SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY — February 5, 2026 — Bullitt County Public Schools (BCPS) has been named the recipient of the Kentucky Board of Education’s (KBE) 2025 Kevin C. Brown Strategic Priority Award. Announced during the KBE’s February 5th meeting, the award recognizes the district’s trailblazing work in developing a Community-Based Accountability (CBA) system that redefines how student and school success are measured.
Named after former interim commissioner of education and current JCPS General Counsel Kevin C. Brown, the award highlights school districts that demonstrate a steadfast commitment to Kentucky’s "United We Learn" vision—a future where education is relevant, authentic, and co-created with the community.
The recognition follows a multi-year journey that began in 2016 when BCPS leaders asked a critical question: “What are we missing when we look at test scores alone?” Moving beyond standard compliance, BCPS launched the Community Collaborators for Innovative Learning Team in 2021. By 2024 the group was formally established as the Community-Based Accountability (CBA) Steering Committee. This 40-member group, comprising parents, staff, students, and community partners, worked to move the needle from "schooling" to "life readiness."
“The district didn’t just open the front door to community input, it invited the community to help redesign the house,” noted nominators Jason Adkins and Kathy House of the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC).
The district’s new accountability system is built upon six foundational pillars co-created by the community to ensure every student is supported holistically:
Student Learning
Fiscal & Operational Care
Community Collaboration & Engagement
Engaged & Well-Rounded Students
Safety & Well-Being
Life Readiness
“We are deeply honored to be selected for the Kevin C. Brown Strategic Priority Award and especially grateful to receive an award that bears the name of a leader whose service to Kentucky students exemplified clarity, courage and a steadfast commitment to doing what’s right for kids,” said Superintendent Jesse Bacon. “This recognition affirms the intentional work our district has undertaken – hand-in-hand with families, staff, students and community partners – to clearly define what student, school and district success looks like for our community and to hold ourselves accountable to those expectations."
Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher praised the district's initiative, stating, “Bullitt County Schools are demonstrating the vision of United We Learn. On behalf of the board, we’re proud of their commitment to being 'All In' for student success.”
BCPS is currently finalizing a public-facing dashboard that will map these six pillars to clear, measurable indicators. This tool will use "student-friendly" metrics to ensure transparency and invite ongoing feedback from the Bullitt County community.
Early indicators of this shift are already visible: attendance at student exhibitions is rising, and students report increased motivation and confidence as they showcase real-world projects to community partners.
Congratulations, BCPS. We are truly moving forward together.