It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the challenges and negative stories facing our schools and students.
But deep transformation is not only happening in Kentucky, we are a leader in demonstrating how strong schools and deep community partnerships are delivering results.
And we urge educators, policy-makers, community leaders, and parents to join the movement so they can see the same transformation in their own schools and children.
Led by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and powered by the Groundswell Initiative, we have kickstarted a campaign that features inspiring stories from 20 Kentucky school districts. Its message: Strong Schools. Powerful Partnerships. Real Results.
Kentucky’s nationally recognized spirit of collaboration is something we’re often praised for, but don’t always fully acknowledge ourselves. This campaign reminds Kentuckians that our unique strength lies in working together and that same collaborative energy is key to transforming education. We are amplifying stories from across Kentucky that show how strong community-school partnerships lead to measurable and transformational results for students.
These school initiatives forged in partnership with the community and families are more effective in achieving measurable outcomes than similar efforts that are developed and implemented in isolation.
Through a federal grant secured by the Prichard Committee, local education and community leaders are taking an innovative approach to improving student outcomes such as attendance, behavior and achievement by maximizing external resources. This strategy also allows educators to refocus on teaching.
School districts in Bracken, Carter, Clark, Christian, Covington, Danville, Daviess, Dayton, Fayette, Hopkins, Jefferson, McCracken, Owensboro, Paducah, Rockcastle, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Warren and Washington are participating.
Educators such as Suzanne Farmer, chief academic officer for the Danville Independent School District, are seeing firsthand that its Lunch Bunch with community partners has helped increase attendance. She told us: “We’ve been able to improve solutions to issues we’ve struggled with for years because the community is at the table every step of the way. We had a lot of community support already, but this is taking it to a different level.
Here are just some of the results achieved in only one year:
• In Scott County, Georgetown College students partner with Scott County Schools to assist with mentoring and instructing students using innovative methods for teaching and learning math concepts. The first-year result was 100% of participating students at Garth Elementary improved their scores from their math pre-assessment, and 83% of the 43 students enrolled in the Buffalo Learning Lab had growth from their fall to winter iReady math and reading assessment.
• In Danville, Centre College’s CentreWorks community partnership program now collaborates closely with the school system by mentoring elementary students with school work and providing guidance to high-schoolers on admissions essays and financial aid forms. In addition, the local extension service, arts center, public library, and a food charity offer free afterschool programming; local agencies share expertise with parents on issues such as substance use disorder; and other groups provide free child care and food.
• In Shelby County, 79% of students increased their Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) scores through expanded learning time with the help of the Baptist Church across the street from Simpsonville Elementary.
• In Hopkins County, middle and high school students received visual art instruction and strategies for coping with issues that affect their mental health by utilizing community resources and donations to supply food and the space. Sixty-five percent of students who participated had an increase in grades, attendance and behavior at Madison North High School and Browning Springs Middle School.
You can learn more about The Kentucky Effect and to learn more about Groundswell and how your involvement matters at www.prichardcommittee.org.
Brigitte Blom is the president and CEO of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, a citizen-led, non-partisan, solutions-focused nonprofit, established in 1983 with a singular mission of realizing a path to a larger life for Kentuckians with education at the core.