Call to Order and Roll Call
The 6th meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Education was held on Monday, November 13, 2017, at 1:00 PM, in Room 154 of the Capitol Annex. Senator Max Wise, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator Max Wise, Co-Chair; Representative John Carney, Co-Chair; Senators Julie Raque Adams, Danny Carroll, Jimmy Higdon, Stephen Meredith, Gerald A. Neal, Reginald Thomas, Johnny Ray Turner, Stephen West, and Mike Wilson; Representatives Danny Bentley, Jim DeCesare, Mark Hart, Regina Huff, Reginald Meeks, Phil Moffett, Rick G. Nelson, Melinda Gibbons Prunty, Steve Riley, Attica Scott, James Tipton, and Russell Webber.
Guests: M. Shelton and Gene Basil, SKYCTC; Erik Carlson Landy, KDE; Chad Collins, KHSAA/KDE; Dr. Gary Finkbonner, DJJ; Wayne Young, CASA; and Moms Demand Action members Sheila Anderson, Diane Cahill, Karen Conley, Dr. Joe Brennan, Sylvia Burns, Trish Ramey, Judy Wulff, Amanda Clark, Sarah Coker, Kristal Smith, Dana Walker, Lynsey Sugarman, Lisa Satin, Nancy Birdwhistle, Lori Looner, Connie Courtney, and Kavin Soltaw.
LRC Staff: Jo Carole Ellis, Joshua Collins, Lauren Busch, and Christal White.
Approval of the minutes of the October 9, 2017, meeting
On a motion by Representative Nelson and a second by Representative Meeks, the minutes of the October 9, 2017, meeting were accepted by voice vote.
Presentation: Essential Skills – Voluntary Drug Testing
Mr. Randy Poe, Superintendent, Boone County School District, discussed the relationship between academics and Northern Kentucky (NKY) industries helping students become career, college, and life ready. He introduced panel members as Polly Lusk Page, Executive Director, Northern Kentucky Education Council; Jay Brewer, Superintendent, Dayton Independent School District; Jack VonHandorf, Principal, Notre Dame Academy; and Angie Ferguson, Executive Director, Drug Free Clubs of America (DFCA).
Ms. Page said the Northern Kentucky Education Council (NKEC) is the backbone organization for alignment of education initiatives. The NKEC serves as a catalyst for collaboration, change, and progress toward regional education goals and includes seven counties, 19 public school districts, three postsecondary institutions and 85,504 students. The collective impact model holds leaders accountable and brings family, community, and schools together to change the outcomes and odds for children and youth.
The NKEC organization of CEO Leadership Advisors, the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, and over 600 volunteers support these goals. The Council includes action teams who oversee regional education goals to reduce barriers for student learning, college and career readiness, education excellence, education accessibility, lifelong learning, and advocacy.
The 21st Century Essential Skills Toolkit was designed to support educators to ensure students are prepared with essential skills, including showing up on time, being drug free, and being identified by NKY employers as college, career, and life ready. The NKEC ensures all families and youth are thriving and that all schools promote a culture of contribution. The NKEC has regional programs and activities to nurture and develop 21st Century skills and aligns itself with the program, including 17,000 youth from both public and parochial schools in the area.
Ms. Page said an increasing number of businesses contribute to the Northern Kentucky Drug Free Clubs of America (NKY DFCA) for the development of this serious problem affecting children. By providing effective prevention tools, Dr. Brewer said the organization empowers parents, educators, and communities to build drug-free youth. To become a DFCA member, students must volunteer to be drug tested and make a commitment to remain drug free. Dr. Brewer said universities, businesses, and communities should encourage membership in DFCA from 7th through 12th grade. He said counselors inform students that success is evaluated by American College Testing (ACT) scores, a high grade point average (GPA), community service, and extracurricular school activities.
The NKY DFCA program is facilitated through a partnership with St. Elizabeth Hospital. As encouragement, NKY DFCA is seeking ways to reward students for voluntary participation in the club. Dr. Brewer said risk factors increase a person’s chances for drug abuse and preventive factors can reduce that risk.
