Call to Order and Roll Call
The second meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Education was held on Monday, July 11, 2011, at<MeetTime> 1:00 PM, in Room 154 of the Capitol Annex. Senator Ken Winters, Co-Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator Ken Winters, Co-Chair; Representative Carl Rollins II, Co-Chair; Senators Walter Blevins Jr., Jared Carpenter, David Givens, Denise Harper Angel, Jimmy Higdon, Alice Forgy Kerr, Vernie McGaha, Gerald A. Neal, R.J. Palmer II, Johnny Ray Turner, Jack Westwood, and Mike Wilson; Representatives Hubert Collins, C. B. Embry Jr., Derrick Graham, Donna Mayfield, Reginald Meeks, Charles Miller, Ruth Ann Palumbo, Ryan Quarles, Marie Rader, Jody Richards, Tom Riner, Wilson Stone, Ben Waide, Addia Wuchner, and Jill York.
Guests: Dale Winkler, Office of Career and Technical Education; Charlie Harman, Kentucky Department of Education; Jim Thompson, Education and Workforce Development Cabinet; Clyde Caudill, Kentucky Association of School Superintendents and Jefferson County Public Schools; Sue Cain and Jillian Starman, Council on Postsecondary Education.
LRC Staff: Janet Stevens, Jo Carole Ellis, Ben Boggs, Sandy Deaton, C.J. Ryan, and Lisa W. Moore.
Subcommittee Reports
Senator McGaha reported that the Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education met and heard a discussion on the Kentucky National Energy Education Development Project, commonly called the NEED Project. The mission of the project is to promote energy awareness through the delivery of education programs.
Ms. Karen Reagor, Director, Kentucky NEED Project, explained that the project supports workshops and professional development programs on energy education for K-12 teachers and makes available a model curriculum for the teachers to use with their students. All materials are science-based and provide an “Energy 101” class for all students. The materials are free and available on-line.
Senator McGaha said several members expressed the importance of energy awareness and energy conservation. It was noted that Kentucky’s coal industry could help the country become more energy independent. He said a discussion followed regarding energy managers and the importance of new and existing school buildings being more energy efficient. It was suggested that the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) could review the energy use in all school buildings identified as Category 3, 4, and 5 and report their findings back to the subcommittee.
Representative Meeks said the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met and heard presentations from the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) about postsecondary outreach initiatives to under-represented, at-risk, and non-traditional students.
Ms. Lee Nimocks, Chief of Staff, highlighted the bachelor degree attainment gaps for low-income, underprepared, and minority students and provided information on the at-risk population by geographic region across the Commonwealth.
Dr. Rana Johnson, CPE’s Chief Diversity Officer, presented information and a video about the annual “Academically Proficient African-American High School Junior and Senior Conference,” which provides information and assistance to students on transitioning to postsecondary education. Dr. Johnson also discussed the Governor’s Minority Student College Preparation Program, which offers academic enrichment and college preparation assistance to students in grade six through eight.
Dr. Yvonne Lovell, Executive Director of Kentucky Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), discussed the impact of Kentucky GEAR UP programs, which are federally-funded and designed to create a college-going culture in schools with at-risk populations.
Ms. Susan Hopkins, KHEAA Director of Outreach Services, provided information about KHEAA outreach programs, including the College Access Challenge Grant, the College Info Road Show, the new KHEAA College Cost and Planning Report, and the College Coaches Program. Mr. Keith Ritchie, a KHEAA College Coach at Lewis County High School, gave a spirited testimony about his work with at-risk students at the school and the successes he has seen during the first year of the program.
Approval and Motion to Amend Minutes from the June 13, 2011, Meeting
Senator Winters made the motion to strike the sentence “A rubric is being developed to set forth expectations and only paper-pencil assessments will be used in these areas to test student knowledge” from the minutes on June 13, 2011. Representative Graham seconded the motion. The minutes were amended and approved by voice vote.
Governor’s Transforming Education in Kentucky Task Force
Joseph U. Meyer, Secretary, Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, and Dr. Terry Holliday, Commissioner, KDE, introduced Mr. Dale Winkler, Executive Director of the new Office of Career and Technical Education. Mr. Winkler discussed plans to implement recommendations made by the Governor’s Task Force on Transforming Education in Kentucky. A steering committee has been formed that has been appointed jointly by Secretary Meyer and Commissioner Holliday. Mr. Winkler will lead career and technical education in KDE as well as in the Workforce Investment Cabinet.
