Caulk to Unveil Entry Plan Findings

In November, newly selected Fayette County Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk asked the Fayette County Board of Education to invest $600,000 in an overall organizational and structural review of the district across 10 domains. The request fell on the heels of a damning 2014 report from state Auditor Adam Edelen that blasted the administration and left the district under a correction plan. District officials have spent months trying to address problems in financial and budget systems. Caulk said he was reviewing the district's correction plan to ensure that the problem "doesn't occur again." Problems. Now he's got reports.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article44613585.html#storylink=cpy

The November press release stated, "The Kentucky Department of Education agreed to do the review of district career and technical offerings at no cost. That review began earlier this month with School Director Jack Hayes and Program Manager Kim Lyons coordinating the work with KDE. Contracts were awarded Monday to Cross & Joftus for a Comprehensive District Diagnostic, Review and Action Plan, and to Curriculum Management Solutions Inc. for audits of the English as a Second Language program and Gifted and Talented program."

This from FCPS (via email):

With just two days left in the school year, Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk will unveil the results of his “Listening, Learning and Leading” entry plan and the 100 things he’s now putting on the district’s “to-do” list.

“It’s fitting that we have the culmination of the school year this week coinciding with a new beginning and a new path forward for our district,” Caulk said. “As a leader new to Fayette County, I set out to identify the challenges and opportunities facing our school district by visiting every school and special program, reviewing documents, analyzing data and gathering stakeholder input through surveys, individual meetings, focus groups and listening sessions.”

The Fayette County Board of Education also agreed to commission five reviews to be conducted by independent auditors – a first for FCPS. Examinations included a review of the overall organization and structure across 10 domains, as well as audits of the district’s career and technical education program, services offered for students who have special needs, are learning English as a second language, or are identified as gifted and talented.

During Monday’s school board meeting, consultants who conducted the audits presented their findings. The board also received a report of the feedback from the entry plan survey and community listening sessions. 

Those reports are posted online at www.fcps.net/superplan. (emphasis added)

Tomorrow Caulk will officially release his entry plan report, which synthesizes those findings with his own assessment of the district and previous experience, and outlines the specific the district will undertake immediately to improve outcomes for all students during the 2016-17 school year.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend two public presentations of the plan:

·         A press conference at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 25, in Conference Room C of the district office.

·         A public presentation beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, in the auditorium at Bryan Station High School. Caulk will present an overview of his plan and then move into the cafeteria to give people the opportunity to ask specific questions in a small group setting.

The plan will also be available online tomorrow. “These are just the first of multiple opportunities over the coming weeks to learn more about these initiatives,” Caulk said. “I again want to thank our incredible students, employees, families and community members who contributed to this work.”

In all, more than 12,750 people participated through listening sessions, interviews, surveys and focus groups.