Call to Order and Roll Call
The 5th meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Education was held on Monday, October 9, 2017, at 1:30 PM, in the North American Production Support Center at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Georgetown, Kentucky. Representative John Carney, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Representative John Carney, Co-Chair; Senator Max Wise, Interim Co-Chair; Senators Julie Raque Adams, Jimmy Higdon, Alice Forgy Kerr, Stephen Meredith, Gerald A. Neal, Reginald Thomas, Johnny Ray Turner, Stephen West, and Mike Wilson; Representatives Danny Bentley, Mark Hart, Regina Huff, Reginald Meeks, Phil Moffett, Kimberly Poore Moser, Rick G. Nelson, Jody Richards, Steve Riley, Attica Scott, James Tipton, Russell Webber, and Jill York.
Legislative Guests: Senator Damon Thayer, Senate Majority Floor Leader; Representative Johnathan Shell, House Majority Floor Leader.
Guests: Eric Kennedy, Director of Governmental Relations, Kentucky School Board Association; Jo Ellen Reed, Bluegrass Community and Technical College; Mark Manuel, Vice President of Advancement and Organizational Development, Bluegrass Community and Technical College; Wayne Young, Executive Director, Kentucky Association of School Administrators; Jennifer Krieger, Budget Review Analyst, Legislative Research Commission; Sharon Johnston, Director of College and Career Prep, Kentucky Adult Education.
LRC Staff: Jo Carole Ellis, Joshua Collins, Lauren Busch, and Maurya Allen.
Approval of Minutes
Representative York made a motion, seconded by Representative Nelson, to approve the minutes of the September 18, 2017, meeting. The motion passed by voice vote.
Senator Damon Thayer, Senate Majority Floor Leader, and Representative Mark Hart welcomed members to their districts and thanked the staff of Toyota Motor Manufacturing for opening their doors to the committee. Senator Thayer asked the committee to observe a moment of silence for former State Senator Richard L. “Dick” Roeding who passed away Friday, October 6, 2017. Senator Roeding represented Senate District 24 and then Senate District 11 from 1991 to 2009, also serving in various Senate leadership positions.
Chairman Carney thanked staff for their assistance in organizing the meeting. He congratulated Senator Wilson on his election to Senate Majority Whip and welcomed Senator Max Wise as the Interim Co-Chair.
Welcome – Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Mr. Kim Menke, Regional Director, Government Affairs Office, Toyota Motor North America, welcomed members and presented background about Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown. Toyota is equally committed to developing a college and career ready workforce through its investment of over $1.5 billion in the Georgetown factory to maintain its global competitiveness, making it the largest and most complete Toyota manufacturing facility in the world. This investment is also going to support the supply chain of industries, not just the Georgetown plant, so the impact will be felt throughout the region. The team of industries supporting this initiative will need a broad spectrum of career pathways that require both technical and essential skills to succeed. Mr. Menke thanked the committee for their commitment to skills development and being a workforce development partner with Toyota.
2017 House Bill 454 – Essential Skills
Representative Johnathan Shell, House Majority Floor Leader, provided an overview of his essential skills legislation from the 2017 Regular Session and discussed ways that it had been improved during the interim. Throughout his legislative career, he has repeatedly heard from employers that their second biggest concern was finding employees with soft skills or essential skills and drug-free lifestyles. His bill was an attempt to address this by providing a framework for schools to require students to develop these skills and be drug-free. While students are graduating with the necessary technical knowledge, they are not employable because they were not trained in essential skills. He mentioned a discussion with a teacher who did not want her students to be the smartest ones in an unemployment line; she supported efforts to require essential skills education.
Some examples of essential skills targeted by his legislation are teamwork, communication, punctuality, problem resolution, and a drug-free lifestyle. The lack of these skills is a problem in across the state and is a problem of the current society. He recognizes that some school districts are doing exemplary work in these areas and whose efforts are not being taken into consideration in the current accountability model. Many of the larger districts are doing very well, but the models need to be spread to other districts.
Representative Shell said that Kentucky has made great strides to level the field for economic development with neighboring states. Now is the time to make sure that schools are providing the necessary workforce to attract and retain businesses. He addressed misconceptions about his bill, specifically the drug testing element, which he said is a strictly optional component and should be supported with a robust K-12 drug-free education program.
Essential Skills and Kentucky’s Workforce
Dave Adkisson, President and CEO, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and Ankur Gopal, CEO, Interapt, discussed essential skills from the point of view of business owners. Mr. Adkisson echoed that these skills are important to Chamber members. Since the recession, there have been issues finding the necessary numbers of employees, which has been made worse with the large number of Baby Boomers retiring. Companies that wish to expand are finding it difficult because they cannot find needed employees; even Toyota faced this challenge when it accepted the new Lexus contract because of the aging workforce. These struggles are felt all along the supply chain among businesses of all sizes and kinds of industry. The discussion of essential skills sometimes involves comparisons of the work ethic of Boomers versus Millennials, but it really boils down to the skills needed to get and maintain employment. Mr. Adkisson said this was such an important topic that he and the Chamber had worked with Commissioner Pruitt to include these skills in the new accountability program; this will remain a top priority of the Chamber agenda in the next year.
