FCPS Superintendent: Hard work is paying off for all groups of Lexington students | Opinion
It has been said that "a rising tide lifts all boats." Yet the Titanic remains at the bottom of the ocean.
First coined to suggest that everyone benefits when the economy improves, this idiom falls short because it presumes that everyone has a boat, those vessels are seaworthy, and there are no topographical barriers to keep the tide from reaching them.
The same is true in education.
Caring and dedicated educators in the Fayette County Public Schools and across the nation have worked for years to eliminate achievement gaps between students of color, students with special needs, students living in poverty, students whose home language is not English, and their counterparts.
Those efforts have helped raise academic outcomes for ALL students, but – much like the rising tide analogy – not enough to enable children born into circumstances anchoring them down to catch up with their peers.
To address that, federal accountability ratings since 2003 have evaluated schools on both overall achievement and whether groups of students categorized by race, socio-economic status, special need, and English proficiency meet minimum standards. That requirement has remained consistent while the way schools are evaluated in Kentucky has changed at least six times, and the superintendent in FCPS has changed eight times.
I'm thrilled to share that for the first time in 21 years, all Fayette County Public Schools have met those benchmarks for African-American, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students, according to 2024 accountability ratings released October 3 by the Kentucky Department of Education.
As we emerged from the pandemic three years ago, 34 schools in FCPS were flagged for low scores among 38 student groups. In the most recent data, that number is down to 12 schools identified for improvement in 15 groups of special education and English language learners.
This is a watershed moment, one that reflects the dedication and hard work of our educators, students, families, and the broader community. The results also show that FCPS students continue to outperform state averages at every level, and more than 76% of our schools have either improved their scores or are already ranked in the highest two tiers of achievement. These are not just numbers – they represent real change in the lives of our students.
These successes are the result of strategic efforts over the past three years to enhance the quality of instruction in our schools. We have increased the rigor of our curriculum, aligned classroom lessons with state standards, added instructional coaches at every school, and required district-wide professional learning. Additionally, we created systems that allow teachers and principals to analyze student performance year-round in order to provide individualized support for students who need it and accelerate those who are excelling.
We have also made tremendous strides in supporting our English language learners. Last year, 970 students exited the English language program after demonstrating proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing English — a 27% increase over the previous year. This is especially important as our enrollment of students requiring English language support continues to grow.
The phrase I heard most during the first 100 days of my tenure as Fayette County Public Schools superintendent was, "we've been having these same conversations for 20 years," and I am fiercely determined that no one will have that lament 20 years from now.
Since the adoption of our New Way Forward strategic plan, our district has been on an upward trajectory, with significant gains in key areas such as post-secondary readiness, graduation rates, and proficiency in reading and math.
While we celebrate these accomplishments, we are acutely aware that challenges remain. Some of our campuses with the highest concentrations of poverty are not yet performing at the same level as others and we experienced declines at a handful of schools. The longstanding achievement gap, particularly among racial groups, is not closing as quickly or as dramatically as we desire. We are committed to closing this gap by continuing to implement proven strategies and addressing the unique needs of every child.
These efforts are yielding results, and while the data is encouraging, it does not fully capture the extraordinary work happening in our classrooms. I would be remiss if I did not point out the limitations of an accountability system that places so much emphasis on a single test, given over a few days out of the entire year. Our students, our teachers, and our district are defined by much more than a test score!
Our community has invested heavily in our public schools and FCPS will continue to work tirelessly to nurture the unique and limitless potential within each of our students. I am confident that with the collective efforts of our educators, families, and community, we will achieve even greater heights in the years to come.
Together, we are making history—and we are just getting started.