Ms. Ferguson said the DFCA was founded by her father and one of his co-workers as a result of frustration caused by the loss of young lives as a result of drug overdoses. As retired Cincinnati firefighters, their concern was the lack of preventive drug abuse programs as compared to the number of rehabilitation and treatment facilities growing at a steady rate. The idea of forcing an individual into a prevention program would not garner the same results as helping a young person volunteer to remain drug free. As a result, the DFCA program was created.
In 2005, the DFCA program was developed by creating a safety net, reinforcing good choices, re-tooling peer pressure, changing choices, and backing parents. Local and national officials raved at the success of the program. With over 2,300 members, they rallied to join a march proclaiming drug-free status and received an award from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A new DFCA program begins with the appointment of student officers who are charged with organizing a marketing plan, preparing in-school reports, and tailoring the program to fit their school culture. Once the DFCA program is organized, it is rolled out to the student body. Once drug testing is completed and the results known, students are given a full color photo ID card which earns them rewards. The reward benefits often encourage enrollment to students who may otherwise be on the fence regarding drug use. A peer-led effort has a huge impact on students who are considering experimenting with drugs.
School personnel is not informed if students test positive for drugs. The DFCA contacts parents and explains the potential health risks and damage to the student’s future. Parents receive a great deal of support from DFCA, and studies have shown discussion of expectations about drugs and alcohol within families can cut the risk of drug use from 42 to 50 percent. “Take Five” is another layer of the program, prompting parents to continue ongoing dialogue about drugs. As students sign up for DFCA, parents are automatically sent an email to ensure awareness. Students expressing concern about parental drug use are encouraged to break the generational cycle of drug dependency.
Organizations work daily to fight drug abuse, but the DFCA believes expansion of the program begins by working together. Through the stakeholder system of growth, organizations are opening DFCA branches to provide strategy in their own communities, and protect the potential of local youth. Experts agree than an ideal drug prevention strategy must be a combined effort from the schools, community, and parents.
Used as a means to monitor and analyze the success and impact of the DFCA program, each school receives Prevention on Purpose (POP) annually. POP is a comprehensive, tailored metrics package of peer-led programs, protective tools, and positive reinforcement.
The DFCA program requires community businesses to generate parental, school, and community involvement into a common effort. Positive peer pressure and added incentives contribute to the success of the program.
Mr. VonHandorf reported 72 percent of the Notre Dame Academy students are members of the DFCA, with 91 percent being freshmen students. He said there are efforts to lower the initial cost of enrollment to entice more members. Making a drug-free choice and having community support as a high school student may provide the necessary tools to make good choices later in life.
In response to a question by Senator Wise, Dr. Vonhandorf said the DFCA club begins in the 7th grade since the battle against drug abuse now begins at earlier ages.
Representative Tipton said he has prefiled HB 312, which requires mandatory drug education to begin in elementary school. Dr. Brewer said DFCA encourages healthy choices but agreed education is needed and is part of what their organization does. In response to a question by Representative Tipton, Dr. Brewer said children involved in the DFCA are connected to parents through emails but stressed drug education is essential in family dialogue and that it is not only viewed as a school education issue. Ms. Ferguson said parental involvement is integrated by continual talking.
In response to a question by Representative Bentley, Ms. Ferguson said panels are changed yearly according to the drug being abused and the reliability of tests available. The DFCA buys high quality kits made in the United States, follows up with lab work and a medical review officer, and offers the family confidential support. The DFCA uses an adulterant panel for altered drug tests, requiring preliminary results to be sent to a lab and followed up by a doctor who verifies a student’s prescribed medication matches the substance found. One factor is the level or threshold of drugs in a student’s system cannot always prove ingestion.
In response to a question by Representative Bentley, Ms. Ferguson said the DFCA does not have a collaboration with Generation Rx. Regarding liability for false positives, DFCA maintains liability insurance on all employees, volunteers, and members.
In response to a question by Representative Huff, Ms. Ferguson said the stakeholder system is grown by networking with an existing entity in the community to build a team, identifying the focus of each employee or volunteer, and building a cultural change for the community. Community support and schools seeking cultural change are a basis for the success of the program. Representative Huff applauded the DFCA for their built-in accountability and in-school and community rewards to students who remain drug free.
In response to Representative Meek’s question, Ms. Ferguson said the DFCA has a messaging system with a captive audience that is filtered to the parents and to the students. Also, community organized drug take-back days bring attention and spread awareness about widely abused prescription drugs and proper disposal of medications.
