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Kentucky residents filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for student aid must do so this spring without a vital tool, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT), used to transfer data from tax forms to the FAFSA, has been shut down by the IRS because of security concerns. It will not be available again until the next FAFSA season begins Oct. 1, according to a release from the department and the IRS.
The DRT is also used by students and parents whose income must be verified before students can receive their financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education requires many students to go through verification.
Some borrowers repaying federal student loans also use the DRT if their loan repayment program requires yearly updating of income data, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC).
“The IRS is working to identify the number of taxpayers affected by questionable use of the Data Retrieval Tool,” the statement added. “Identity thieves may have used personal information obtained outside the tax system to access the FAFSA form in an attempt to secure tax information through the DRT. The IRS continues to review the extent to which this contributed to fraudulently filed tax returns.”
Without the DRT, the FAFSA and verification forms must be filled out manually. The FAFSA can be found at fafsa.gov. Colleges have their own verification forms.
KHEAA is the state agency that administers the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES), need-based grants and other programs to help students pay their higher education expenses.
KHESLC is a public nonprofit agency that services federal student loans and makes private education loans. KHESLC and KHEAA have the same board of directors.
For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926, ext. 6-7214.
Photo: Kentucky Labor Department
Labor Cabinet Secretary Derrick Ramsey visited Atlas Machine and Supply in Louisville last week to present a Governor’s Safety and Health Award for working 1,351,417 consecutive hours without a lost time injury or illness.
“I want to congratulate Atlas on earning their first Governor’s Safety and Health Award,” said Sec. Derrick Ramsey. “Working over a million hours without a serious injury is a great accomplishment. On behalf of Governor Bevin and the Labor Cabinet, it is my honor to bestow this award to the Atlas employees for their successful efforts towards workplace safety.”
Founded in 1907, Atlas Machine and Supply is a fourth generation family-owned business. Atlas re-engineers, repairs and manufactures complex manufacturing equipment for industry and provides industrial air compressors, equipment and related solutions.
“Earning the Governor’s Safety and Health Award is a wonderful testimony to our dedicated workforce and how they responded to the opportunity to build safe work habits,” said Chairman Rich Gimmel. “Thank you to Sec. Ramsey and the Kentucky Labor Cabinet for recognizing our employees’ hard work and presenting us with this award.”
The Kentucky Labor Cabinet presents the Governor’s Safety and Health Award to highlight outstanding safety and health performance in Kentucky’s workplaces. A business may qualify for the award if its employees achieve a required number of hours worked without experiencing a lost time injury or illness. The required number of hours is dependent upon the number of employees.
According to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2015 Kentucky employers reported the lowest incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the state’s history.
Based on a mathematical calculation that describes the number of recordable incidents per 100 full-time employees, Kentucky’s rate improved from 3.8 in 2014 to 3.7 in 2015 – reflecting the most recent data available. This rate has steadily declined since it was first calculated in 1996, when a rate of 8.4 was reported.
For more information on the Governor’s Safety and Health Award, click here.
Attorney General Andy Beshear is joining with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Unified Prosecutorial System to offer a three-day training to educate prosecutors and law enforcement officials on the detection, apprehension and prosecution of drugged drivers.
The AG’s office will host the annual regional seminar “Prosecuting the Drugged Driver,” April 18-20, at the Radisson in Covington.
“My administration is focused on addressing the persistent challenges our families face, and one of those is better addressing Kentucky’s drug epidemic,” Beshear said. “Every time our families, our friends or our children get in a vehicle, they are at risk of being harmed by a driver under the influence of drugs.”
Beshear said Kentucky, like other states, is facing the worst drug overdose epidemic in American history, citing a recent New York Times article that said the epidemic is spurred by rising drug abuse, increased availability of prescription opioids and an influx of potent synthetics like fentanyl and carfentanil.
The goal of the Covington training is to create a team building approach in the detection, apprehension and prosecution of drivers impaired by illicit and prescription drugs, Beshear said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recent roadside survey, about 20 percent of drivers tested positive for at least one drug in 2015, up from 12 percent in 2007.
Additionally, the University of Kentucky Transportation Center concluded that in 2015 there were 233 fatal drug-related crashes in the Commonwealth.
