Third Quarter Report 2020/2021 Kentucky Educational Collaborative

for State Agency Children

KECSAC

2 Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

We are committed to the belief that all children can learn and have a right to quality education.

KECSAC protects and assures this right by accessing resources and providing support to programs that educate State Agency Children.

Those children who do not receive an education of quality cannot realize their greatest potential.

We believe these goals are achieved through the process of interagency collaboration.

To accomplish the mission, all members of this statewide partnership must exemplify and publicly promote collaborative relationships with its partners and other associates.

Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children Mission

Interagency Advisory Group

In accordance with the KECSAC regulations, 505 KAR 1:080, the Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children has a governing structure that includes oversight by an Interagency Advisory Group (IAG) composed of representatives of the state agencies, KDE, the State Agency Children School Administrators’ Association (SACSAA) and a superintendent from a school district that provides education to state agency children. This group is to provide recommendations for policy and procedure development for KECSAC. The independent representatives of the state agencies, including KDE, are appointed to serve on the IAG by their respective commissioners. The president and president-elect of SACSAA serve on the IAG and are elected to those positions by the membership of the independent organization. The superintendent member of the IAG is selected by standing members of the IAG, based on recommendations or nominations by SACSAA membership. All members of the IAG serve without compensation from KECSAC.

“Working Together to Educate All of Kentucky’s Children”

Doug Bennett, Superintendent, Laurel County School DistrictDena Burton, Department of Juvenile JusticeLacheena Carothers, Department of Juvenile JusticeDiane Gruen-Kidd, Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual DisabilitiesJustin Hubbard, SACSAA President, Mayfield YDCHeather Moss, SACSAA President-Elect, Jefferson County Alternative ProgramsApril Stanley, Department of EducationChristina Weeter, Department of EducationLorraine Wilbur, Department for Community Based ServicesAngela Winkfield, Department for Community Based Services

3Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

My Fellow Kentuckians,What a year! Over the last 12 months we have endured a world-wide pandemic,

changed the way we deliver educational services, altered our business models, and fundamentally shifted our personal and professional interactions and way of life. During all of this we also worked our way through a challenging legislative session during our third quarter. Like last year, as a Commonwealth we continue to see challenges with the unemployment system, and challenges with balancing the need for in-person instruction with the safety protocols put in place by our Governor and the Center for Disease Control. These challenges coupled with a society grappling with political changes and a growing social justice movement has encouraged us to think and act differently, more purposefully in our pursuits of educational equity. In addition, the economic uncertainty we faced a year ago has been met head on by our legislative and executive leadership, paving the way for steady economic growth in our local economy and an influx of federal funds to support our essential services. With this in mind, as we pivoted to meet the changing times, we continued to focus on providing high quality educational services to children and youth in the care or custody of the Commonwealth. In the previous quarter, we have seen our programs return to in-person instruction with a focus on blended learning and a renewed energy. Our students are eager to learn and this pandemic has illustrated just how committed they are to their academic pursuits. Administrator after administrator has recalled conversations with students who were ready, willing and eager to get back to in-person instruction.

Similarly to the end of the last legislative session, just as the global pandemic was taking hold of our daily lives, our legislative leaders stepped up to offer support for our school districts. In early March, they passed House Bill 208, which provided educational relief to school districts across Kentucky. This legislation included, as it did in the previous year, a waiver for the extended day requirement for KECSAC programs. We continue to be appreciative of those working on our behalf to ensure educational services continue. These legislative issues and others are detailed in the following pages of this report.

In addition to the lengthy legislative session, KECSAC has continued our focus on making improvements in the quality of educational services provided to our state agency children, although in new and creative ways. Program Improvement Specialists continued to provide monitoring and support to our local school districts and our programs through a comprehensive annual review process. While most of our site visits have been virtual, we have been visiting programs in person as well, following the safety guidelines provided in the Healthy at School guidance document. We’ve also continued to alter our professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators who work with state agency children, moving from in-person trainings to online supported instruction. These accomplishments, and many others, are highlighted in this third quarterly report. We appreciate your continued support as we work to enhance the educational services provided to our students.

A Message from KECSAC Director Dr. Ronnie Nolan

Sincerely,

Ronnie Nolan, Ed. D.

4 Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

Each year since KECSAC began in 1992, as part of the Department of Education’s Child Count, KECSAC staff have gathered and reported demographic information about the students served in KECSAC-funded programs. The information received from the December 1 census provides a one-day descriptive snapshot of the students educated in KECSAC-funded programs, including but not limited to: age, grade level, race, gender, identified disability, the number of students in the program on that particular day, and the total number of children served during the previous 12-month period. The census also gathers information about where the youth come from when entering a state agency program, as well as where they transition to when leaving the program.