Mr. Gopal is an owner of a software development firm in Louisville who has worked with other companies to develop technology. The average age of his employees is 27 to 28 years old. Because of the difficulty he was having in finding qualified work-ready employees, he began a training program to teach potential employees the skills necessary to work in a software development environment. The difference in those that were successful and those that were not was based more on lack of essential skills than technical knowledge. Successful employees had the ability to communicate effectively and displayed conflict resolution skills, and these were things that some simply did not know how to do. All it would take to elevate them would be the time necessary to teach these simple, but essential, skills. Since then, he has begun a training program specifically for those skills that are essential to keeping a job. This was not just another thing for teachers to do because it is necessary to fully prepare students.
Chairman Carney agreed that these skills should not be called “soft skills” because there is nothing soft about losing a job over lack of a job.
In response to questions from Representative Tipton, Mr. Adkisson stated that he did not know the exact number of jobs that were remaining unfilled due to lack of qualified applicants, but that he estimated it to be in the tens of thousands. He discussed studies in Bowling Green and Northern Kentucky about the precise needs of those regions and said the Cabinet for Education and Workforce Development may have more precise data. Mr. Adkisson acknowledged that workforce participation is critical for supporting the pension systems and a key part to addressing that is addressing the large numbers of current unemployed and getting them skilled for the workforce. Mr. Gopal added that companies should get involved in the development of training programs for those that have technical skills but need the essential skills, particularly apprenticeship style programs for non-college graduates. Mr. Adkisson stated that if Kentucky could reach the national average for workforce participation, there would be approximately 165,000 more workers and there are at least that many job openings already available. Kentucky needs to think about incarceration differently and take strides to better reintroduction programs. Workforce development and economic development are synonymous. Mr. Gopal said that his company was in the process of taking his essential skills training program to high schools with assistance from the Fund for Transforming Education in an effort to reach those students who were already disillusioned by the traditional education setting.
Chairman Carney commented that businesses need to be willing to create that kind of partnership with schools in order to offset the costs of developing and implementing essential skills training programs. Representative Riley agreed.
In response to a question from Representative Meeks, Mr. Adkisson said that essential skills legislation as presented in Representative Shell’s bill was not a silver bullet, but rather is seeking to address concerns that have been growing over the last three to five years. Because education and workforce development are so closely linked, it is necessary to incorporate these measures in schools now, but that may not mean there are no other steps that will need to be taken in the future. Mr. Gopal said that as a business owner in a rapidly changing technology industry, he is willing to teach the necessary technical skills to an employee who has already demonstrated the essential skills for workplace success. Twelve-month employability, completed apprenticeships, and taking advantage of on-the-job training opportunities are all good metrics to use to determine if a program is working. Representative Shell said that his bill from last session did include a framework for forming a collaborative group of educators and business leaders who would determine which essential skills would be included in the required curriculum. That group would also have authority to re-evaluate and change the requirements in the future if necessary. As it was so important, he agreed to include that flexibility in the new bill as it was being drafted.
Representative Moffett said he appreciated the emphasis being placed on cracking the 1950s model of education and shifting to technical certifications over traditional degrees. He also stated that he appreciated efforts to change the framework to alleviate state control over education paradigms.
In response to Representative Turner’s question, Mr. Gopal answered that he had worked with Bitsource in the past and considered them pioneers in eastern Kentucky. He said the work he did with industry partners all over the state had really highlighted that this is a state-wide concern that would build up all areas if addressed. Planting the seeds for success was critical for creating opportunity for all.
Senator Meredith said that largely these programs did not seem to be intervening soon enough. He hopes to see these programs implemented in elementary schools and be combined with a change in the welfare distribution system to incentivize change. He hopes to see tangible measures of success included in the bill.
Implementing Essential Skills
Daniel Carney, Executive Director, Springfield/Washington County Economic Development, spoke of the disconnect in Washington County between schools and business leaders when first developing their career pathways programs. After creating collaborative partnerships, it was evident that essential skills education was a need faced by all businesses, regardless of specialty. Resulting from that, Washington County developed a voluntary program, called the Work Ready Seal, with some scholarship incentive to enroll students in essential skills training. Students who participate also have opportunities to interview with area employers and successful program completion results in a seal on their diploma, which is a signifier to future employers. While this is not the only answer to the problems his area faces in regards to workforce participation and economic development, he feels this is a step in the right direction.
