Kentucky School Advocate
February 2024

Clinton board hires new superintendent  
The Clinton County Board of Education has selected Wayne Ackerman as the district’s superintendent.

Ackerman was selected out of three finalists, according to a statement from the board which was assisted in the search by KSBA’s Superintendent Search Service.

“In reviewing the criteria that the board established for the position, we felt that Mr. Ackerman’s experience most closely met the current and future needs of the district,” the board said.

Ackerman has served as an elementary school and middle school principal for 17 years in Russell County. He also served as Russell County’s band director where he led the band to Russell County’s first State Marching Band Championship. Ackerman has also served on the Kentucky Department of Education’s Principal Advisory Council.

Ackerman obtained a bachelor’s degree in music education from Eastern Kentucky University and master’s in music education from the University of Tennessee. He also holds a Rank I in principal leadership as well as superintendent certification from the University of the Cumberlands.

Ackerman said he plans to prioritize student success and the development of well-rounded individuals prepared for the challenges of the future.

“Education is the cornerstone of growth and progress,” Ackerman said. “I’m excited and honored to accept this position. I look forward to building lasting relationships and working with everyone. I’m fully committed to Clinton County and I’m jumping in with both feet.”

KBE seeking non-voting teacher, student representatives
Applications are being accepted for the non-voting teacher and student members of the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE).

Each member would serve a one-year term, from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

Applicants for the teacher position must be employed on a full-time basis by a Kentucky public school district in a position for which Education Professional Standards Board certification is required, not employed in an administrative role and must reside in the 2nd Congressional District.

For the student position, applicants must be enrolled in a Kentucky public high school, be a junior at the time of appointment and must reside in Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District.

The KBE has 15 members. The governor appoints 11 voting members: seven representing the Supreme Court districts and four representing the state at large.

Additional information and applications can be found at education.ky.gov/KBE. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. ET March 8.

Two districts receive federal career connected high school grants
Two Kentucky school districts were among 19 districts in the U.S. to receive grant awards totaling $25 million through the first-ever Perkins Innovation and Modernization, Career Connected High Schools (CCHS) grant program.

The grants, issued by the U.S. Department of Education (Department), are designed to build the capacity of education and workforce systems to partner with business and industry, to develop new high-quality career-connected high school programs for more students. Grantees will leverage four evidence-based strategies, or “keys,” to help students in unlocking career success including: providing postsecondary education and career guidance; increasing access to dual or concurrent enrollment programs; increasing work-based learning opportunities; and providing industry-recognized credentials.

Rockcastle County Schools and Allen County Schools each received $1.4 million from the program.

The grant is part of the department’s Raise the Bar: Unlocking Career Success initiative, aimed at helping young Americans access good-paying jobs created by President Joe Biden’s Investing in America through seeding and scaling promising models of innovation.

The department received more than 160 eligible applications from 43 states and the District of Columbia, requesting more than $850 million to implement comprehensive career-connected learning projects.