The census count shows 1,493 students received all or part of their educational services from one of 78 KECSAC-funded programs located in 51 school districts throughout the state contracted with KECSAC through a Memorandum of Agreement. KECSAC also asked administrators to report how many different students they served in their program during the 12-month period between November 26, 2019 and December 1, 2020. Administrators report that 7,978 different youth received educational services during that period.

Services to state agency children is provided by one of Kentucky’s three state agencies that provide direct care to children, the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS), Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID).

As shown in Figure 1, 64 percent of all state agency youth receive educational services while living in one of 36 programs contracted with DCBS. These students may live in group homes, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, hospital settings, treatment centers, or temporary

shelters. DCBS contracts with private providers to administer the necessary care and treatment for these students. Programs operated by or contracted with DJJ provided educational services to 34 percent of all state agency children in one of 40 operated or contracted programs. DJJ operates and owns 14 residential facilities, six day-treatment programs and two residential group homes. Youth in DJJ-operated residential programs have been adjudicated by the courts and committed or probated to the custody of DJJ for a specific period of time. Fifty-six percent of the DJJ population are in DJJ owned and operated programs. DJJ also contracts with local school districts to provide 18 additional day-treatment programs. Youth in contracted day-treatment programs are court ordered to attend the program as an attempt to stabilize the youth before placement in a more restrictive environment, such as a residential program, or as a requirement of probation. Forty-four percent of the DJJ population attend contracted treatment programs. In 2020, two percent of all youth in KECSAC-funded programs receive services from a mental health day treatment (DBHDID) program.

The KECSAC census, conducted as part of the IDEA Child Find project, identifies state agency children who have been diagnosed with an IDEA educational disability. On December 1, 2020, 43 percent (n=638) of all youth receiving educational services in a program funded by KECSAC had been identified with an educational disability that adversely affects their educational progress. As illustrated, 39 percent of all children identified with an educational disability and receiving educational services in a KECSAC-funded state agency program on December 1 have been diagnosed with an emotional-behavioral disorder (EBD) while 22 percent of SAC diagnosed with an educational disability have a disability in the Other Health Impairment category. Disabilities in this category include chronic or acute health problems such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, leukemia, and Tourette syndrome. From year to year, the types of disabilities diagnosed most often in the state agency children population changes. Although the types of educational disabilities change, one thing stays constant. Students

2020 KECSAC Census Preview

Agency Serving SAC

DCBS96164%

DJJ Owned27719%

DJJ Contracted22015%

DBHDID352%

Fig. 1

5Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

in the care and custody of the state and placed in a SAC program continue to have extensive educational needs because of the severity of the educational disabilities they exhibit.

The census taken each year provides valuable information about the race and ethnicity of the youth in state care. According to the December 1 census, 69.1 percent of SAC are classified as White while 20.4 percent are classified as Black/African American. According to the state 2019-2020 report card, 75.3 percent of all students in Kentucky public schools are classified as White and 10.6 percent are classified as Black/African-American. With more than twice the percentage of Black students in state agency programs than in regular Kentucky public schools, a disproportional number of Black/African-American youth are being educated in state agency programs. Youth classified as Two or More races represent 4.9 percent, and youth identified as Hispanic/Latino account for 4.8 percent of all SAC. Just 0.8 percent of all SAC in a KECSAC-funded program on December 1 was identified as Native American or Alaskan Native; Asian; or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

KECSAC-funded state agency educational programs provide funding to students between the ages of 5 and 21. On December 1, 2020 the average age of a youth in KECSAC-funded programs was 14.7 years old. The largest age group of SAC is 17-year-olds with 24 percent of the population followed by 16 year olds with 19 percent.

The largest numbers of SAC were in 10th and 11th grade, representing 41 percent of the entire SAC population in a KECSAC-funded program. Youth in grade 12 represent 10 percent of the SAC population while 22 percent are in grades 6 through 8. Students in grades 1 through 5 represent 9 percent of the population. Students in Kindergarten, Grade 14, and Graduate/GED/Vocational represent just 1.6 percent of the SAC receiving educational services in a KECSAC-funded program.

The gender division of youth in KECSAC-funded programs changes very little from year to year. According to information submitted on December 1, males represented 67 percent (n=1,003) and females represented 33 percent (n=490) of the total population.

