Kentucky School Advocate
November 2021
KBE approves legislative agenda The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) approved the 2022-2024 biennial budget requests put forward by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) during its regular meeting on Oct. 5.
KDE Associate Commissioner Robin Kinney and KDE Division Director Karen Wirth of the Office of Finance and Operations discussed proposed additional budget requests (ABRs). The KBE reviews all formal budgetary requests before they are submitted to the governor and executive branch.
The board’s top five priorities included funding for:
• Full-day kindergarten and preschool
• SEEK transportation
• Career and technical education
• Professional development and National Board Certification salary supplements for teachers
• Social and emotional learning (SEL) and mental health.
When discussing the priorities, KBE member JoAnn Adams pointed out the importance of increasing funding for school transportation.
“Right now, our students are really being impacted by transportation,” she said. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t get a message that this bus is going to be 70 minutes late, these kids are going to have to stay 90 minutes after school because we don’t have drivers.”
KBE member Jamie Bowling, a former Middlesboro board member, expressed her support for SEL and mental health.
“I feel strongly about providing district mental health providers to our students,” she said. “I think that is really needed and taking care of your mental health is extremely important.”
The board approved compensation ranges, which will allow the commissioner to determine leadership salary compensation based on duties, skills, experience and education.
KDE is including in its budget request a 1% salary increase for all KDE staff. There has been no annual increase since 2015 and none in nine of past 11 years.
“It is challenging to be a state employee and not even get a cost-of-living adjustment,” Kinney said.
Carter County hires new superintendent
The Carter Co. school board on Oct. 18 hired Paul Green as the district’s next superintendent. Green had been serving as the superintendent of Jackson Ind.“Dr. Green has the experience, passion, and energy to continue the standard of excellence ingrained in Carter County Schools, and to lead the district to the next level,” said board chairwoman Lisa Ramey-Easterling at the meeting according to the Carter County Times.The board was assisted in the search by Don Martin, a KSBA Superintendent Search Service consultant.
Green had been Jackson Ind. superintendent for three years, prior to that he worked at the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative where he launched a regional initiative to provide STEM learning opportunities, including computer science, aviation science and robotics, to students in remote rural locations in eastern Kentucky.
Green has worked in education for 24 years including as a high school history teacher, elementary and high school principal, chief academic officer and director of pupil personnel. He received a doctorate in educational leadership from Morehead State in 2016.
Green began his role at Carter County on Nov. 1. He replaces Robert Bell who had been interim superintendent since Ronnie Dotson resigned in July.
Two former superintendents to serve as commissioner assistants
Education Commissioner Jason Glass has hired two former superintendents as special assistants. Scott Hawkins and Rachel Yarbrough will serve as a bridge of communication between KDE and school district leaders.The part-time roles were designed to provide Glass with a field-based perspective on current trends, concerns and needs across the state. Hawkins and Yarbrough bring a combined 62 years of public education experience to their roles.
“I am excited to have Scott and Rachel be a part of our team at KDE,” Glass said. “Having former superintendents helping us engage and involve our stakeholders directly will be beneficial in making sure KDE is responsive to district needs.”
Hawkins was previously Woodford County superintendent before retiring earlier this year. Yarbrough was previously Webster County superintendent. She retired in 2018.