TEK Talk community forums will discuss Transforming Education in Kentucky
FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 13, 2010) – Recognizing the value of public support of education throughout the Commonwealth, Gov. Steve Beshear will host TEK Talk community forums on Aug. 17, 2010. Kentuckians are invited to gather at 10 locations across the state to discuss Transforming Education in Kentucky (TEK). The governor created the TEK initiative last fall to focus current education programs toward the unified goal of better preparing Kentucky students for the challenges of the 21st century.
“The success of our education system in Kentucky is dependent upon the involvement of our communities,” said Gov. Beshear. “Local participation and support reinforces our united commitment to improving educational opportunities statewide.”
Gov. Beshear is working in partnership with the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Prichard Committee, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Kentucky Educational Television to provide this opportunity for the public to share its concerns and ideas. The local events will take place in Paducah, Owensboro, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Louisville, Lexington, Northern Kentucky, Somerset, Prestonsburg and Ashland.
In addition to the local discussions, KET will stream a live panel discussion with the Governor, First Lady Jane Beshear, Education Commissioner Terry Holliday and Council on Postsecondary Education President Bob King. The panel will address questions posed at the community forums and discuss issues that emerge from local events. Bill Goodman of KET will moderate the panel for his program, “Education Matters.”
Last October, Gov. Beshear formed the Task Force on Transforming Education in Kentucky to study school improvement efforts currently underway and to help develop new strategies.
Members of the task force include education advocates, parents, teachers, superintendents, lawmakers and business and community leaders who have been handpicked for their commitment to education and to Kentucky.
Meetings have focused on improving college readiness; providing every student with the opportunity to earn college credit during high school; assessments that measure what employers value and making high school more relevant; expanding the use of technology for learning; improving teacher recruitment and retention; boosting academics in career and technical education; and improving transitions between preschool to K-12.
The group is preparing to recommend ways to channel all of these efforts into an integrated and comprehensive system of education in Kentucky. The goal is to formulate recommendations by the end of 2010 for consideration during the 2011 legislative session.
Governor Beshear and the TEK Task Force will use the public input from TEK Talk as guidance for the work of Transforming Education in Kentucky.
More information about the TEK initiative and about the local TEK Talk events, here.
SOURCE: The Gov
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