♪ >> So the question is, are we professionals or are we just a cog in the teaching the show?

Kentucky's teacher shortage, what's causing it and what can be done about it.

Plus, the push to make sure every school has one of these.

>> Whatever we can make here, the limit is just our imagination.

>> And see a creative way for veterans to share their experiences.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET and down that for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Tuesday, February.

21st.

>> We thank you for joining us from our Frankfort studio in the Capitol Annex.

I'm your host, Renee Shaw.

Burnout pay respect and student behavior are some of the reasons Kentucky teachers say they're leaving the classroom.

The state legislature is taking some initial steps to address the teacher shortage with House Bill 3.19, fashion by House Education Committee Chairman James Tipton.

He admitted the measure is not a panacea and filling the more than 1500 teacher vacancies.

More in tonight's legislative update.

>> We're going to continue to have a problem with this issue.

I think for many years to come.

We didn't just start this problem.

This this has been building up for many years where we've been saying fewer and fewer people in are becoming education majors entering the teacher.

Preparation program.

That's a trend we've been saying for many years.

It's not just in Kentucky.

This is happening all across southeast all across the country.

But I do believe House Bill 3.19, is a good first step.

To take some positive actions that some of the burden.

Remove some of the regulation, remove some of the red tape and make it easier and more can can can do says for individuals consider going into the teaching profession and KET them in the teaching profession.

>> Here's some of what House Bill, 3.19, Dawes.

It allows licensed educators from other states to move to Kentuckyian be granted an equivalent license through an interstate compact.

That big ends when 10 states adopt it, school districts would have to perform exit interviews on staff as they leave and then report bad data to the state Education department.

It simplifies the job application process by creating a one-stop statewide job posting system expands awards from the teacher scholarship program, which was given 1 million dollars each year of the by and by state lawmakers in the last budget.

Teachers, aides and paraprofessionals could cover classes for teacher suffering from burnout are locking enough substitute teachers, an experiment that will be tried until 2026.

It creates another alternative teaching pathway allowing college degree holders with at least 4 years of work experience in their field to get an interim certificate so long as they had a mentor teacher to help them.

The bill does not address teacher salaries.

House Bill 3.19, cleared the House Education Committee today and now waits for action by the full House.

There are between 1502,000 teacher vacancies at any one time.

According to Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass.

He joined us along with 3 lawmakers and Kentucky's high school teacher of the year last night on Kentucky tonight we discussed what's causing Kentucky's teacher shortage.

Representative Tina Bojanowski of Louisville herself.

A teacher told us about the results of a Facebook poll of Kentucky teachers.

Hey, was number one.

But number 2, with 37% of the people mentioning this.

And the question I had asked is, are you considering leaving the classroom?

>> And what would it take to help you And the number 2 point was respect and respect from your administrators, respect from the General Assembly, respect from parents, respect from your students.

You know, when we have he's culture war bills that make teachers out to be.

You know, the next which then needs to be burned.

Then we're not feeling respected.

So number one was paying number 2 is respect.

And number 3 was autonomy.

So classroom autonomy.

What does that mean?

Autonomy means she's have some agency in deciding what you're going to do in your classroom.

So whether it's agency in structuring your schedule or how many minutes that you feel like your children need to do on this activity or the other or agency in working through the curricula.

Are you given a script to curricula that everyone has to follow with Fidelity or are you able to be the professionals?

So the question is, are we professionals or are we just a cog in the teaching mission?

Representative James Tipton, chair of the House Education Committee, talked about the important role parents play.

>> And helping teachers do their jobs.

>> I have a young person make this comment to me recently.

I think it's so true.

Actually more concerned about being their child's Fran than they are the path.

The young person tell me that.

And I think it's time for parents step up.

We have a lot of societal issues out there.

it's time for parents to be parents in the roles that they need to be.

Children need discipline.

They need to know that there are boundaries in life.

Rules like they have to follow.

And, you know, make life much easier for them.

And I think it would make a life much easier for classroom teachers in schools.

If we had that taking place.

>> See more of our discussion about the teacher shortage online on demand at K E T DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

And more education matters tonight.

Kentucky's largest school district is addressing the teacher shortage has some new incentives to recruit and retain teachers.

Kentucky additions Kelsey Starks sat down with the head of HR for Jefferson County Public Schools to find out how.

Well Jefferson County Public Schools currently have more than 300 teacher positions open could be even more next year as teachers continue to retire.

Amy Green Webb is the human resources chief for JCPS.

Thank you so much for being to talk about the some ways JCPS is trying to recruit and retain new teachers that you all are trying to get a little creative here and making some new partnerships.