Local school districts employ the equivalent of 325 full-time certified teachers who provide educational services to youth in KECSAC funded programs across the state. These teachers generally teach in classrooms located at the treatment program (not in a district building) and may teach several grade levels in one classroom. Of these teachers, 61 percent are certified in special education. Nine teachers in KECSAC-funded programs were emergency certified. School districts also provide 130 full-time equivalent teaching assistants and 100 full-time equivalent educational support staff to meet the intense educational needs of state agency children. Eighty districts provide a full-time administrator to oversee SAC education programs.

Educational Disabilities of State Agency Children

IDEA Category Count Percentage

Autism 33 5.2%

Developmental Delay 16 2.5%

Emotional Behavioral Disability 252 39.4%

Functional Mental Disability 34 5.3%

Hearing Impairment 1 0.2%

Mild Mental Disabilities 90 14.1%

Multiple Disabilities 24 3.8%

Other Health Impairment 138 21.6%

Specific Learning Disability 40 6.3%

Speech/Language Impairment 4 0.6%

Traumatic Brain Injury 6 0.9%

Total 638 100.0

SAC by RaceRace Category Count Percentage

American Indian or Alaska Native 1

0.8%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1

Asian 10

Two or More Races 73 4.9%

Hispanic/Latino 72 4.8%

Black or African American 305 20.4%

White 1,031 69.1%

Totals 1,493 100%

6 Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

Legislative Updates Affecting KECSAC ProgramsWhat was expected to be a quiet, focused legislation session turned out to be anything but. With over 800 legislative bills

filed during the short 30-day session, and hundreds eventually becoming law, this session felt like a marathon. Legislative leaders focused much attention on the global pandemic and our Commonwealth’s response, but also had the constitutional duty of completing a state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. At this point last year the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning to set in and alter our everyday lives. This upheaval created a myriad of issues from an unprecedented unemployment crisis, to lowered economic expectations, to in-person school closures across the Commonwealth. Even while we are still grappling with the short and long term effects of the global pandemic, our legislative leaders rallied to take immediate action in their efforts to continually move us forward while providing the supports we need to be successful.

As the budget began to take shape we began to see an improved economic outlook. This positive growth was a result of both local economic growth coupled with significant federal economic relief packages aimed at addressing the fallout of the pandemic. Kentucky was fortunate to receive much needed financial assistance from the federal government, while the state tax revenues from the unemployment payments bolstered our state coffers. In the end, the legislature passed an education focused budget that continued to include funding for state agency children. The allocation for KECSAC stands at $9,465,500, continuing the same funding level provided for the last several years. While our agency and our partners advocated for an increase in the allocation, we remain grateful to our legislative leaders for recognizing state agency children as a continued priority. The state budget also provided, for the first time, funding for all-day kindergarten for our local school districts. This amounted to more than $140 million in the annual budget. Other priorities were also funded, including our partners at the Family Resource and Youth Service Centers, Kentucky Center for School Safety, and others.

In addition to the budget bill, and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the House generated and supported an education relief bill to help local school districts, the Kentucky Department of Education and other education agencies weather the storm during the final months of the academic year. House Bill 208, a continuation bill replicating many of the details of last years’ Senate Bill 177, included additional provisions for non-traditional instruction (NTI) days and allowed school districts to be more flexible in delivering instruction. In addition, HB208 allowed a waiver for the remaining extended instructional days for KECSAC programs. Essentially this waiver allows districts to continue receiving their same level of funding support while reducing or eliminating any extended day that has not yet been completed this academic year.

Program Improvement Process UpdatesAs part of KECSAC’s ongoing program improvement process and continual growth model for helping

local school districts meet the educational needs of state agency children, KECSAC Program Improvement Specialists perform annual site visits and monitoring of each of the 78 funded KECSAC programs, operating in 51 local school districts across the Commonwealth. Throughout the monitoring period (which coincides with the school year) programs receive individual in-person visits, virtual visits due to COVID-19 restrictions, or “team” visits where both of the Specialists conduct a joint monitoring at the same program. At the time of this quarterly report 77 visits had been conducted for the year, most of which have been conducted virtually. KECSAC will continue to use the updated Program Improvement Monitoring Tool and SIDE document that aligns our monitoring standards to AdvancED standards, which KDE uses for their school monitoring. In addition to the AdvancED standards, the monitoring tool also includes standards that relate to alternative settings and KECSAC requirements as well. This year a Self-Assessment form was also created and sent to programs to fill out prior to their monitoring visit in order to gauge how they view their own progress and strengths.