John Wright, Community Relations Director, Hardin County Public Schools, spoke next on the development of an essential skills program in his schools, called the Work Ethic Certification Program. In 2012, he had accompanied some local business leaders on a visit to the Elkhorn Crossing School, an area college and career center, as a way to preview the kinds of instruction they were anticipating starting in the Hardin County Early College and Career Center. Unfortunately, he said, they were not as enthusiastic as he had hoped, saying that instead of so much focus on technical skills, they would prefer more emphasis placed on teaching essential skills. At that time, they developed and implemented their essential skills program, graduating 61 students as work ethic certified out of 800-900 high school seniors. While school staff felt that was a very poor ratio, the local papers lauded the achievement and the program has continued to grow. Mr. Wright said that last year in Hardin County, 450 students earned a work ethic certification. The intensive program they developed requires students to strive to achieve the certification. In addition to receiving the certification, students are also guaranteed an interview with a local employer upon graduation. However, this has not resulted in an increase of students becoming employed, so Mr. Wright noted there are clearly aspects of their program that need continued work. As a first step, they have expanded emphasis on work ethic to all grade levels by displaying their “Great Eight” standards on posters in classrooms from kindergarten through high school. He said the approach is similar to that of the program “The Leader in Me” which is too costly for Hardin County Public Schools to implement at all grade levels.
Lee Barger, Director of College and Career Readiness/Innovative Programs, Bullitt County Public Schools and Brandy Scott, College and Career Coach, Spencer County Public Schools, presented a regional approach they had taken that combines the needs of both counties. Ms. Scott said that there is mandatory participation in their essential skills program starting in 4th Grade. The program has different areas of focus and different requirements for each grade level in elementary, middle, and high school. Additionally, the program targets all students whether they are doing a college or a career track as they feel the skills are valuable life skills regardless of whether students plan to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation or go to a postsecondary institution. Students who complete the program are also guaranteed an interview with local employers upon high school graduation or college graduation. In keeping with their attempts to make students of their program life ready, they have recently added a financial management portion. Mr. Barger said that it truly represents a paradigm shift in what is important to be teaching and he is a believer after seeing the results they have achieved.
Chairman Carney said that this panel well-represented the breadth of Kentucky. If all of these various interests are coming to the General Assembly to ask for support, then the legislature should step up this coming legislative session to answer the call. Senator Wilson commended the presenters for their efforts and for the ways they were requiring students to prove themselves. The variety of programs showed the creativity and innovation that schools were capable of to address Kentucky’s needs.
Representative Tipton said that the passion of the members of the panel was evident, and he looked forward to visiting several of their schools to witness the programs in action and learn how best to assist them in their efforts.
In response to a question from Representative York regarding the Junior Achievement program, Ms. Scott said that the curriculum comes as a resource kit that is paid for through sponsorships from community partners. The larger issue is in getting volunteer instructors, so many teachers have stepped in to assist in implementation by incorporating it into their classrooms. The best part of the Junior Achievement program is its ability to get buy in from the students as well. Mr. Wright added that the difficulty getting volunteers was also a barrier for Hardin County Public Schools and that was what led them to create their own high school curriculum. They use Junior Achievement in the 8th Grade via tele-teaching methods from which they have gotten positive feedback.
Representative York commented that these skills should be seen as more than workforce skills, but rather as life skills that bring stability to children coming from chaotic lives. Mr. Wright agreed that the world has significantly changed in the last 30 years and schools need to change with it. In many ways, teaching students these life skills is easier than getting them proficient or distinguished on K-PREP tests.
In response to a question from Representative Meeks, Mr. Wright said that in the same time that the program has been in effect, there has been an increase in the number of college-bound graduates. He is not sure that can be fully attributed to the work ethic program, but it is likely a contributing factor. Students have reported that being part of the work ethic program makes them more productive and employers have been highly supportive of the shift. Mr. Barger said that they have begun collecting data on what prevents a student from achieving work ethic certifications in order to know what areas to address in order to graduate more students with the certification. Mr. Carney commented that he did not have any hard data, but overwhelming he had heard anecdotal support that the skills are a benefit to students at all levels and in all pathways.
Representative Moser commented that all of the models were impressive, but the inclusion of a drug control policy was particularly important. Understanding and addressing the underlying causes of problems in our society was essential to success and drug use is a critical concern in so many homes. She would like to see all of the programs implement an early childhood intervention element which included not simply living drug-free, but also coping skills and resilience for young children who may encounter drug abuse at home. She said that this is a philosophy that needs to permeate the school atmosphere.
