♪ >> I appreciate your nominate me.

The next commissioner.

>> We need the man who could be headed to class.

>> This is an opportunity to storm home.

>> A new energy project means new jobs for one part of Kentucky.

>> This has been the most positive feedback of any employee incentives that our county has offered their staff.

>> The innovative Stephen One school district has taken to attract in that Hayne.

Teachers.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KU Team Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky.

Addition for Thursday, March 21st, I'm Kristine and filling in for Renee Shaw.

Thank you for joining us.

>> Robby Fletcher, superintendent of the Lawrence County School System is the state Board of Education's choice to become the next Kentucky commissioner of education replacing Jason Glass who left last fall.

The board announced its choice today.

Fletcher was one of 3 finalists for the job.

He's been involved in education since 1996 and has served as a principal or assistant principal of schools in Martin County.

He became Lawrence County superintendent in 2014.

He spoke today after the board's announcement.

>> I appreciate your nominate me as your next commissioner.

And one made a statement in the press release already.

There's one thing I'd like to add.

I sincerely believe there's no greater compliment.

No greater honor, no greater responsibility than when a parent or guardian allows another person to be a part of their child's life.

When a child says on one of our buses for walks in the doorway of one of our schools, a pair guarding the same.

I trust you with my greatest accomplishment as a person.

I will do my best to honor that trust that we have been given for over 600,000 Kentucky students.

But being all in each and every day.

>> I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to work alongside the border.

The department Bello educators, including 171 superintendents.

>> And most importantly, >> alongside the students are great.

Comet Board does not have the final say.

The Kentucky state Senate still has to confirm the choice if the Senate confirms him, Robbie Fletcher will start work as education commissioner on July.

The first.

We have reaction from state Senator Mike Wilson, the Senate majority wet.

Well, Robbie Fletcher is from right here in Kentuckyian is very familiar with the needs of students across the Commonwealth.

I and the rest of the Legislature hope to meet him soon.

And if confirmed to work with them and the rest of the kde on improving Kentucky's education achievements to secure a vibrant and working Kentucky future, unquote.

A University of Kentucky senior is telling lawmakers her story of being sexually abused in high school in a push to enact legislation that better protect students in the future.

The testimony you're about to hear is graphic in nature.

So viewer discretion is advised.

Kentucky additions June last year has more as we begin tonight's Legislative update.

>> You could tell could could is a graduating senior at UK.

It's clear she wants to change the world with a degree in social work in multiple projects that tackle health inequities.

This legislative session.

She's speaking up for sexual abuse survivors, but sharing the story of how a teacher groomed and abused her in high school.

He worked to gain my trust, talking with me behind closed doors of his office and offering the homemade food.

When my grandfather passed away.

After getting my trust, he went in motion a lean and manipulate me and other students.

He favored publicly shutting and alienating anyone who did something to upset him.

Other adults in school staff of service for taste just teasing in conversations that occurred behind closed doors, unaware of the grooming a current before their eyes and reinforce my belief that what was going on was normal.

Unfortunately, the Texan teasing escalated when he could be began to during me during these tutoring sessions, he gave massages, exposed himself to joy, penetrated me.

And then if you ate my hands for his own pleasure.

Yoko Curtis says the trauma of her abuse and the inappropriate actions of performer teacher continue.

>> The time.

But for between the anonymous adults, concerns in my report to the Kentucky State Police, the teacher confessed his love to a recent graduate and continued texting high school students individually.

The teachers who abused me did not stop after his questions were first after his actions were first question.

And I wish I could tell you, my experience is unique.

But since my test testimony last year, I've had friends, community members, teachers and strangers.

Tell me their story or story that happened in their community and so many more stories have never been told.

The 2022 investigation from the Lexington Herald-Leader found 61% of Kentucky teachers who had their licenses suspended or revoked.

>> Lost those licenses because of sexual misconduct.

Current headlines suggest this trend isn't going away.

House Bill 2.75 hopes to hold sexually abusive teachers accountable by preventing predators from bouncing to different school districts.

>> Is that when allegations made?

The investigation started, we've seen a pattern of those teachers or employees who say I'm going to resign and leave the school district.

Unfortunately, it shouldn't Thinking too many cases.

The school district says, well, we don't have to worry about this.

So they drop the investigation.

This would require all school districts to complete investigations to completion, regardless of where that teacher employee state employed in that school district.

>> Schools would have to beef up their background checks before hiring a teacher.

The bill also bans public and private schools from entry in a nondisclosure agreement when it relates to misconduct with a student, the House passed a similar bill last year, but it did not make it to the Senate floor.

The bill sponsor says this year's version has a measure meant to protect teachers.