Mr. Winkler said he is excited to make career and technical education a critical component of Kentucky’s college and prereadiness initiative. He attended an area technology center and was an officer of a career and technical student organization. He feels this background prepared him for postsecondary education and the workforce. He said the members of the Governor’s Task Force on Transforming Education in Kentucky want to find ways to improve career and technical education throughout the state. Career and technical education should be included in the high school reform effort and equip students with the 21st century skills necessary for college and a career.
The steering committee is comprised of 25 individuals representing the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, business and industry, education, professional associations, and the legislature. They will review best practices in career and technical education nationwide and recommend a new model for Kentucky. The steering committee will rely on work from six subcommittees including sector strategy, curriculum and program development, assessment and accountability, professional development, Perkins fund management, and operations. He noted all the work would be facilitated by the National Center for Career and Technical Education housed at the University of Louisville. A final report will be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission in October 2011.
The Leader in Me Program
Senator Wilson was recognized for recommending the presentation on the FranklinCovey “Leader in Me” Program. He said Bowling Green Independent and the Warren County School District have implemented a pilot program and he felt the committee should be aware of its impact in the school district.
Nolan Marx, FranklinCovey Client Partner, said that 80 percent of the most in- demand jobs require postsecondary education. In order to be competitive, Kentucky will need to have an additional 120,000 degrees attained by 2020. One out of every three college students does not return for the sophomore year of school and this issue has to be addressed. He said the “Leader in Me” program gives students a mindset, skillset and toolset to demonstrate leadership skills to address the graduation and readiness crisis in the United States.
Mr. Marx said the “Leader in Me” program began at a failing school located in Raleigh, North Carolina. He noted 50 percent of the students were eligible for free and reduced lunch and 26 percent spoke a foreign language as the first language in the home. The program incorporates the seven habits of highly effective people written by Steven Covey, a national respected leadership expert, who has worked with CEO’s of major corporations. After seven years of implementing the “Leader In Me” program, the failing school in North Carolina was rated as the number one magnet school in America.
Mr. Marx showed the committee student testimonials in a video. He said consistent trends of the “Leader in Me” program are student improvement in math and reading; increased parental involvement; increased teacher satisfaction; and enhanced student self confidence. There is also a marked reduction in discipline referrals in schools that implement the program.
Mr. Tim Murley, Superintendent, Warren County Schools, said eight elementary schools are participating in the “Leader in Me” pilot project in his school district. He said Warren County has a high number of English as a Second Language (ESL) population and many transient students. The pilot project is completely voluntary and has yielded positive results and fewer discipline issues in the participating schools. He said the program will have to be implemented slowly because it is being paid for out of the general fund. He said the program is making a difference in students’ lives and gets children to be proactive in their education at an early age.
Dr. Jane Knight, FranklinCovey, said she trains the trainers for the “Leader in Me” program. She is a huge advocate for changing the culture within a school. She said the program empowers students to be proactive and be a leader. She also said the business community is strongly supportive of the qualities the students learn in the program.
In response to questions from Representative Waide, Mr. Murley said Warren County is a participant in the positive intervention behavior support (PIBS) program. It teaches children upfront positive behaviors and expectations on their arrival at school. He said they have an in-house state trainer for the behavioral system program.
Mr. Marx said that the “Leader in Me” program’s saturation point is working with the Bowling Green Independent Schools, eight schools in Warren County, one school in Jefferson County, and a few in Fayette County. The process of implementing the program is a three year process because it involves changing a culture, which does not happen overnight. The first component is training the educators by outside consultants and the second component is building sustainability. The total cost of the program for a school is between 25,000 and 70,000 dollars, depending on the size and how many students are served. He said it operates on a “pay as you go cycle,” which is typically split between three or four funding cycles.
In response to a question from Representative Richards, Mr. Marx said the initial cost of the program can be broken down in three major components: 1) bringing in consultants to work with the educators, teachers, and staff; 2) training materials for educators; and 3) training materials for the students. He said the recurring costs include purchasing the materials for students on an annual basis. He also noted the program has to have community buy-in to create sustainability in order for it to be successful.
