UK Center for Next Generation Leadership

09/09/2026

“It definitely transitioned Kentucky from a stagnant, low-performing state, honestly that’s where we were, to nationally respected,"

That's how UK Next Gen's Justin Bathon describes what KERA did for Kentucky's education system nearly 40 years ago.

Bathon spent this summer with education leaders across Europe, and he's got a new read on where the state stands now: further along in the global shift toward deeper learning than most people realize.

Watch the full conversation and read the article here:

In April of 1990, Kentucky decided to rebuild its entire public education system. The Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) signed by Governor Wallace Wilkinson aimed to fundamentally change Kentucky’s education system so that every student had access to a high-quality education and was held to hig...

09/02/2026

Fifteen years of showing up for Kentucky educators. That's what UK Next Gen is built on.

We're a team inside the University of Kentucky College of Education, and our work is simple to name but hard to do: partner with districts across the Commonwealth to build schools that work for every student. Not programs. Systems. Built alongside educators, not delivered to them.

Since 2019 alone, we've worked with 110 Kentucky districts, supported 643 Leadership Academy participants, and walked with 241 teachers through rank change. The work looks different in every community — because communities are different, and that's exactly the point.

Tag a Kentucky educator who should know about this work.

08/28/2026

Our Next Generation Scholars started their first college courses this week, right from their own high school classrooms.

Dual-credit work asks a lot: keeping up with a college syllabus on top of a full high school schedule. One week in, these students are already finding their footing, and we're glad to be part of that first stretch with them.

Here's to a strong semester ahead.

08/27/2026

"What kind of education do Kentuckians want for their children?"

That question launched Kentucky United We Learn in 2022. UK Next Gen has been part of the work ever since: helping districts listen to their communities, define what student success actually means locally, and build systems that reflect those answers.

We believe communities define success. Not the state. Not the district alone. The community.

What does a graduate from your district look like?

Drop one quality in the comments.

08/26/2026

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08/12/2026

Welcome back to the classroom! 🍎

UK Next Gen wants to give a warm welcome to school leaders, teachers, and students back for a new year of learning, growth, and possibility!

The work of creating strong schools and communities starts with the people who show up every day, in classrooms, hallways, and central offices, working together to make a difference.

Here’s to a year of shared leadership, steady progress, and learning shaped by what matters most to each community!

Wishing everyone a great start to the school year! 💙

08/05/2026

UK Next Gen could have brought in another outside keynote speaker for this year's Leadership Academy kickoff. Instead, they handed the mic to someone already doing the work: Michelle Gross 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year

Gross, a 7th grade math teacher at Spencer County Middle School , spoke to educators from across the state about how vibrant learning, the kind of teaching UK Next Gen actively champions and helps showcase, transformed her classroom and helped earn her the title.

The full article breaks down what that looked like in practice, including her Dream Home-A-Rama project. Watch the video below for a glimpse of her keynote, then read the story to see why UK Next Gen chose to make her the centerpiece of this year's kickoff.

Spencer County Schools

Read the full article here 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/vibrant-learning-has-exceptions-inside-ky-teacher-years-7th-nvlee

07/31/2026

A Hive Mind: How Clark County Schools Are Giving Back to the Community and Saving the Bees

It started with a simple question at school: What if students grew and prepared their own food? That question became a pollinator garden, and the garden became something much bigger.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative partnered with the district on the construction, working alongside students from across the district to help build the observatory. The view hive, built with windows, allows students from elementary through high school to watch bees at work, connecting their observations directly to the science curriculum while giving local pollinators a stronger place to thrive.

This is what Clark County’s Portrait of a Learner looks like in practice: a connection between a district and the community around it, working together to grow greatness. Clark County Public Schools developed its Portrait of a Learner alongside UK Next Gen, whose coaching helped inspire projects like this. It’s Vibrant Learning in action, made possible through UK Next Gen’s partnership with the district.

Watch the full video to see how it all came together.

07/27/2026

Welcome Cohort 16 to The Next Gen Leadership Academy!

Last Thursday, we kicked things off with some fantastic keynote speakers, including Michelle Gross 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year ! All of these educators shared what vibrant learning actually looks like in their classrooms, inspiring the cohort in front of them.

Lots of smiles, lots of new friends, and one very promising start to the year ahead. Thanks for showing up, Cohort 16. Let's do this. 👏