>> There is language that states that if this employee for this investigation is found to be not guilty, all that information would be removed from the permit record.

>> The Kentucky Teachers Association largest teacher union in the state has a neutral stance on this bill.

The Senate Education Committee advanced the bill to the full Senate.

The House passed the bill unanimously last month for Kentucky edition.

I'm John Leffler.

>> The Senate Education Committee also voted for a measure to ban vapes or e-cigarettes in schools.

It also voted to increase civics requirements for graduating high schoolers.

The Kentucky Secretary of state's office wishes the General Assembly would go further.

>> And our report recommended.

>> And called on the General Assembly to adopt legislation that would require a 4th year of social studies, education and high school specifically devoted to civics.

39, other states already have a similar requirement.

We further as General Assembly to reassess the civics test currently required to graduate.

We found the test wholly inadequate.

And I said to be made more robust and provided an example of a better test from neighboring Ohio.

>> Since 2018 high schoolers have had to pass a civics test to graduate about half of Dole's can't name the 3 branches of government.

According to the last year's Civic Health assessment.

The Kentucky House and Senate have different proposals on education spending.

A school administrator from Warren County doesn't like either one of them.

Superintendent Rob claims says he'd like to see the legislature dipping its a 4 billion dollar rainy day fund for salary increases that would help with the workforce shortage.

>> We've been very clear about the shortfall in funding that is necessary for schools to be able to provide the services again that our community expects of us.

It's important to know that it is the legislature's constitutional responsibility to fund our public schools across the Commonwealth.

And just over the last decade.

Plus, percent of the funding has gone from 60% at the state level to 46.

And it's important our community recognizes and understands that that is our local taxpayers are making up for that significant difference.

Those occurred over the last 2 years.

And we're asking our legislators to step up and help us.

>> Clayton says the Senate proposal strips funding for school resource officers.

It also provides less money than that House version for student transportation.

Now, both proposals include an increase in state funding which Clayton calls, quote, minimal.

Parts of the state struggle with access to health care.

Well, most urban west in rural western Kentuckyian Appalachian East.

They all face obstacles getting enough mental and physical health care for their people.

Some believe reforming certificate of need regulatory process.

Governing health care facilities might be the answer.

Others not so much.

It's a complicated issue.

Kentucky additions, Clayton Dalton has more.

>> Certificate of need is a complicated process that regulates the healthcare industry in Kentucky in simple terms.

It requires some medical facilities to get a permission slip from the government before they can open.

Supporters say it helps hospitals and other care centers that operate on thin margins, protecting them from competition that could make them close their doors.

But House bill 204, would make changes to that process prohibiting existing facilities from suing applicants who want to provide new services.

>> What we're wanting to do is to make it.

So if somebody is wanting to invest in the state of Kentucky that they are able to do so this bill does not change any of the process of certificate of need.

You still must demonstrate that there is a need and you still must go through this 9 step process.

What this bill does is just eliminates the that dominant providers ability to sue you at step 3 and step 9.

So letting the cabinet to make that decision, not our circuit courts.

>> But some say the bill silences opposition and community input that we believe that this particular bill really makes a mockery of the co and process.

It is not a, quote, minor procedural changes.

You heard earlier.

But it also makes a mockery of the legislative process under current law.

The community has the ability not necessarily to fight or repos, but to come to a hearing at present comparative evidence on whether something should or should not be granted.

That includes people with disabilities that might include a nonprofit dialysis provider that I represented in the case.

So this bill takes away those rights.

Some Republicans, particularly from eastern Kentucky.

>> Say they worry this bill will hurt rural hospitals.

>> The fact of the matter is in rural Kentucky, air health outcomes are great.

We know where to obese.

We know we have to have smoking rate.

We have har instances of cardiac health.

We have hired cancer rates and it's my fear that by repealing something that we've not thoroughly studied, it's going to have a major impact on providers in rural Kentucky.

Another Republican saw things differently.

>> I'm kind of sitting on the other side of this is as far as what this would do for rural areas and the great benefits that could bring 2 areas that directly represent.

>> Lower cost.

Better quality health care and more access to health care needs that they desire.

>> A conservative policy organization that supports the bill said there's evidence that certificate of need laws don't actually protect rural hospitals.

>> There are more rule hospitals per capita and more real surgery centers per capita in states that have already repealed certificate of need laws.

Ohio repealed its certificate of need program for everything in some nursing homes in 2012 since that time has only had one rural hospital closure.

But in that same amount of time, Kentucky has had 3 rural hospital closures and that's with a certificate of need laws in place.

So these laws aren't preventing hospital closures and the neighboring states are doing better on that.

But lawmakers weren't convinced House Bill 204, failed with overwhelming bipartisan opposition.

