U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday, April 23, to highlight the progress that the state’s schools and students have made through the hard work and leadership of parents, teachers, principals, and district and state leaders.
Duncan, joined by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, Education Commissioner Terry Holliday and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, will hold a press conference at 2:25 p.m. at Jefferson Community and Technical College. The press conference will focus on Kentucky’s work to ensure students graduate high school college- and career-ready.
Prior to the press conference, Duncan will stop by a classroom at Fern Creek High School, which was once a low-performing school but is now making progress. Following the classroom visit, Duncan, Holliday, Fischer and Jefferson County Public Schools Chief Academic Officer Dewey Hensley will meet with teachers, administrators and community leaders. (For planning purposes only: There will be a photo spray just for videographers and photographers at the top of the roundtable discussion.)
While in Kentucky, Duncan also will join Holliday, Fischer, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Learning Libby Doggett and the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Director Brenda Girton-Mitchell at a community conversation on early learning, meet with higher education officials and business leaders, and participate in a town hall with teachers.
Kentucky is one of five states that recently received a four-year renewal for flexibility from provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind. The state has made tremendous strides, and students are reaping the benefits. Kentucky has a graduation rate of 86 percent, higher than the national rate of 81 percent. The state also has an aligned statewide system of professional growth and effectiveness for teachers, principals and superintendents that focuses on continuous improvement in closing achievement gaps and increasing educational outcomes for all students. Duncan has called on Congress to reauthorize ESEA to maintain and accelerate educational progress in Kentucky and other states across the country.