The three-day training is coordinated through the Attorney General’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program. The training is funded through the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety with grant funds provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and our Office of Highway Safety, look forward to continuing a very effective partnership with the Office of the Attorney General to provide funding in support of the Commonwealth’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor,” said Dr. Noelle Hunter, executive director at the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety. “The TSRP program has done an exceptional job in conducting training workshops and coordinating training opportunities for both law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the state. It is not only our responsibility, it is a priority of this administration to provide all highway safety professionals with the tools and resources they need to save and protect lives on our highways.”
Representatives of the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will attend the training.
“We are grateful to be invited to participate in the training,” said Rosalind Donald, MADD victim advocate. “MADD’s driving purpose is to shed light on the long-lasting effects the impaired driving crashes create for victims and survivors. In 2015, MADD officially changed its mission statement to include victims of drugged driving offenders. Impaired driving is a serious crime. Trainings such as these help ensure that the criminal justice system addresses DUI charges consistently and effectively, which ultimately helps protect society from needless death and injury.”
Representatives from the American Automobile Association (AAA) will also attend the conference.
“Drugged driving is one of the greatest threats to the safety of motorists today,” said Cheryl Parker, regional director, public and government affairs for AAA. “AAA looks forward to this important training that will give stakeholders in the criminal justice system what they need from the roadside to the courtroom to keep drugged drivers off the road.”
Credit: Louisville Metro Police
Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin (D-2) is encouraging young people to make the effort and talk with Officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department at the next LMPD Youth Chat.
“It is important that young people understand that our police officers are here to help and protect us,” says Shanklin. “The chats also afford the officers a chance to get to know young people in the area. When everyone sits down and talks, then trust begins to build and we can begin working together.”
The next LMPD Youth Chat is set for the Newburg Community Center on Thursday, April 20th beginning at 6:00pm.
The LMPD Youth Chats are a series of public open-dialogue discussions, so that youth 25 and under can hear from and talk with local law enforcement officials to establish better relationships and mutual understanding While learning about the variety of things Louisville Metro police officers do.
Each session will be co-moderated by local youth. Everyone is invited to come be a part of this unique opportunity. The program is sponsored by the LMPD Sixth Division and Louisville Metro Parks.
The Newburg Community Center is located at 4810 Exeter Ave.
The Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools (KGHS) program and the Kentucky National Energy Education Development (KY NEED) Project are hosting the 10th annual Youth Summit and Awards Luncheon April 27 in Frankfort. KGHS is a program of the Kentucky Environmental Education Council (KEEC).
The event will recognize students and their outstanding accomplishments in promoting school and community health and environmental sustainability. Examples of student projects include: worm composting at Providence Montessori Middle School, updating an outdoor classroom with benches made of recycled plastic caps at Morton Middle School, and teaching peers about healthy eating choices at Kit Carson Elementary School.
Students will showcase their projects beginning at 10 a.m. at the Frankfort Convention Center. At 11:15 a.m., Kentucky Education Commissioner Dr. Stephen Pruitt will be the keynote speaker.
More than 200 students and teachers will participate and be recognized. Nine KGHS schools will be given awards, and the KGHS Teacher of the Year will be announced. Additional KY NEED schools will also be honored for their projects.
- WHO: Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools
Kentucky National Energy Education Development Project - WHAT: KGHS and KY NEED Youth Summit and Awards Luncheon
- WHEN: Thursday, April 27, 2015, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Eastern time
- WHERE: Frankfort Convention Center, 405 Mero St., Frankfort, KY 40601
Photo: NBPTS Website
Kentucky recently celebrated the 18 newly certified and 101 newly renewed National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) who continue to improve their teaching for the students of the Commonwealth. With 3,292 NBCTs, Kentucky ranks 6th in the nation for the percentage of teachers who are Board-certified (8%) and 9th in the nation for the total number of Board-certified teachers.
This small class of newly Board-certified teachers represents the last to be certified in the 2.0 version. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has just completed a transition to a more flexible and accommodating process that can be completed in one to three years while maintaining high and rigorous standards. Kentucky currently has nearly 1,000 teachers that are candidates in the new certification process, placing Kentucky fifth nationally for the total number of candidates, and as one of the top states in the nation in terms of percentage of teachers that are candidates.
Kentucky has consistently ranked in the top ten nationally for the number of Board-certified teachers. James Adams, Executive Director of the Education Professional Standards Board, described board certification as, “the highest credential in the teaching profession.” Adams added, “The progress that Kentucky continues to make towards the legislative goal of having at least one NBCT in every school is something to celebrate. This innovative goal is important for our students.”
