Close to 800 attended the third annual fundraiser for the Foundation; Liggins shares district success stories; eight groups recognized for volunteer service
Dr. Demetrus Liggins today addressed close to 800 community leaders, educators, parents and students at the 2024 State of Schools Leadership Breakfast at Central Bank Center. Attendees heard from Board of Education Chair Tyler Murphy and were entertained by student performers from schools across the district at the annual fundraiser for the Foundation.
“There is no limit to what our talented students can achieve … especially when they have the support of the incredible educators, engaged families, and committed community advocates gathered in the room this morning,” said Liggins as he opened his presentation.
Post pandemic, student achievement in the district is rebounding faster than the national average according to Liggins.
He went on to say, “we can’t declare victory yet, because we still have a lot of work to do, but the fact that students in the Fayette County Public Schools are recovering more quickly than the rest of the nation is certainly something to celebrate. And that brings me to the first of what I’m calling our “triple As.” I am convinced that if we focus on these triple As, we will continue to outpace the rest of the nation.”
Attendance, achievement and expanding access to advanced coursework are indicators of past success and keys to the future.
Every day of learning counts to help students grow more than a grade level each year. To reap the full benefit that Fayette County public schools have to offer, students must be present. The community can help spread this expectation.
Overall ACT scores for Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) students are higher than both the state and national average. Fourteen students earned a perfect score on the ACT last year, which is two and a half times the number expected for a community the size of Lexington. The district had a record 51 National Merit Semifinalists in the class of 2024, which means that although FCPS accounts for just 6.6 percent of the students in Kentucky, FCPS produces more than 25 percent of its highest achievers. Over the course of the 2023-24 school year, 45,252 students passed through the doors of 70 schools and special programs.
“Our goal is for every student to have an educational experience where they discover and explore their individual interests in a nurturing, challenging, and supportive environment that ignites curiosity and discovery while equipping them for whatever future they can imagine” said Liggins referring to student achievement.
Since 2021, the school board has made historic investments in teacher and staff salaries. FCPS employees have received average pay raises of 14 percent, which have infused an additional $75.4 million worth of spending power into the local economy.
Last school year a third of all high school students took advantage of the opportunity to engage in advanced coursework, which is an increase of more than 700 students in just two years. More students in every racial category as well as students living in poverty, learning English, and students with disabilities enrolling in these credit-bearing courses. With a goal to grow the number of students who graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree. 22 students in the class of 2024 graduated with this distinction. This is a seven fold increase since 2022 when only three students accomplished this honor. During the 2023-24 school year, 1,728 students earned 3,082 industry certifications.
“Rather than presenting college and career as divergent choices, we want our students to recognize that the ultimate goal for all of our graduates is a career,” emphasized the superintendent.
After student performances featuring a drum corps from Carter G. Woodson Academy, choir from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and orchestral performances from both Lafayette and Bryan Station high schools, students from the cast of FCPS’s first summer musical “Hairspray” performed the upbeat song “You Can’t Stop the Beat” to the delight of the crowd.
Thirty individuals and organizations were nominated for their willingness to give their time, talent and treasure for student achievement in Fayette County; eight received 2024 Golden Apple Awards today.
- Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council
- Kentucky State University
- Kentucky Center for Grieving Children & Families
- Fusion Development and Michael Baer
- Rick Hazelwood known as “Papaw” to students and staff
- Southland Christian Church
- University of Kentucky’s College of Health Sciences and Diversity Healthcare Program
All proceeds from this morning’s event will benefit students and educators through The Fayette Education Foundation’s mission of equity, access and removing barriers so all Fayette County children can reach their potential. Since 2020, the Foundation has connected private support to Fayette County Public Schools through collaborations and donations of time, talent and treasure.
School Board Chair Tyler Murphy added, “The state of our schools is strong. Today, when we walk out those doors, let us say, in one voice, that the state of our resolve to protect, promote, and strengthen public education in Fayette County and our Commonwealth is just as strong.”
