For five decades, KASA has provided programs and tools to help school administrators become great leaders. Two years ago, KASA and the Kentucky Department of Education partnered to create the Kentucky Education North Star Community to bring about efficient processes for performance excellence in Kentucky Schools. The partnership has enabled school districts to save more than one million dollars through Process Improvement Performance Excellence (PIPE) program.
The program allows districts to apply for funding that will enable them to evaluate, identify, and implement processes that increase performance in their districts. Since that time, 23 districts have participated in the grant opportunities and joined the North Star community for applying PIPE methodology to their operations and instructional programs.
The Tier 1 grant opportunity provides for a process leadership study in which districts receive recommendations for moving forward to eliminate waste and bring about efficiencies within their district. A Tier 2 or 3 grant is a six-month process where district teams identify four projects, receive training to apply PIPE methodology to all aspects of the district, and then work on the four projects as part of the training.
In addition, Tier 2 districts tackle and achieve other goals through the PIPE work. Among those goals are increasing the percentage of children ready for kindergarten; increasing the percentage of students who are college and career ready; increasing average scores in math, reading, arts and humanities, and K-PREP; increasing effectiveness of teachers and principals, and more.
This is the quintessential example of leadership. The districts who signed on were bold to acknowledge that there may be a better way. They were eager to evaluate their current processes and look for sustainable solutions. And they were able to make forward changes to draw funds into the classrooms where they are desperately needed.
And it is because of this type of leadership that this program has saved over $1 million and counting for the six districts participating in Tier 2 programs alone.
These district have Process Improvement Performance Excellence. Do you?
Congratulations to the following districts who tackled Tier 2 work in 2014. Savings are at $1,000,000 and climbing:
Boone County Daviess County
Garrard County Lee County
Martin County Nelson County
Thanks to our Tier 1 districts who invested time to complete the process leadership study:
Breckinridge County Bullitt County
Christian County Magoffin County
Middlesboro Ind. Owen County
Owsley County Paducah Ind.
Perry County Shelby County
Pineville Ind. Owensboro Ind.
Raceland-Worthington Ind. Trigg County
Congratulations to those who are conducting Tier 2 work in 2015. We can’t wait to hear about your work!
Greenup County
Lincoln County
Taylor County