At the February 23 event Hal Heiner, Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet presented the NBCTs with a proclamation from Governor Bevin proclaiming the day “National Board Certified Teacher Day” in the Commonwealth. “I’m pleased to be presenting this proclamation on behalf of Governor Bevin,” said Secretary Heiner. “These newly board certified teachers are among Kentucky’s most dedicated educators, providing the highest level of learning for the students of our Commonwealth – our future workforce. To achieve this certification, these teachers spent more than 400 hours preparing, planning and analyzing their practice. I applaud them for their steadfast dedication.”
“Achieving National Board Certification is not only a great personal achievement, it also shows our teachers’ strong commitment to their profession and to improving teaching and learning for all Kentucky’s students,” said Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt. “I am incredibly proud of our teachers and the work they do across this Commonwealth every day to ensure each one of our students is given an opportunity to reach high levels of achievement that will prepare them to face tomorrow’s challenges.” Commissioner Pruitt presented each NBCT with an official pin from the National Board at the event.
The Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky Education Association, and the Education Professional Standards Board have worked collaboratively with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards for three years as a site in the Network to Transform Teaching funded by the U.S. Department of Education Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant. “Towards the aspiration of supporting every student to learn from accomplished, Board-certified teachers, partners in the Network to Transform Teaching are developing and scaling innovative approaches that strengthen the career trajectory for every teacher,” said Joe Doctor, chief operating officer of the National Board, “Kentucky is a leader in that effort, as it capitalizes on the expertise of Board-certified teachers to lead this work and engages a broad cross-section of stakeholders to ensure coherence for teacher support.”
Three of the new NBCTs are the first in their schools or district. DeAnna Miller, Fulton Independent Supervisor of Instruction, says of the district’s first Board-certified teacher, “Jennifer Caldwell has been a leader for both students and teachers in our district for many years. She shows us what good instruction looks like on a daily basis and is the perfect mentor for other teachers to follow on this distinctive professional pathway.”
“The key to schools of excellence, raising achievement scores and creating a culture of high expectations that ensures future success for ALL kids is building leadership and teacher capacity,” said Henry Webb, Superintendent of Floyd County, who celebrated four new NBCTs at the event. “An accomplished teacher in every classroom in America should be our goal for our KIDS, and I am convinced that the National Board Teacher Certification program is an outstanding process to ensure we meet this goal!”
“Teachers are the power behind National Board Certification. The standards, assessments, and organization are run by teachers and for teachers,” said Holly Bloodworth, NBCT, President of the Kentucky NBCT Network. Bloodworth led the reciting of the Five Core Propositions, the foundation of Board-certification, considered the education profession’s Hippocratic Oath at the ceremony.
National Board Certification is voluntary and open to all teachers who have three years of classroom experience and a baccalaureate degree. National Board Certification is available in 25 certificate areas from preschool through twelfth grade.
Kentucky has strong statewide support for National Board Certification. NBCTs are entitled to an annual $2,000 salary bonus for the life of their certificate. Upon successful completion of Board certification, Kentucky teachers currently holding a Rank II certificate are eligible to apply for Rank I.
The Clark Memorial/2nd Street Bridge will close Thursday, April 20, in preparation for Thunder Over Louisville. We ask your help in communicating this information to the public in the coming days. The Louisville Metro Police Department will release their Thunder traffic plan next week.
CLARK MEMORIAL/2ND STREET BRIDGE CLOSURES THUNDER WEEK:
- Thursday, April 20th: 9:30 a.m. – CLOSED thru Sunday at 2 p.m.
- Friday, April 21st: CLOSED ALL DAY
- Saturday, April 22nd: CLOSED ALL DAY
- Sunday, April 23rd: CLOSED Midnight to 2:00 p.m.
BIG FOUR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE:
The Big Four Pedestrian Bridge will be closed from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Friday, April 21, for the air show practice window. On Thunder day (Saturday), it will also close at 9 a.m. until 12 midnight. Access to the bridge will be restricted to only those pedestrians wishing to cross to the other side from 10 p.m. (post fireworks) to Midnight. Signage will be placed on the Big Four Bridge to help notify the public of the closures and restrictions.
Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of the more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2017 Thunder Over Louisville themed “Thunder: Local & Original” is set for Saturday, April 22. The show is sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, LG&E, Meijer, UPS and Valero.