Policies and Ongoing Initiatives

7Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

*SACF fund reflects budget information totals submitted by districts as of 04/15/21

KECSAC IAG and SACSAA Meets Virtually During Third QuarterKECSAC’s Interagency Advisory Group (IAG) met once on February 9, 2021 during the third quarter in a virtual

zoom meeting due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. During the meeting the group discussed pertinent KECSAC news, budget updates, reviewed the ongoing special allocation application process, and discussed the new KECSAC R.I.S.E student advisory group. Partners also shared news and important dates relating to their respective state agencies.

During the third quarter KECSAC conducted the Spring Statewide State Agency Children School Administrator Association (SACSAA) Virtual meeting on March 5, 2021 in order to meet MOA requirements and keep school administrators informed of state agency children news. SACSAA members were able to log in via ZOOM where Dr. Nolan and SACSAA President Justin Hubbard presented SACSAA updates and KECSAC news, including current legislative updates to educational bills. The group’s representative for KASA, Jeremy Cameron, also provided updates affecting the KECSAC student population. Attendees were also able to ask or type questions and comments throughout the meeting.

24.05%$130,269.65

12%$1,061,835.76

20%$1,759,638.00

Administrative Budget State Agency Children’s Fund**Remaining1st Qtr

27.74%$150,233.75

57%$5,080,457.63

2nd QtrRemaining1st Qtr 2nd Qtr

25.86%$140,054.39

22.36%$121,098.71

3rd Qtr 3rd Qtr

11%$978,580.61

KECSAC Operating and SACF Totals for Third Quarter

Budget Updates

Policies and Ongoing Initiatives

8 Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

KECSAC’s Special Allocation of Targeted Funds Benefits Programs and Students

There is no denying that state agency programs across Kentucky are doing amazing things to provide the best learning environment for their students. However, the reality of educational budgets often means that some supplies, technology, and projects that enhance learning aren’t feasible. In order to help this deficit for academic initiatives in currently funded programs, KECSAC endeavors to make supplemental “special funds” available each year if there is an availability in the State Agency Children’s budget. Previously known as KECSAC’s “mini grant” process, the office streamlined the procedure for applying for these funds for 2021 through a simple online application. This Special Allocation of Targeted Funds is intended to help programs implement projects designed to meet the significant academic achievement needs of the state agency children they serve.

What makes these targeted funding opportunities available is the fact that each year KECSAC earmarks a certain amount of State Agency Children Funds (SACF) to mitigate the impact should there be a mid-year state budget reduction. If the state does not issue any reductions during the spring legislative session, then some of these funds are funneled back to KECSAC programs as an increased per-child rate. Otherwise, all KECSAC educational programs are given the opportunity to apply for a “special allocation” for them to utilize in ways that will directly impact the achievement gap our students face. Sometimes funds also become available for special allocations if programs close during the academic year.

“We want our programs to have the opportunity to use those funds in a more direct way to benefit students. So as in years past, we opened this competitive allocation for programs to implement specific projects or initiatives they wouldn’t otherwise have the funds for,” KECSAC Director Ronnie Nolan explained.

The KECSAC office began accepting applications from January 26th through February 12th, 2021. By the deadline for submissions, 41 proposals from different KECSAC programs were received highlighting the use of varied projects and initiatives, including school supplies, technology for the classroom, textbooks, library books, science tools and curriculum, career and technical education supplies, music and art supplies, and much more. This year, each application was limited to $7,500 per program, and submissions outlined details, goals, and the impact of the project/initiative if it were awarded. The KECSAC team reviewed each proposal carefully based on the allowable criteria for funds, and this year all the requests received were funded to their specified funding totals. All recipients of the targeted funds are also encouraged to report back to KECSAC the outcomes and successes of their projects.

You can review the list of KECSAC programs that received KECSAC’s Special Allocation of Targeted Funds and a very brief description of projects and supplies to be funded in the table on the next page.

9Quarter 3 Report 2020/2021

# District Program Amount Description of Purchases

1 Boyd Co. Ramey-Estep High School $7,500.00 Freckle Reading, Math, Science and Social Studies, and online curriculum.

2 Boyle Co. Boyle Co. Day Treatment $7,500.00 Chromebooks, TI-84 CE graphing calculators for Algebra 2 and ACT, STEM materials for science, age-appropriate novels, instructor iPad and Apple Pencil to facilitate instruction.

3 Breathitt Co. Breathitt Co. Day Treatment $3,700.00 Chromebooks.

4 Butler Co. Green River School $7,500.00 Wi-Fi Hubs and switches.

5 Calloway Co. Calloway Co. Day Treatment $1,900.00 Surface Pro, and supplemental pay for DTC counselor.

6 Campbell Co. Alexandria Education Center $7,500.00 Chromebooks

7 Christian Co. Christian Co. Day Treatment $7,500.00 Project based instruction curriculum, college and career readiness materials, and ACT Prep.