>> Of the 15 voting members only 3 voted in support, all of which were Republican without another vote in committee House bill 204, will not advance for Kentucky edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> There are at least 7 bills in Frankfort aimed at reforming the certificate of need process.

None of them have made it to the floor yet.

Well, some good economic news today, a first of its kind energy project will mean more than 1500 construction jobs for Bell County Governor Andy Beshear, the U.S. Department of Energy and Ride Development today announced a Louis Ridge pumped storage project.

It's a new kind of hydroelectric facility on the site of an old coal mine.

Next, the Cumberland River Water flows I'll they shun reservoir of water into a lower one.

That turns turbines and generate electricity.

It's possible because of an 81 million dollar federal grant.

>> Today we are announcing the Lewis to ridge cold to pump storage hydropower project, which has now been approved for 81 million dollars in federal grants to help construct a first of its kind.

1.3 billion dollar project.

That is a cold to pump storage hydropower facility in Bell County.

We believe again, this is the largest investment ever in eastern Kentucky.

The project will create about 1500 high quality construction jobs.

30 operational jobs will deliver enough clean energy to power about 67,000 homes in Yulee.

The funding the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Energy Demonstration program and former Mine Land Grant which responded to the bipartisan infrastructure law.

The project was approved for right development to transition.

A former coal mine site adjacent to the Cumberland River to a pump storage.

Hydro Electric facility.

Congratulations to write development and thank you to President Biden Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Deputy Secretary David Turk in the Department of Energy's for supporting Kentucky as we continue to meet America's Energy needs.

We're so proud to support a 1.3 billion dollar project to build on the region's strong energy production history.

We're creating 1530 good jobs to help us power the next generation.

We look forward to moving ahead with this with with as much haste as we can do.

It is a long-term project and that's the part of this.

>> This is a commitment that's not just several years.

This and development process.

It will take 7 to 10 years, including the building and a project that will last likely for the century.

This is something that is in Bell County.

>> But for multiple counties, it will impact Knox County, Harlan County, Clay County with the county.

A lot of counties in and around the area.

It will have a huge fiscal impact in that region to region that if you KET the historical social logical changes, you know, that was once rich energy production area.

They had a population in that county of probably around 50,001 time that now has less than 30,000.

This is an opportunity to restore hope.

>> On another topic, the governor appointed Keith Jackson as secretary of the justice and public safety Cabinet.

Mona Womack as deputy secretary and Randy White as commissioner of the Department of Juvenile Justice.

This is after criticism of Kentucky's Juvenile Justice Center's in recent years.

At a time of increased Anti-Semitism in America at the Kentucky.

The Kentucky Anti Semitism Task Force held its second meeting Wednesday.

The governor created the group last year.

The 18 members heard from a group from the University of Kentucky that trains teachers on how to approach in teach students about Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust.

>> So Kentucky has a very small Jewish population, roughly point 0, 4%.

So less than one percent of a population here in Kentucky identifies as Jewish.

But larger concentrations are Lexington, Louisville and Paducah comes in number 3, but it's a much farther behind Plexi to a lot of our >> so for the last 3 years since 2021, we've been working in a very collaborative way with teachers all the state of Kentucky to develop professional trainings and in a kind of train.

The trainer model to help teachers feel confident and prepared to engage with the Kentucky State Holocaust education mandates that were passed in 2018.

We have for us for our team can teach us understanding >> List.

>> do this >> A very important to Jewish history, but it also and example of the genocide and genocide.

What happens is the hatred and discrimination in a society boils over to the point of fight and what we need to understand how that happens, how it can be prevented while at the same time using the Holocaust as is, is that very specific moment where we have to understand the conditions in the context of that very specific event that happened in 1939.

35.

>> Holocaust education is tremendously important for a lot of different reasons, but probably one of the most important things is we can't escape the past.

If we don't know much about it and we can engage in actions that help our fellow citizens.

If we don't understand how to recognize what is Anti-Semitism part of.

The Holocaust.

Education is beginning to understand the long history of Anti-Semitism, how and when it pops up and when it rears its ugly head, what we need to do about it.

>> The program started after Kentucky lawmakers passed the and Klein and friend for us Holocaust education at act in 2018 requiring middle and high school students to learn about the Holocaust.

♪ >> Many of the state's school districts have been facing a crisis with a growing shortage of teachers and other school personnel.

Clark County Public Schools has been no exception, but the district has taken an innovative step to solve the problem by creating a stand-alone daycare program for school employees.

Those behind the Cardinals Nest program since it's killing 2 birds with one stone by attracting and retaining teachers and filling in educational gap by preparing more children for kindergarten.

>> This whole center >> has just really made a positive impact on a lot of people's lives are really came about a commitment from our admin team, too.