In response to a question by Senator Carroll, Dr. VonHandorf said the Keeping in Touch or Keeping it Together (KIT) survey is utilized to get a student’s understanding of alcohol and drugs. It is a voluntary survey provided by the state and is a tool used to help combat mixed messages about the legalization of marijuana. Dr. Brewer said challenges supporting the legalizing of marijuana present challenges in schools. Ms. Ferguson said children experiencing second and third generation family addictions often understand the need to break the generational cycle.
Representative Carney congratulated DFCA for the ability to partner with school districts and independent businesses and bringing positive peer pressure by giving students a safe way to get help. In response to his question, Ms. Ferguson said a one-time fee of $67 is charged for the entire program and DFCA uses 94.6 percent of funds for the program. Administrative rates are minimal due to community support with office space donation, IT support, and reproduction of materials, an indication of the importance of collaboration and networking.
In response to a question by Representative Carney, Ms. Page said a fund has been established at NKEC to which business partners contribute as an offset for families who are unable to afford the program. The Council formed a steering committee made of judge executives, superintendents, the CEO from St. Elizabeth Health Care, and others. They also formed a tactical committee that will have a campaign launch in the fall. Dr. Brewer said St. Elizabeth, veteran organizations, the board of education, and teachers have sponsored students to offset some of the cost so no child is left out if they want to be tested. Mr. Poe said St. Elizabeth pays a portion of the cost to ensure minimal parental cost. Ms. Ferguson said the startup amount is tailored to the needs of the community by a core group setting an affordable level for parents. Entities working with DFCA hosts fundraisers to make up the difference, and many career and technical schools provide it free to their students.
In response to a question by Representative Gibbons Prunty, Ms. Ferguson said communication with disengaged parents is often a challenge but friends providing positive peer pressure has a huge impact. Parental communication by texts, emails, and phone calls usually proves to be successful as many parents with previous or current drug battles don’t want their children to struggle; however, follow-up can often be a challenge. The conversation is a forum between parents and students and has different dynamics as an open conversation rather than with police involvement. Mr. Poe said school-level survey results indicate a positive increase with attitude and culture as benchmarks and goal lines are established and student engagement and empowerment is measured. Dr. Brewer suggested the science of addiction reveals kids who delay the use of drugs after 18 years of age can have a profound effect on their lives.
Presentation: Essential Skills – Cultivating Work Ethic and Soft Skills
Kim Phelps, Vice President of Communications and Public Policy at the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, introduced herself and Dr. Eric Keeling, Principal of the Warren County Area Technology Center (WCTC). Ms. Phelps described the South Central Kentucky (SCK) Learning About Unique New Careers Here (LAUNCH) as a community initiative bringing education and business communities together. She said the struggle for businesses to get quality, skilled workers is a concern heard daily from businesses in Warren County. The projected demand for expected regional growth over the next 10 years is identified in the career sectors of construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, professional services, and in transportation, distribution and logistics. Each sector was outlined with levels of knowledge, skill, and ability to qualify for specific positions and the expected income for each position.
Ms. Phelps outlined the guiding principles for SCK LAUNCH’s achievement as supporting student-driven leadership; building self-awareness; becoming empowered; being a career-wise graduate; providing students with meaningful opportunities to explore, experience, and connect to build career skills and knowledge; and supporting the attainment of nationally-potable industry credentials and postsecondary courses to launch future career paths. The profile of an ideal graduate includes a globally-minded student, an emotionally intelligent student, and a life-long learner. SCK LAUNCH includes employability skills aligned with these characteristics.
SCK LAUNCH created tactical teams to develop solutions ensuring maximum career opportunities for students in several ways. The experience team designed a career expo for eighth grade students; the shadowing team provides quality experiences for high school students to increase career awareness and local opportunity; student-led leadership provides an opportunity for all students to gain the necessary skills for their future; education externships create a unique and engaging opportunity for educators to experience and connect with the local economy; and communication and marketing promotes the importance of career awareness as it informs and engages stakeholders.
In October, 2017, five manufacturers welcomed 130 students to career shadowing experiences, exposing them to many facets of the business, including but not limited to interviewing, finance, marketing, accounting, quality assurance, human resources, manufacturing, and employability skills.