8 Christian Co. Cumberland Hall $5,691.00 Scholastic book library, bookshelf, materials for an emotional regulation resource library, and zSpace Flocabulary.

9 Clark Co. Phoenix Academy $7,500.00 Career and Technical Education equipment and curriculum.

10 Clinton Co. Foothills Academy $7,500.00 Updated library books, material for blended learning in all content areas.

11 Daviess Co. Owensboro Day Treatment $6,000.00 New computer tables, makerspace marker board tables, presentation pedestals for teachers, mediation and mindfulness technology and supplies.

12 Daviess Co. Valley School $7,500.00 3 interactive projectors with mount and cables, 5 Wired Signature Terminals, library books.

13 Elizabethtown Ind. Glen Dale Center $7,100.00 Chromebooks, ACT Prep program.

14 Fayette Co. Audrey Grevious Center $7,370.00 Life skills curriculum and equipment, and physical education equipment.

15 Franklin Co. The Academy $6,404.00 Science curriculum.

16 Franklin Co. Fayette RJDC $7,500.00 Music lab and curriculum.

17 Graves Co. Mayfield YDC $7,500.00 Career and Technical Education equipment, Kansas Writing Program, laptops.

18 Jackson Co. Barnabas $5,500.00 Graphing calculators, curriculum and IXL curriculum.

19 Jefferson Co. The Brook KMI $7,500.00 School Library and instructional materials (their library was a total loss)

20 Jefferson Co. Louisville Day $5,000.00 HMH Science Dimensions program and chemistry lab supplies and equipment.

21 Jefferson Co. Maryhurst $6,758.00 New tables and chairs for students, HP laptops, 3D printers and zSpace Flocabulary.

22 Jessamine Co. All God's Children $7,500.00 Chromebooks.

23 Jessamine Co. Ashgrove Academy $7,500.00 Outdoor leadership opportunity and classroom STEM kits.

24 Kenton Co. Northern KY YDC $7,500.00 Textbooks, scholars certification exams, teacher professional development, software licenses, general supplies, and technology.

25 Knox Co. Knox Day Treatment $7,500.00 Student desks with attached chairs, computer chairs for online credit recovery workstations, and other classroom furniture for students and staff.

26 Knox Co. Knox Appalachian School $7,500.00 Various curriculum.

27 Larue Co. The Life Connection $6,550.00 Maker Bot Sketch classroom, two 3D printers, Filament Monitor, two storage units, and Unique Learning System.

28 Marshall Co. Purchase Youth Village $7,500.00 Outside classroom equipment and supplies, out physical education equipment, art supplies, and various classroom materials.

29 McCracken Co. McCracken Regional School $7,475.00 Computers.

30 Menifee Co. Frenchburg Group Home $5,000.00 Books and supplies for a new library.

31 Mercer Co. Mercer Co. Day Treatment $3,796.00 Canon video camera and iPad.

32 Montgomery Co. Gateway Children's Services $7,300.00 Laptops and Insight Program licenses.

33 Morgan Co. Woodsbend YDC $7,455.00 Various career and technical education equipment.

34 Perry Co. Buckhorn Children's Center $7,500.00 Textbooks and instructional resources.

35 Pike Co. Pike Co. Day Treatment $7,500.00 License for IXL curriculum, online access for Scholastic classroom materials, and other various classroom supplies.

36 Pulaski Co. Pulaski DT- Eagle Academy $7,500.00 Science kits for Biology, Chemisty and Earth/Space Science.

37 Pulaski Co. Sunrise CS: Cumberland Adventure Program

$7,500.00 Science kits for Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physical Science, and academic performance incentives for PBIS program.

38 Warren Co. Warren Co. Day Treatment $3,885.00 Dell chromebooks and Google Licenses.

39 Wayne Co. Lake Cumberland YDC $7,500.00 Laptops, science laboratory instruction materials, and life skills curriculum.

39 Wayne Co. Otter Creek Academy $7,500.00 Greenhouse materials and equipment, supplies for plant care, and class materials.

41 Wolfe Co. Dessie Scott $7,500.00 iPads and protective covers.

Total $276,884.00

KECSACMartin House

Eastern Kentucky University521 Lancaster AvenueRichmond, KY 40475www.kecsac.eku.edu

“Working Together to Educate All of Kentucky’s Children”

Kentucky Department of EducationKentucky Department of Juvenile Justice

Kentucky Department for Community Based ServicesKentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities

State Agency Children School Administrator AssociationLocal Education Agencies

Eastern Kentucky University/College of Education

Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children

KECSAC