, with these portfolios, we’ll be able to see a student’s work from grades three to 12 – all the growth and how they have changed. When parents look at their child’s portfolio at the end of their senior year, they’re shocked by what the kid has produced. 

A. Yes, there is a community connection. Two years ago, we revamped our co-op program so that participating seniors must submit their BPI portfolios to show all their competencies. Co-op partners won’t hire a student until we send their BPI portfolio. Our businesses now see what we are trying to produce in terms of student readiness and they see whether students have mastered those durable skills at grade level.

Fleming County Schools Superintendent Brian Creasman presents at a session about how the Kentucky Department of Education is working with the United We Learn council and local districts to create a more meaningful assessment and accountability system at KSBA’s 2024 Winter Symposium.A. Since we started the local accountability model in 2021, being in the first cohort of the Local Laboratories of Learning, we’re among six districts that work closely with KDE. School districts have not been asked about designing accountability, so we’ve really had to learn how this works. Every department we’ve reached out to at KDE has been a big help. Now we are paving a path. I always say we’ve designed a model, not the model for local accountability. We try to provide as much learning to other districts and to KDE as possible about what we experience, including our setbacks or obstacles so other districts can avoid the same mistakes. There’s a high level of collaboration among districts doing Local Laboratories of Learning. All our information and resources are posted online so other districts can have it. 

A. If we do this right, you will see commonalities among the 171 school districts but also a lot of vibrancy. We’re not saying we’ve got the right or best model, but we’ve got the best model for our community right now. Local accountability must be tailored toward that community’s needs, values, expectations, goals and priorities. Regionally and statewide, we may share some commonalities. But local accountability can’t be restricted. The local district, board of education and community are saying, this is what we value, this is what we expect. I think KDE should be applauded for what they are trying to do with this. I can think of no state board or state department of education that has said, ‘If we’re going to create this next generation accountability model, we’re going to depend on local districts to help us develop it.’ 

A. The state board and United We Learn Council wanted to develop next generation accountability and, within it, prioritize vibrant learning. A phrase we use when we talk about vibrant learning is ‘make learning real; make learning matter.’ It’s a student-centered approach that aligns with students’ aspirations, interests and passions and equips students with skills, knowledge and competence to navigate and lead through real world challenges. It changes the conversation from solely focusing on a standardized score to looking at multiple measures so it’s not about that single day in May. It’s about whether these kids have the skills necessary to go into the real world and experience it successfully. Vibrant learning has no silos; it’s interdisciplinary. It’s about helping kids form connections between all the subjects to create that well-rounded understanding of how skills work together. 

A. I like to say that it’s like our old accountability system was about producing Jeopardy contestants. With new accountability and vibrant learning, while foundational information is important, we want kids to be like MacGyver with that Swiss Army knife of skills.

A. A re-engagement of our students, teachers and community. It should strengthen those ties to communities across Kentucky. And if it doesn’t change the learner experience and doesn’t reconnect communities with their schools, then we missed it.