Educator externships allow teachers to observe companies in the community to see how specific classes may relate to specific jobs, which generated explanation as to methods of teaching and how they are utilized in the workplace. In partnership with local hospitals, all area high schools are implementing career-focused models such as medical arts, phlebotomy, EKG technician, pre-nursing, and fire science or EMT-type certification.
Critical elements of reaching this common goal are cooperation and flexibility among the local Chambers of Commerce, local businesses, and the community. Whether entering the workforce immediately after high school graduation or advancing to higher education, all students must be provided equal opportunities.
Presentation: Be the Change Program
Dr. Keeling said WCTC was built in 2006 in an effort to meet the needs of secondary students. Upon his arrival in 2013, he introduced the Be the Change (BTC) program, a character and work ethics program focused on culture shift, including skill sets, attendance, punctuality, attitude, and manners. Focus is also placed on leadership roles, industry partnerships, industry certifications, and demands from industry partners.
Dr. Keeling said the BTC culture includes having critical employment skills, dependability, respect, honesty, integrity, and character. The motto of WCTC is “Excellence - No Apologies - No Excuses”.
Kentucky’s forecast for high-wage and high-demand industry sectors are IT services, construction, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and transportation and logistics. WCTC offers many of the programs. The school has incorporated computerized manufacturing and machining, robotics and automation engineering, and welding technology. Students who attend WCTC during their junior and senior years have an opportunity to earn enough credits to complete one year of college. The Kentucky Occupational Skills Standards Assessment and industry certificates such as Automotive Service Excellence, Carpentry, Robotics and Automation, Health Sciences, Information Technology, American Welding Society, and Machining Level 1 all lead to a career-ready focus.
Mentor Mondays include monthly meetings with plant managers or HR directors who speak to students about expectations, company offerings, and the type of industry and job, and utilize the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens curriculum. An industry tour is facilitated by career pathways in the fall and is considered a year-long interview. In April, interviews are held, and salary, tuition coverage, and benefits are all determined, creating a seamless transition. With all major companies in Warren County included, some students are hired as a result of the experience gained while working.
The BTC program teaches students to give back as graduates by volunteering to work with students or buying supplies for schools, and businesses can provide donations with materials or funding. As partnerships have formed, more people have become involved and the Chamber of Commerce has been a huge partner with the SCK LAUNCH program.
The BTC educational partners include Warren County Public Schools, Bowling Green Independent Schools, South Central Kentucky Community and Technical College, and Western Kentucky University’s graphic design, marketing and architecture departments.
The BTC program aids students in understanding strong work ethic; attendance; culture of respect; integrity; character; job vs. career; workforce and economic impact; and the amount of tuition, benefits, and salary the students will receive. Students realize focus is placed on a career pathway rather than a job. Dr. Keeling said students who are not college material should consider a career pathway due to the cost to earn a college degree.
Senator Wise commended Warren County’s involvement for their partnership with the Chamber and business investors and described it is as a model that should be practiced throughout Kentucky.
In response to a question by Representative Tipton, Dr. Keeling said it would be very difficult to have success without the availability of tuition costs and scholarships provided through community partners. He said developing a successful, challenging program with high expectations is an enticement for additional companies to participate. KDE advised WCTC that OSHA 10 training would be advantageous for students and companies so classes will begin once staff has been trained. Ms. Phelps said once businesses realized what was needed, they were happy to provide services. She said requests and offerings from donations have had a snowball effect in the community.
Senator Carroll said the model is the way of the future and taking advantage of the resources within the community is key.
Senator Wilson said he is impressed with the Chamber’s work and the partnerships that have grown within their community.
In response to a question by Representative Gibbons Prunty, Dr. Keeling said students are selected by an application process, a one-page essay as to why they want to work at a particular place, the student’s GPA, and most importantly behavior referrals. Dr. Keeling said passion plus purpose equals excellence.
Review of Administrative Regulation
702 KAR 7:065. Designation of agent to manage middle and high school interscholastic athletics. The amendments to this regulation were recently heard by the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee and were subsequently referred to the committee. There were no questions on the amendments.
Other Business
The next meeting will be held on Monday, December 11th in the Capitol Annex, and the discussion topic will be peer networks for students with special needs.
Adjournment
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 3 p.m.