Essential Skills Through Technology – Fayette County Public Schools
Kim Lyon, Strategic Partnership Manager, Fayette County Public Schools said that in regards to teaching essential skills, the “devil is in the details.” Throughout the many presentations it had been proven that there is no question that essential skills should be taught but questions remained of how they should be taught to ensure that all students are prepared for life after high school. To that end, Fayette County Public Schools had partnered with the Chamber of Commerce and the Ford Next Generation Learning Initiative to create the Academies of Lexington. This resulted in the restructuring of three high schools into academies, similar to magnet schools, which create a learning and teaching environment more conducive to business partnerships. Essential skills training is incorporated into all aspects of teaching and therefore students develop the skills over time through experiences which require their use and practice. And because these skills cannot be tested in the same way that technical skills are, Fayette County Public Schools uses technology to measure each student’s success.
Chris Salyers, Principal, The Learning Center, said that his school is an alternative school and as such presented unique challenges to teaching essential skills. The most effective tactic was framing essential skills as employability skills so his students could get and keep jobs, something students had expressed as their only desire upon graduation. Josh Wilson, small business owner and guidance counselor, said that the purpose of any school should be to take kids and make them life ready, especially those already struggling in a traditional school setting. These goals were what inspired the creation of the eOS or Employability Operating System used by three high schools and growing. The eOS is a web-based data collection and analysis system that was developed with the assistance of teachers so it would be an aid to them and not a burden. Mr. Wilson thanked Ryan McQuerry, Applications Solutions Specialist, Fayette County Public Schools for his work maintaining and improving the system from a software development perspective. Teachers record data about students every day into the eOS, such as being on time, on task, and behavior, both good and bad. The data becomes not a way to judge students, but a way for teachers to know when and how to intervene, essentially creating data-fueled mentoring on a daily basis. This wrap-around approach, as opposed to the classic referral model, is more effective because of its immediacy. The data can also be beneficial to parents and potential employers by rating how employable an individual student is, as well as how employable a school is. The result is evidence-supported efforts at helping students succeed.
Ms. Lyon said that they used this as a starting point to incorporate the essential skills monitoring into the Academies as they were developed. It has become an important tool in impressing upon students and parents how important these skills are to lifelong success. Working with business partners has helped to further refine the system and customize it for each of the high schools in the Fayette County Public Schools system. Donte’ Tichenor, Sr., Behavior Coach, The Learning Center, said the application is one that teachers can use at their desks, but also on their phones during breaks between classes. Each student receives an employability average and there are incentives to reach higher average levels, which further translates into job opportunities with community partners. Students have personal log-in access to view their status and track their own progress. This dramatically increases student buy-in to the program and encourages more immediate correction of negative behaviors. Mr. Salyers said the dashboard is available on all teacher desktops as a result of teacher feedback. Additionally, any teacher can step in to address an issue, regardless of which teacher noted a problem, creating a network of support for students and instantaneous feedback for students and staff.
In response to a question from Senator Thomas, Mr. Wilson said that students at the Learning Center come to the school lacking in many social skills, lacking motivation, and frequently with mood or anxiety disorders. These emotional deficits make it difficult for them to engage at school and result in discipline and truancy problems. The first element the Learning Center addresses is the truancy problem through intentional intervention and daily mentoring. Over time these also help remediate other behavior problems and help students address all their needs. Responding to a follow-up question, Ms. Lyon answered that the most critical element for Fayette County Public Schools to continue its success with the academies is business engagement. Restructuring the high schools into academies has made them more business friendly and changing these sorts of structures is not something that needs to be legislated. Identifying the values that schools should be upholding is key and finding ways to incorporate those values, and attainment of them, into the accountability system would also be something she felt would help the schools flourish.
In response to a question from Representative Scott, Mr. Salyers said that there was a parent portal, but that it is currently offline for recoding and should be relaunched in the future. There have not been any complaints from parents that their students are being monitored in this way, in fact, quite the opposite. By communicating concerns instantly with parents it has enhanced communication between school and home and has directly highlighted areas for students and parents to work on at home.
Responding to a question from Senator West, Mr. Salyers said the technology has been used by other schools, proving that it is customizable and replicable. The usage and support of the program vary by school however. For a school to begin using it, he strongly recommends that they have an in-house technology support person to handle technical bugs and continued development personalized for that schools’ needs. The collaboration has been an excellent part of sharing the technology with other schools as it has led to some unique innovations, and currently the software is not proprietary to Fayette County Schools.
Senator Kerr said she was proud to represent such excellent educators who did not look to solve problems through the purchase of expensive curriculums, but rather used creativity to solve their own problems. And the ability for students to take ownership of their own behavior and progress with the tap of a button is inspired. Mr. Salyers agreed, sharing a story of a student who had had a multitude of behavior issues prior to coming to the Learning Center, who after viewing his data on eOS asked for specific guidance on how to improve and now has no behavioral referrals.
There were no further questions and no other business. Chairman Carney announced that the next meeting of the committee would be Monday, November 13, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. in Room 154 of the Capitol Annex. The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.