In This Issue of the OSEEL Update
- Good News! Annual Determinations
- OSEEL GUIDES
- The Powered by Inclusion Scholarship Program
- KY LEADS
- Division of IDEA Monitoring and Results
- Division of IDEA Implementation and Preschool
- Early Learning
- Division of State Schools
- Extended School Services
- Additional Legislative Guidance
Good News! Annual Determinations
Kentucky recently received notice about the 2022 annual determination from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) under Section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Kentucky was found to Meet Requirements and Purposes of Part B of the IDEA!
Even through a worldwide pandemic, not only did Kentucky meet requirements, the overall percentage also improved! This is also the 13th year in a row Kentucky has received a Meets determination.
We are so proud of everyone who helped to make this happen and we are honored to work alongside Kentucky educators every day! Please take a moment and celebrate this accomplishment.
OSEEL GUIDES
OSEEL announces a mentorship program for new administrators in special education and early learning.
OSEEL Growing, Uniting and Inspiring Directors of Early Learning and Special Education (GUIDES) is a mentorship program designed for those new to administration in the areas of early learning and special education.
More than 30% of administrators in early learning and special education are new to their roles since the 2019-2020 school year. These new leaders have been tasked with leading district-wide programs during a time of constant changes and uncertainty due to the pandemic.
This project fits into OSEEL's North Star Priority: Attract, Recruit and Retain. It will connect new administrators to their more experienced colleagues across the state, provide support in developing skills as a leader, and share guidance in navigating the role of being a special education and early learning administrator. Participants also will be connected to a mentor to guide and support them.
Virtual meetings will be held each month to connect new administrators with OSEEL staff to provide opportunities networking. In-person meetings also will be held at statewide conferences and events.
The Powered by Inclusion Scholarship Program
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) is using federal funding to award scholarships to 57 Kentucky high school students with disabilities.
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act – which included more than $2 billion for Kentucky public schools – authorized a third round of funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund. The federal funding expands equity initiatives by supporting the students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Named after the U.S. Department of Labor’s theme for the 2021 National Disability Employment Awareness Month, “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion,” the KDE Powered by Inclusion scholarship is a nonrenewable $2,500 award to use at any in- or out-of-state college or university, training program or postsecondary educational opportunity.
The scholarships were awarded to students throughout 57 of Kentucky’s public school districts. Students receiving scholarships graduated high school with postsecondary readiness as college and/or career ready.
KDE Selects 20 Scholars for 3rd Cohort of Kentucky LEADS Academy
A new cohort of scholars was selected to participate in the Kentucky Leading, Educating, Advocating for Directors of Special Education (LEADS) Academy beginning Aug. 27.
Representing school districts across nine regional cooperatives, scholars must be enrolled or agree to enroll in one of three director of special education (DoSE) certification programs: Morehead State University, Western Kentucky University, or Murray State University.
The Kentucky LEADS Academy is made possible by a five-year, $1 million federal grant designed to build capacity for certified DoSE leadership and improve services and results for children with disabilities.
More about the K initiative is available on KDE’s KY Leads Academy website. Email Thomas Williams Jr., Ph.D., early learning administrator, for information about this initiative.
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Carol Ann Morrison, Director
Division of IDEA Monitoring and Results
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Division of IDEA Monitoring and Results
Carol Ann Morrison has been selected to lead the Division of IDEA Monitoring and Results as director.
Morrison came to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) in 2018 as an exceptional children consultant. Since that time, she has served as the manager of the Individual Programming Branch as well as the policy advisor for the Office of Special Education and Early Learning.
For the past couple of years, Morrison has served as the director of the Division of State Schools. She also has more than 10 years’ experience in special education at the local level.
State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR)
The Division of IDEA Monitoring and Results (DIMR) will begin conducting desk reviews of Indicators 11, 12 and 13 in August. The DIMR will randomly identify 10% of districts reporting 100% compliance to complete the review. Notification letters will be sent to districts on Aug. 15.
The DIMR will begin conducting desk reviews for Indicators 9 and 10 in September. Notification letters will be sent to districts on Sept. 12.
Division of IDEA Implementation and Preschool
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Wins National Recognition for its State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)
To meet the requirements of Indicator 17 the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP), the Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) partners with the State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) Center.
As part of the partnership with the SISEP Center, representatives from across the nation attend an annual Active States Forum to engage in shared learning. During the June 2022 SISEP Active States Forum, Kentucky was honored for showing how implementation science can be used to make a difference for students. Kentucky has been a national model for how a linked teaming structure between the state, region, district, schools and teachers is critical to building systemic change.
The OSEEL is currently engaged in seven regions, 11 districts and 31 schools to support improved mathematics outcomes for students with disabilities.
For more information, email Veronica Sullivan, director, Division of IDEA Implementation and Preschool, Office of Special Education and Early Learning
Progress Monitoring Support
The Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) is pleased to announce the release of the Progress Monitoring Instructional Support video. This video is a companion resource for the progress monitoring guidance document: Collecting, Analyzing and Utilizing Progress Monitoring Data for Students with Individual Education Programs, released February 2022.
The information in this video resource is intended to support district Professional Learning Communities in improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities in Kentucky schools.
Gifted and Talented Education
Gifted and Talented Funding Allocations for the 2022-2023 School Year
The formula to calculate the Gifted and Talented (GT) state funding allocation for the 2022-2023 school year has been revised.
During the 2022 legislative session, House Bill 1 increased the GT appropriation from $6.2 million a year to $10 million a year over the next biennium. With this increase in funding – the first significant increase in several budgets – the funding formula was reviewed and changed with an emphasis on providing a more equitable distribution of funds to support GT programs and students across the Commonwealth.
Every district will receive a base amount of $20,000 to support its local GT program. In addition to the base amount, the formula allocates a per-student rate based on the previous school year’s total enrollment.
Finally, if this amount was less than the allocation a district received for 2021-2022, a Hold Harmless amount was added to maintain the district’s FT allocation from the previous year.
If you have any questions, email Kathie Anderson or call (502) 564-4970, ext. 4133
Extended School Services
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