Fayette County Board of Education Meeting Summary

March 25, 2002 Board Meeting

Special Education Progress Report: The Board of Education received a Progress Report regarding Special Education Programs. For student performance, the Report indicated that student scores ranged from Novice to Proficient/Distinguished in all areas across all grade levels except 12th grade On Demand Writing and Writing Portfolio. There were no Proficient/Distinguished in those two areas. Data in the Report showed that for this school year through February 2002, the number of students with disabilities being suspended more than 10 days continued to decrease.

A wide variety of training opportunities were made available to staff working with children with disabilities and through March 1, 2002, a total of 2,424 staff members had participated in professional development opportunities.

The Report noted that a survey was developed by the Partnerships for exceptional Children for parents with students who have disabilities, but that only 105 of the parents responded. However, for those that responded, the feedback was generally very positive.

A Board Member Larry Moore asked what were the most significant issues for Special Education and how could the Board help? The Director of Special Education said that two such issues would be student behavior and instruction. Mrs. Lousignont, Board Vice Chair, noted that the achievement gaps are growing between special needs and no-special needs students.

Overcrowding Solutions/Facilities Preliminary Recommendations and Proposals: The Board was presented with two Proposals related to Elementary School overcrowding and Preliminary Recommendations for Middle School and High School Attendance Boundaries from the Overcrowding Solutions Committee and the Local Planning Committee (Facilities).

The Elementary Proposal included one proposal that incorporates the elements outlined in the Elementary Preliminary Recommendations (presented in February 2002), including clustering of schools.

A second Proposal that was presented in draft form, is being further developed by the Overcrowding Solutions Committee in response to public input and incorporates several of the aspects found in the Preliminary Recommendations, but does not include clustering and merging elementary schools.

Proposals for District Facilities also were presented and included revisions from the Facilities Preliminary Recommendations. These Proposals have as top priorities:

• The major renovation of Bryan Station High School to include new construction where needed.
• Four to five major school renovations to include Cassidy Elementary, Leestown Middle, Bryan Station Middle and Mary Todd Elementary.
• Four to six new elementary schools as soon as possible, preferably within the next five years in the following areas: Downtown (2 schools), Jacobson Park, Masterson Station Park, Liberty Road and Southwest Lexington.

Primarily these schools would replace older schools that are in poor condition and located where fewer students live. Mergers or closures of schools also were proposed where the following conditions are all met:

• The subject school is in very poor condition.
• The student population in the immediate vicinity is very small.
• Alternative, nearby schools (existing or proposed above) can accommodate all the students.

The total cost of renovations that might otherwise be required was estimated at approximately $15-20 million.

The Board of Education recommended the new construction of Bryan Station High School with renovation where feasible.

Full-Day Kindergarten: In August of 1999, the Board approved the implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten for all schools. the Full-Day Kindergarten evaluation that was completed in June 2001 indicated significant gains from the first and last administration of the Brigance. Further, comparisons made between full-day and half-day kindergarten students showed that a higher percentage of students who participated in full-day kindergarten "were proficient or better readers compared to those who attended only half of the day." This is consistent with the national data that shows full-day kindergarten, particularly for low-income students, has a positive impact on reading level.

A motion to approve a Section 7 allocation of $3,160.061 to all elementary schools for continuation of the Full-Day Kindergarten Program was approved by the Board.

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Last update: 6/9/2005 8:48:16 AM