>> We are.

We are.

There are several ways that we go about One of our flagship programs at this time is our Louisville Teacher residency program.

We are very excited to be in our 3rd year of ltr and that means we've had folks in classrooms learning from mentor, teachers for almost 3 years.

Now, that first group who went through a full year of learning and going to University of Louisville obtaining a master's degree and finishing with certification.

So 2 previous cards are in their own classrooms.

Now, another 3rd cohort is in learning and we will welcome the next cohort.

This coming summer.

So very excited about the growth of AL T R. >> And so that's where they're getting experience right now.

And then they commit to teaching in JCPS.

>> They do.

They do in exchange for really giving them a position while they are providing the service in the classroom assisting.

They are learning how to be teachers at the same time taking what they're learning in the classroom at the university and putting that into practice.

And then giving back and serving the district for a period of time.

And at this point we are seen great retention numbers and the 90's as far as retaining all of our previous cohorts and expect for them to have really long careers with us as we continue to develop them into positions of teacher leadership and other growth.

>> Okay.

So that's recruiting teachers and retaining teachers.

What are some other ways you are trying t KET the teachers that you have in the district's, right?

We've really made a huge effort lately with really listening into that teacher voice.

We started looking at our schools that we're losing teachers the most, the high attrition rate schools.

>> And we asked the teachers about what was important to them at that school.

You know, instruction Ali leadership wise and other working conditions issues really listening to what they have to say, working with the principal to make a plan in action plan to address areas of concern and helping the teachers to see that progress is being made on what's important to them.

We've done that with an initial set of schools.

We grew that to 44 schools last year and this year we're doing that for the entire school district.

We really do value the teacher voice.

They are really important to the district as they impact our students on a daily basis.

And that we believe is a difference maker.

As far as retaining teachers shore went.

And so what are some of the things you're hearing?

Why?

Why are we here?

How did we get here in this?

>> A crisis of needing teacher, right?

Well, it's 2 fold, certainly here lately, things have been different.

>> Coming out of the pandemic going through the pandemic coming out of it.

Everyone has undergone a lot of additional stress, additional trauma.

>> Our students have different social experiences while they were at home in coming back, not having the same educational experience.

That is that a lot.

In addition to having fewer teachers at our schools and say you have teachers who are filling in giving up their planning periods that adding more and more stress.

So there is a sense of burnout and heavy workload that's contributing to some of that.

>> The Jefferson County Public School board, I just did approve a 5% raise for teachers already.

That's ahead of schedule for next year.

Jefferson County Public Schools is also considering shifting the start times for many of its students.

>> Under a new proposal called Start Smart, the District would grow from just to start times to 8.

The first bell would vary from 7.40, to 09:40AM, for K through 12 students.

Most middle and high schools would have a later start time last night Superintendent Doctor Marty Pollio explained why he thinks the change is needed.

>> There are several reasons we're going to talk about changing first and foremost is our driver shortage.

I want to reiterate this is not just a JCPS issue.

This is a national issue that includes.

>> Urban, rural and suburban districts all across America that have a shortage of bus drivers.

Right now we have more bus routes every single day.

Then we have bus drivers.

What that means is kids getting late to school.

Every single day and losing instructional hours.

This is 20,000 students at every level in every corner of the community that are being impacted by late buses at nearly every school.

With 3 million minutes of instruction being lost.

We will close in by the end of the school year at nearly 5 million minutes of instructional minutes lost as a result of late buses.

There has been a pile of research studies that have been done.

That shows later start times for adolescents.

Students grades 6 through 12 positively impacts attendants.

The research is very clear on the negative health impacts of students.

If they start school that early in the morning, we cannot continue to do that.

This is what most districts have come to where they have made this change many decades ago and have a multitude of start times.

We have studied other districts and LB.

We are one of the only ones that has not made that change and it is time now to do that.

So we're going to do this work to make sure that we minimize impacts on families.

But I think the compelling data is in front of us.

These are things that we must change.

We must address to make sure that the students in Jefferson County Public Schools are successful.

So, yes, it's hard change, but it is mandatory change that we must make for our district to be successful.

>> Doctor Pollio will present the proposal to the Jefferson County Board of Education and March.

If approved, the changes would begin at the start of the 2023 24 school year.

In other news now, more than 160,000 Kentuckians can vote due to felony convictions.

According to a new report from the League of Women, Voters of Kentucky Senate Bill one.

64 if passed, could change that.

It would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot letting you the voter decide of voting rights should be automatically restored for those who have completed their sentences.

>> The future of democracy in Kentucky rests on the ability of all citizens to have their voices heard the permanent ban on voting for those with a felony conviction.

