Jefferson County’s gain will be Kentucky’s loss

With the announcement of a new administrative cabinet in the Jefferson County Public School system comes the unhappy news that Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Associate Commissioner Dewey Hensley will be leaving state service to return to his former school district.

Hensley’s new post will be as Chief Academic Officer in the reformed Jefferson County Public School District’s administrative cabinet. There, I suspect he will focus his considerable energy and talent to turn the entire Jefferson County school system around in a manner similar to his former successful efforts in the J.B Atkinson Elementary School. Atkinson is located in that school system.

Hensley will be leaving the KDE’s Office of District 180, which refers to the department’s activities to turn around (as in a 180 degree change) the state’s persistently low-performing school systems. He was also crucial in implementing statewide initiatives on digital learning.

Lisa Gross at the KDE indicates a replacement for Hensley has not been named, and it is possible an interim District 180 head might be appointed while the KDE makes a more extensive search to fill this very crucial position.

While Dr. Hensley’s service at KDE was fairly brief, he definitely made major contributions, including establishing programs to deal with over 40 Kentucky Persistently Low-Achieving Schools.

I suspect Dr. Hensley will be sorely missed by Kentucky Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday, but the ailing system in Jefferson County certainly needs dramatic and energetic senior leadership, too. Jefferson County Superintendent Donna Hargens could not have made a more solid selection for her senior academic leader.

However, it remains to be seen if the Hargens/Hensley team can overcome strongly entrenched adult interests in Jefferson County to effect real change for the system’s students.