In response to a question from Representative Rollins, Mr. Marx said “The Leader in Me” program has been instilled at NASA and they worked with the transition team of President Bush and Obama. He said the program could be used for legislators as well.
In response to a question from Senator Kerr, Dr. Knight said most parents observe the most noticeable difference in their child’s language skills. The children are confident and proactive at home. She also said there are materials available for the parents on the website that they can download at no cost. Mr. Marx said that some schools provide parent training, but programs need to be diligent in obtaining parent buy-in up front.
In response to a question from Representative Palumbo, Mr. Marx said he would get the names of the schools in Fayette County participating in the “Leader in Me” program to her. He said Mill Creek was one. He will also forward her a copy of the video with the children’s songs.
In response to a question from Representative Graham, Dr. Knight said children can take materials to the parents if there is not an internet connection in the home. She has found that parents learn more from their children’s behaviors than from materials. The children get excited to tell their parents what they are learning.
In response to a question from Senator Givens, Mr. Marx said the biggest roadblocks to success have occurred when total buy-in was not created in each school. He said the program has been withdrawn and denied to schools that did not have the initial buy-in up front.
In response to a question from Representative Riner, Dr. Knight said habit number four demonstrates the golden rule to children by teaching them to think win, win. She said school children as early as kindergarten are introduced to the rule through children’s literature examples.
In response to a question from Representative Wuchner, Mr. Marx said business leaders are more apt to help fund the program because of the benefits they receive from the qualities the students learn to prepare for the workforce. He said business and community leaders are invited to the schools to see the programs firsthand and discuss fundraising events.
In response to a question from Representative York, Mr. Marx said there is no long-term data on how successful students were after participating in the program in their adult life. He said the first group of students that participated is just now entering college. He noted that children make a decision in eighth grade whether or not they will graduate high school and that is why it is so important to implement the program in the early years. He said FranklinCovey has a research team in place and has partnered with Sullivan University to track goals and measure results.
Senator Wilson said business leaders are supportive of the program and would like to see it replicated in all schools.
AdvanceKentucky
Senator Winters said AdvanceKentucky, is a statewide math-science initiative dedicated to helping Kentucky’s students reach new heights in rigorous academic achievement. Begun in 2007, this is a six-year partnership between Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC) and the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). He said under conditions of matching over the next six years, NMSI has committed $13.2 million to the program through funding from Exxon Mobil Corporation and the Dell and Gates Foundations.
Ms. Joanne Lang, Executive Director, AdvanceKentucky, said all students can learn and perform at high levels in math and science. She said AdvanceKentucky is designed to dramatically expand student access and participation in accelerated learning in Kentucky high schools as measured by results on rigorous, national Advance Placement (AP) math, science and English (MSE) exams. This design is based on a proven model of success for over 10 years.
Mr. Ron Geoghegan, Chairman, Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC), said AdvanceKentucky is about innovation and getting the most out of students. He said instead of Kentucky trailing the national averages, AdvanceKentucky demonstrates its students are as capable as any in the nation when given the opportunity, high-quality teaching and rigorous materials to support their efforts.
Ms. Lang said partnerships and critical endorsements from the executive and legislative branch of Kentucky’s State Government were crucial to the start-up of the program. Key partners include: NMSI; 64 participating Kentucky schools; KDE; the United State Department of Education Advanced Placement (AP) Incentive Program through KDE; Appalachian Regional Commission; CPE; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Kentucky Downs; KSTC; and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).
Ms. Lang showed members a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted detailed graphs showing the progress of the students in cohorts one and two and some preliminary new data for cohort three. The first 12 schools (cohort one) showed an 80 percent increase in MSE exams in the first year. The next 16 schools (cohort two) had a 62 percent increase in their very first year as compared to the state and the nation, which is below 10 percent. Cohort three students showed a 140 percent increase in one year of passing MSE exams. The graphs also includes data on 2010 overall gains, gains by cohort, achievement by minority students, female student achievements, low-income student achievements, 2010 state rankings and 2010 national rankings. A copy of the graphs is located in the meeting folder in the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) library.