Recognize the need for quality child care for our staff.

>> We were able to help our employees that had preschool children.

But what can we do for employees that had infants and toddlers?

And so we decided to open up the Cardinals missed.

So the idea was that we would do a stand-alone staff This is less like a year teaching in my fresh air in Clark County.

>> When I applied to Clark County and got hired, they had told me that there is going to be a childcare center opening and we immediately got on the waitlist.

>> He's behind.

>> We offer child care for $20 a day.

That's pretext that comes out of their paychecks so they don't ever have to worry about, you know, making that financial department.

that's it from their paycheck.

The cost of it is really low.

So makes it a lot easier for us to actually be able to afford good child care.

The cost of this is about 50% less than any other data that I've seen.

Most daycares, you can enroll your child in a week of daycare for less than $150 a week.

So you're already thinking about all of the many that they're safe and they are also being served a food breakfast and lunch.

>> Your employees get, you know, essentially a raise a year without actually giving it to him.

We thought at this would be something that we can offer to our staff for recruitment and retention incentive.

We KET it wasn't going to be AM any sort of revenue game that we're we wanted to take this on as an incentive for our staff.

And it's just like any other benefits package of budget for it.

And look at other ways to bring in and move it, move things around.

I think this is a major incentive.

And as a young mom and a young teacher, if I'm in 2 different county and they didn't have a daycare.

>> I don't know what I would do.

So this makes me want to stay in Clark County like him from 6 weeks to 3 years old and 3 year-old they can transition to preschool.

And then once they are 5, they just transition to kindergarten and they could be served in our school system until they graduate has.

>> Seniors are first enrollment.

We only had 3 kids.

>> Having people wanted to see how it's going to go, you know how it worked out.

And now we have over 20 on our waiting list.

So our plan is to expand to be able to get that waiting was completely taking care of.

This has been the most positive feedback of any employee incentives that Clark County has offered their staff.

This daycare center means a ton to me and the other teachers that I know.

We hope that, you know.

>> We continue to attract and retain highly qualified educators and staff because it's not just for teachers.

It's about everyone.

I think the doing this has been a phenomenal step in the right direction and we hope that other counties well, kind of, you know, look at that as a part for their employees and do the same.

>> Cardinals nest.

I love that name and follows the school calendar and is closed during the summer.

Paris says the staff like teachers still receive a paycheck.

She tells us they hope at some point to expand services to provide childcare over the summer.

♪ As sports fans swarmed into Rupp Arena for the Kentucky High School.

Sweet 16 on Wednesday.

Another event just across the street was helping up and coming athletes.

The N I L Academy is a non-profit focused on educating young athletes on the ins and outs of using their name image and likeness or nil rights until a 2021 Supreme Court ruling college athletes were not eligible to receive financial compensation for the use of their nails.

>> We just thought it was a bed of that.

They have to live from a single out.

And I always KET.

There's a lot it is moving around about what it is.

What is not house Affective Swartz.

But at the end of the day, it's a business opportunity for young people is to medleys.

So we just want to provide some information to well maximizing that it because that makes sense.

It also changed the landscape of college athletics because the the powerhouse of so to speak.

They've been.

They've had a stronger and all the most talent.

Well, now, you know, you have smaller schools that have some type of fun ways.

It they have businesses backers and they're able to reach out to at things that.

2 we may not have with that.

The school as a place to as a landing spot to play sports them and they have they have a chance to move its crew member.

>> Profiting from nil rights is still a fairly new concept among the key parts of the conference clearing up misconceptions about nil and preparing student athletes for the pitfalls of the business world.

>> A lot of folks take that money come Sen because institutions that Seth, but as bases just business, that's better out there.

Just working with student athletes to know that bans the lack of information, the lack of understanding about the president of business.

He's the raid on the time.

I'll be honest to it.

The athlete we in the business loans and you noted the multi task.

That's all all those those that was and loses the barrier to hear from a single well scale and social media.

Well, Mary, how did the the progress is real businesses former Lakewood Blue is where you so.

So there's a lot of challenges, but they're not.

It was about insurmountable and disinformation days.

So having a bill like this is a veteran's, a good that Bieber redact information that exists and to put those 2 together doubles will seize this opportunity.

This is that probably.

Something outside of sports and and school itself.

It's that's a 3rd career really are there on how to reach out to companies and and get my name out >> Advertise for more than just local communities and businesses.

>> In 2023, the Kentucky High School Athletics Association decided that high school students were eligible for nil benefits.

♪ Well, we hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition, where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips a K E T Dot Org.

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

So that's a story idea at public affairs at KET Dot Org and follow KTM Facebook X, formerly known as Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Thank you for joining us.

Have a wonderful