PEAK

The KSBA PEAK Award was established in 1997 to focus statewide attention on outstanding public school efforts aimed specifically at enhancing student learning skills and, in doing so, to promote the positive impact of public elementary and secondary education in the Commonwealth.

Recognition will come in the following forms:

• Selection will be announced at KSBA's Annual Conference, KSBA's social media and in local and statewide press releases.
• An article on the winning program will appear in the Kentucky School Advocate, KSBA's magazine mailed to education leaders across the state.
• In addition to recognition at KSBA's Annual Conference, a unique, engraved PEAK Award statue will be presented locally during a school board meeting by a delegation from the KSBA Board of Directors and staff.

Nominations must be submitted electronically at this link. When submitting your nomination, you will be asked to complete multiple open-ended questions as well as attach three letters of recommendation. It is recommended that you compile this information before beginning the form. More information can be found below.

• Program overview from the district with information on the following points:
  • history of the program
  • objectives of the program
  • scope of the program (one school, multiple schools, districtwide, number of students involved)  
  • uniqueness of the program 
  • costs and funding source for the program
  • degree of school board involvement
  • an assessment of the progress of the program towards those stated goals, including both quantitative and qualitative data (Judges consistently weigh proven program results over anecdotal evidence)
    

• Three letters of endorsement, specifically listing the reasons for that endorsement, one from each of the following individuals and/or entities:
  • One letter from a teacher (or signed by multiple teachers) involved in the program. This letter should detail the instructor's impressions on the impact the program has already had and potential future impact of the program on academic achievement of students involved; 
  • One letter from one or more students or from one or more parent(s) of student(s) benefiting from the program. {Only one letter may be submitted from student(s) or parent(s).} This letter should detail the program's helpful impact on the student's academic achievement or improved classroom instruction. 
  • One letter from a school board member (or signed by multiple school board members). This letter should express the board's support for the program and detail the impact and potential future impact of the program on academic achievement of students.

Each of these three letters, which must contain the writer's (or writers') signature, will be judged as part of the entry. Letters should demonstrate both a knowledge of the goals and of the progress to date made by the program. Each letter may be no more than two pages. 

As part of the entry, districts may also upload charts or data that further supports the program's success. Additionally, entries may include one supplemental document (PowerPoint, brochure, etc.) that provides additional information about the program.

Programs not selected for the PEAK Award may be re-nominated. The district will need to resubmit the nomination during a future judging cycle. It is recommended that re-nominated entries be updated to include new data or other information that would support the program's nomination.

The deadline for 2025 PEAK Award nominations has been extended to Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. Entries may be submitted at this link.