Not only silence is 161,596, Kentucky INS, but it also undermines the fundamental principles of our democracy.

>> Being arrested doesn't mean that your citizenship.

It's taken away.

We need to make this place a place where everyone, whether they've been justice involved.

Whether they are returning citizens, whatever it might be.

Feel as if they are citizens in the United States folding.

It's extremely important part of our democracy in our citizenship.

Kentucky has one of the highest disenfranchisement rates in the nation.

It would be wonderful to include Kentucky the month states.

>> That are moving to expand and strengthen democracy as opposed to suppress it.

Folks have been fighting for this over 20 plus years here in Kentucky.

It's about dignity.

It's about humanity.

And it's about letting people know that we see you and we want to hear you.

>> We should let Kentucky decide if we should be equal in the democratic process in fear of who people are going to vote for is not an excuse.

>> It is time for the legislature to take action and empower the people of Kentucky to make a choice about who has a say in our democracy.

We need the citizens of the state to make the statement to vote, to change the amendment, to make it permanent and very clear and not rely on the voice of one person who happens to sit in the governor's mansion to determine whether or not people can have their rights restored.

It's far past time.

>> For the change to take place in Kentucky.

We deserve to vote and we need to pass this legislation.

68% of Kentuckyian support automatic restoration of voting rights.

According to the League of Women Voters.

>> Of Kentucky.

Well, the polls are now closed and Kentucky's 19 state Senate district in part of Jefferson County.

As people they're picked a new state senator.

Today's special election is to fill the seat held by Morgan McGarvey who resigned after winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democrat Kasey Chambers.

Armstrong faced Republican Misty Glenn.

We'll have the results of today's special election tomorrow night on Kentucky edition.

Legislators are looking to make sure every school in Kentucky has automated external defibrillators right now.

It's not required.

Our Casey Parker Bell has more on a bill that would change that.

>> As far as I'm aware, Cameron if you are the last 3 athletes in Kentucky taken away from us too soon for with immediate action, young athletes can be better protected and not added to that list.

Cameron Batson star pitcher Matthew Managing are 3 Kentucky athletes that died due to sudden cardiac arrest.

>> A new bill is hoping to prevent further death by ensuring access to automated external defibrillators, commonly known as APD's every 3 days.

We have a student who suffers a sudden cardiac arrest on an athletic field >> and is dying on their school property.

Your athletic training fields.

So we know that access to and having access to 80's automatic automatic external defibrillators is critical.

Taylor Mill representative can Mosher.

>> He's working with Lexington, Representative Ruth and Palumbo on House Bill 3.31, the measure would require an AED at any athletic or school sanctioned event require an action plan for its use, including CPR, training.

Mosier says they're still working on how the measure will be funded, hoping not to leave schools with an unfunded mandate.

>> And we don't want to propose a an unfunded mandate.

So we want to make sure the schools have the ability to get these 80's and training in schools.

>> The recent collapse of NFL player Damar Hamlin.

He's brought considerable attention to the need for a deas and when collapsed on the field during a game in January, he was rendered aid within 10 seconds.

Mad Men.

Jeanne wants to ensure the tools are available for all students to be treated like him.

>> Currently, some schools do not have a EDS on site.

And those that do may not have them readily accessible were adequate adequately maintain.

This puts students, teachers and staff at unnecessary risk.

>> Matt managing Junior's mother, Kim says the bill would mean a great deal to families across the state and could prevent further tragedy.

>> It's everything that Matthew would want us to be doing.

To help others.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> Representative Moser says there is amended version of Representative Ruth and Palumbo is House Bill 3.31. with the changes outlined during the press conference.

A new bill aimed at postpartum depression, education and treatment is headed to the full Senate Senate Bill.

One 35 would require the Cabinet for Health and family Services to include on its website.

Information on postpartum depression, along with the Post Partum assessment tool.

It would also require the Cabinet to develop a program focused on preventing and treating postpartum depression.

Supporters of the bill said new mothers need support and giving them and their families greater access to information on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders or ads can mean the difference between life and death.

Kentucky.

>> Sadly has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the country.

And we're looking to get upstream of that.

We really want to work towards a solution in 2017, nearly half of the maternal deaths in Kentucky.

We're related to substance use disorder.

We believe that over 90% of those deaths are preventable.

Left untreated, he bats have been linked to increased medical costs, increased risk for inappropriate medical care.

>> They're linked to increased prevalence of child abuse, neglect, intimate partner, violence and divorce people struggling with mental illness are more likely to discontinue breastfeeding file for disability or unemployment and experience financial hardships.

