Education

A Lexington attorney who has represented former Governor Ernie Fletcher has filed a open meetings complaint against Murray State's Board of Regents. In a letter mailed to board chairman Dr. Constantine Curris Thursday, attorney Jim Deckard alleges the board held an illegal meeting during a social gathering at regent Sharon Green's home the night before voting against offering president Randy Dunn a new 4 year contract.

The University of Kentucky will raise tuition 3 percent for in-state undergraduate and graduate students in the next school year, the smallest increase since 1997 at a school where tuition has jumped 154 percent since 2002. The average in-state undergraduate student will pay $10,110 in the 2013-14 school year, the first time annual tuition has topped $10,000.

Kentucky follows the national trend of allocating less funding for higher education since the recession, according to the latest education report from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. The report released Tuesday says Kentucky has cut higher education since 2008 by 26 percent—or $2,663 per student—when adjusted for inflation. That’s only slightly better than the national average of 28 percent, the report says.

Before layoffs begin at Eastern Kentucky University, its Board of Regents will promote early retirements.  A plan approved this morning by the regents offer incentives to professors willing to work part-time.  Chairman Craig Turner says they’ll also offer incentives to staff members who qualify for early retirement.

Three finalists in the search for a new president at Eastern Kentucky University were unveiled today.   They are political scientist Michael Benson of Southern Utah University, Alan Shao, who's dean of the business school at the College of Charleston and Lamar University administrator Gregg Lasson.  The chairman of Eastern’s Board of Regents calls the finalists an “outstanding group” with “demonstrated proven leadership.” The finalists will now undergo a series of public forums at EKU.   The Richmond-based university hopes to have a new president before summer. He’ll replace President Doug Whitlock, who’s retiring.  

By next month, the top candidates for provost of the University of Kentucky should be on campus for interviews in the most-watched job search since President Eli Capilouto came on board in 2011. UK's top academic officer will be in charge of improving educational offerings in an uncertain and underfunded future. But observers say the hire could also be important in creating more diversity in UK's top leadership group, which is dominated by white men.

Kentucky's public school districts are gearing up for a new state regulation that specifies how and when educators can restrain or isolate students who are unruly. The regulation, which went into effect Feb. 1, allows students to be physically restrained — preventing students from moving torso, arms, legs or head — or placed in a secluded area away from classmates only to protect them from hurting themselves or others. It also bans the use of physical restraint or seclusion as student punishment. Students can be restrained for intentionally destroying property. Advocates have been calling for such rules for years.

A high ranking federal education official has gotten an up-close view of programs offered at Bluegrass Community and Technical College.    A full community and technical college experience awaited Doctor Brenda Dann-Messier in central Kentucky.  The Assistant Secretary of Education was briefed at the community college’s new Leestown Road campus.  Dann-Messier then toured Toyota’s Advanced Manufacturing Center.

After more than three years of unsuccessful attempts to raise Kentucky's high school dropout age from 16 to 18, House and Senate leaders have struck a compromise that appears poised to pass. The compromise plan would allow school districts to voluntarily raise the dropout age from 16 to 18 beginning in 2014. Once 55 percent of the state's school districts raise the age, remaining school districts across the state would have four years to make the change.

Seventy-two percent of likely Kentucky voters favor legislation to allow persistently low-performing schools the ability to become charter schools, according to a poll released Thursday by charter advocates. The survey found that 28 percent of likely Kentucky voters opposed the legislation, a news release said.

The best way to gauge the performance of Kentucky’s teachers has long been debated.  By holding educators more accountable, lawmakers believe Kentucky can graduate smarter students.   The traditional image of a teacher evaluation shows a school principal, slipping into class, and observing the instructor in action.  In places like Gallatin County, it’s a bit more formal. School Superintendent Dorothy Perkins says her principals use a system that does a good job of identifying areas where a teacher can improve, and then creates a plan for fixing those problems.

Kentucky persistently low-achieving schools would be able to become charter schools to improve performance and test scores under a bill discussed Tuesday in the state Senate Education Committee.  The charter schools bill adds charters a a fifth option for what the state now calls "priority schools—schools that persistently get low scores.  The current options include re-staffing of teachers, firing the principal, giving the school up to outside management or closing the schools.

Six Kentucky's public universities can immediately start construction on more than $300 million in construction or renovation projects, including a $110-million renovation of Lexington's Commonwealth Stadium. Governor Steve Beshear signed House Bill 7 into law on Thursday.

Over 1,000 unemployed youths are expected to attend KentuckianaWorks 8th annual Youth Opportunity Showcase Saturday to meet potential employers face to face. “If you get there before 10, you’ll see people lined up outside the door waiting to get in. It’s a little bit like the Macy’s wedding sale where you would see people rushing the door at ten o’clock," says Michael Gritton, ​executive director of KentuckyianaWorks, the federally mandated body overseeing job training and placement in the region.

A plan to cut Eastern Kentucky University’s budget by ten percent carries with it some expected employee layoffs.   The explanation about the budget alteration came in an email from Eastern President Doug Whitlock to faculty and staff.   Whitlock says about 75 percent of the Richmond school’s budget covers employee salaries and benefits.  In meeting the directive of the board to make a ten percent cut, the Eastern President says forced layoffs are possible.