Owensboro Public Schools was recently recognized by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) for best practices during the 2023 Continuous Improvement Summit. The district was recognized for systems used for tracking, intentional planning, staff, and student ownership. Additionally, Owensboro High School was recognized for its #DevilsDoMore campaign.
According to KDE, through OPS’ journey of implementing a postsecondary readiness improvement plan for all students, the district went from 18.2% of students with disabilities meeting postsecondary readiness requirements to more than 90%.
“The recognition for postsecondary readiness improvement shows that our students and staff understand the significance of being prepared for life after high school,” said Monica Rice, college career coach for OPS. “As a school, we are intentionally planning for each individual student. Most powerful is that the students are being proactive about preparing for their futures, owning their learning, and achieving success for their goals. This recognition also shows that putting educational systems in place and communicating clear expectations lead to continuous improvement.”
According to KDE, the #DevilsDoMore campaign allowed OHS to shift its culture to increase rigor for all students and developed systems that have created both teacher and student ownership in the learning process.
“It is really important for us to set our students up for success once they are beyond the walls of Owensboro High School,” said Tara Howard, OHS dean of instruction. “This recognition for our school shows that we are doing all of the right things in order to prepare our students for life after high school. This is just the beginning of what we are capable of when it comes to developing strong, smart students who will be leaders in our community in the near future.”
During the summit, KDE Associate Commissioner Kelly Foster presented each best practice winner with a $500 check that can be used toward school improvement.
In 2013, KDE launched the Best Practices and Sustainability website, which was designed to serve as a clearinghouse to promote practices that motivate, engage, and provide measurable results in student learning, achievement, and school/district processes. The site supports teachers, administrators, district personnel, and any other education advocates seeking strategies that have been proven successful in a variety of settings. KDE has identified effective practices that improve student performance and promote practices for educators with the goal of improving educational opportunities for all children.
Any Kentucky teacher, school, or district may submit a best practice to KDE for consideration to be a Best Practice award recipient.