There.

There's also a correlation between the Mets and adverse effects on early brain development in children and tragically, peanuts have been linked.

Directly to infanticide, homicide and suicide.

>> The measure passed the Senate Families and Children Committee by a unanimous vote.

You know, there's a new report on the housing damage from last year's catastrophic floods in eastern Kentucky.

It estimates it will cost about 450 to 950 million dollars to rebuild those homes.

And that figure depends on how many seek to relocate to less flood-prone areas.

This according to a just-released report by the Ohio River Valley Institute and the Appalachian Citizens Law Center.

It also shows that almost half of those living in damaged homes are children or seniors and have the least ability to pay for repairs.

Two-thirds of those in flood damaged homes.

According to the report, have a gross annual income of $30,000 or less.

Adrian Bush, executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky told us in Frankfort today that groups are asking state lawmakers to provide real financial relief to those still in need.

>> Our hope for the General Assembly is to provide a real legislative to take this opportunity of the short session.

Provide some real relief stand in the gap assistance drying up and potential waiver, federal relief.

So that people kind of have a plan of what they will be able to do in terms of remaining in their community.

Rebuilding that sort of thing.

>> And flood ravaged eastern Kentucky.

Bush says many are still and on sustainable housing situations and groups like hers are mobilizing to ease the burden.

>> We had we have been talking about and a strategy called a heart that would create a disaster housing trust fund.

We would ask that that that be seeded with 150 Million.

The session.

We also recognize we're not in the budget session.

We're in a short session.

But if there other non budgetary things that we can do to create this infrastructure so that we can both respond to the tornadoes and floods and prepare for potential future disasters so that the the Legislature could step in during a special session and say, OK, we've got this housing infrastructure in place.

Here is some funding to go towards it.

I mean, that would be ideal.

The legislature did a good job stepping in back in August in the special session.

We just really need them to finish the job now that their regular session.

Today was the last day for bills to be filed in the Senate.

>> For House originating bills, the filing deadline is tomorrow.

Bush says she's optimistic that even if the bill isn't filed soon, lawmakers still have the opportunity to provide more disaster relief aid.

And this non budget session.

♪ ♪ >> In other news, the power of peer to peer veteran support is on full display in northern Kentucky.

>> Patriots landing is more than a community center.

It's a safe place where veterans can connect with others who understand their experiences past and present.

And they just might leave with a few new carpentry skills.

>> We are a world, faith-based Veterans Our mission has been our last 12 years, too enhanced the lives of veterans and their families we help them heal through creating products with a purpose and it works.

And we're standing out today and Patriots landing, which is our brand new forever home here in Williamstown, Kentucky.

>> Patriots landings important to veterans and the community that have come back as a place to.

Join together.

Have some camaraderie and a positive a lot of what we see with veterans coming back either from the appointments or or or just regular military service.

Is when they come home, they lose the camaraderie and the kinship Brotherhood.

Just doesn't exist as much as it was when they were active duty.

So what this is a place where, you know, rekindle that.

>> Just like the men, the women have stories they need to tell.

Everybody has a different story based on where they come from and being that female is very much a different story.

So this place adds to that Perry Patriot's Landing adds to that because it it gives us a place to tell our story.

>> Whatever we can make here.

The limit is just our imagination.

You know, we have a few core products that we stick with the flags.

The crosses the address signs, but primarily the flag cases, the flag cases are really important to us because we don't want to see a veteran flag going a flight cases making for our country.

This is hours.

We want to make sure that we maintain bill by American veterans in the United States.

Each piece is unique and we call them perfectly imperfect because >> there's really only one item that we make that we expect.

>> Perfection was close to his possible.

♪ Our signature item is our craft or burial flag cases.

We started trying to figure out how to build a barrel fly case.

>> we did it.

And that's that's where I would say we shifted from first year, kind of just making cornhole boards and shipping them off all over the world.

Doing that to wow.

I think we can create something special.

I remember thinking what I hope as the founder and board chair for Patriot's Landing is that we've we get more and more and more veterans involved and engaged.

We've always said, you know, if we help just say one life right, this one life that's worth it.

>> Why cases to Arlington National Cemetery, one of the largest military cemeteries and the country.

We hope you'll join us tomorrow.

Rylan Barton of Kentucky, Public Radio and Ohio Valley Resource joins us for our weekly discussion about Kentucky politics.

We hope to see you again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition.

We inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition, e-mail news letter and watch full episodes and clips of KET Dot Org.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

>> And if you have a story idea, email loss at public affairs at K E T DOT Org.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for watching.

Have a great night.

See you tomorrow.

♪