Ms. Lang said the NMSI model has demonstrated its proven ability in Kentucky schools to dramatically increase access to and accelerate learning in rigorous MSE courses, as shown by qualifying scores (QS) on AP exams, particularly among underrepresented student populations. On the most recent 2010 AP exams, the 28 AdvanceKentucky schools alone contributed 43 percent of all new QS earned across Kentucky and 69 percent of new QS earned by minority students. These early participants performed at up to 12 times the national rate of one-year growth in student performance.
Ms. Lang said each year AdvanceKentucky adds a new cohort of Kentucky high schools. For the 2011-2012 school year, 64 high schools are participating involving 17,000 enrollments in AP MSE being taught by 480 AP teachers. Schools have to apply to get the program and then site visits are made. By 2014, program goals are to serve 50 percent of Kentucky’s public high schools. She noted in fiscal year 2012, Kentucky will reach almost one-third of public high schools and 30 percent of districts. The goal for 2020 is to serve 100 percent of interested schools within ten cohorts.
Dr. Lang said the average cost per year per school is $100,000. Some programs are much higher or much lower to implement depending upon the number of enrollments and the number of teachers. Monique Morton, mathematics content director, and Tina Rose, English content director, talked about the return on investment that schools receive from the program.
In response to a question from Senator Winters, Ms. Lang said AdvanceKentucky is a voluntary program. It takes very hard work on the part of the school, but it is so worthwhile for the benefit of students. She said there are 40 more schools currently interested in implementing the program, but there is not enough federal grant money to cover the expense. She said adding 25 schools at a time is plenty expansion. She would be in favor of adding more if three times the staff was available.
In response to a question from Representative Waide, Ms. Lang said the AP is a national exam offered in Kentucky schools designed by qualified high school teachers and university faculty that meets national standards. She said if students receive a qualifying score on the exam, which is 3 or above, they can earn college credit. She said there is national research that proves that students who enroll in the AP course, take the exam, and earn a qualifying score are more likely to graduate high school, attend college, and graduate from college.
Representative Quarles said he was an AP student and was able to skip an entire semester at the University of Kentucky. He said AP courses save taxpayers money. It also saves parents time and money when their children earn college credit in high school.
In response to questions from Representative Stone, Ms. Lang said she is currently working with the P-20 to get Kentucky data to make the correlation between high school grade point averages (GPA), ACT scores, and AP exam scores. She said national research supports the fact that students receive higher GPA’s and ACT scores if they participated in an AP class and received a qualifying score on the exam. She said her vision is to give all students access to AP courses, but not require it. If students receive four years of Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) money, but have not had the courses needed to be successful in college and they do not return to college for their sophomore year, they have wasted their KEES money anyway. If students take the AP exam and receive the AP bonus they will be more prepared and more likely to stay in college.
Senator Winters said avoidance of rigorous math, science and English courses at the postsecondary level will increase if AP courses are not emphasized at the high school level. Students need adequate preparation to succeed at the next level. The AP courses are a great indicator whether students can master the materials at the postsecondary level.
Senator Givens said Barren County High School utilizes a different approach to AP. He said the parents of juniors and seniors have to opt their children out of the AP courses instead of opting in. He is anxious to see the official results in the data released in September 2011.
In response to a question by Senator Givens, Ms. Lang said the goal of the program is for her to leave and the school to take ownership of the program. The programs will have to be sustained and funded for the long-term.
Representative Meeks said he would like Ms. Morton’s math organization to connect to groups in Louisville through community events. Ms. Morton said she is always looking for ways to outreach to new areas of students.
In response to a question from Representative Richards, Ms. Lang distributed the list of participating schools to the members. She said the official data results would be released in September 2011.
Review of Administrative Regulation
Mr. Robert Brown, Director for the Division of Professional Learning and Assessment, Education Professional Standards Board, explained 16 KAR 6:030 relating to the examination prerequisites for principal certification. In response to questions from Senator Westwood, Mr. Brown said this test is the same examination used for certification as a school principal, but some new questions have been added. A passing score will not be established until data can be collected for validation of the score by the Education Testing Service (ETS). He said the principal applicants will have a pass score until a cut score is received. He also noted that principal applicants would not have to retake this test, but would still be required to pass the School Leadership Licensure Assessment (SLLA) exam. There was no action taken on the administrative regulation by the committee.
New Business
Senator Winters announced to members that the next meeting has been approved to be one week earlier on Monday, August 1st. He said the request was made to avoid conflicts with the National Legislative Summit sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 3:35 PM.
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