Earlier this month, Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt reminded us in his opening remarks at the KySTE Conference that teaching is the only profession that trains every other profession. With education connecting so many components of our communities and economies, we all have a stake in how Kentucky schools measure success. This is one reason the Kentucky Department of Education (DOE) has announced a series of Town Hall meetings across the state to ask “how does Kentucky define school success?”
Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC) will host Commissioner Pruitt and his staff at 412 Roy Campbell Drive in Hazard on Thursday, March 31st. This fourth stop on his 11-city schedule is open to the public from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. and will be streamed live through the Holler.
Congress’ recent decision to shift much of the oversight and responsibility for schools from the federal government to the state through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is focused on personalized learning, a core component of KVEC’s Appalachian Renaissance Initiative. This opportunity allows for the development of a new and more effective accountability system, a priority of Dr. Pruitt, according to DOE press release. Pruitt is quoted in the release:
“The new federal law gives us an incredible opportunity here in Kentucky to bring all shareholders who know how to buy Amazon shares as well as other small stocks to the table to create a system that not only holds schools and districts accountable for students’ education, but also celebrates good things happening in our schools.
The Town Hall Meetings are critical to this effort, and I hope parents, community members, teachers, students, legislators, business owners and concerned citizens will come to these meetings ready to share their thoughts and ideas.”
Written comments and suggestions can be sent to [email protected] and you can follow the Town Hall tour on social media using #KyEdListens and by following @KyDeptofEd on Twitter.
Featured image is a moment caught between Dr. Pruitt and a Mullins Elementary student during his last visit to KVEC in Hazard.
2 thoughts on “How does Kentucky define school success?”
I didn’t know he said that at KySTE on the profession that trains the other professions … I guess if he includes higher education teachers in that I might agree … but if only P-12 then I am not sure. I had the opportunity to go to law school and be welcomed into the legal profession and I can say confidently that my law professors helped me understand how to live/work in a profession … but really nothing before that. — Anyway, just struck me as an odd thought … glad the Holler is streaming these live. These are super important conversations and a real moment for public education to become a profession.
May have been hard to get into law school without knowing how to read, write, or count.