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FCPS outlines Stronger Connections grant programs for K–12 social belonging and literacy supports
Summary
District staff described Stronger Connections, a state-funded grant program focused on social belonging, mentoring and reading resiliency. Presenters reported MAP reading gains for participating students and described K–12 mentoring and after-school activities funded by the grant.
Fayette County Public Schools presented an update on Stronger Connections, a program funded through a grant written with the Kentucky Department of Education that the district says supports practices designed to strengthen student belonging, family connections, growth mindset, high expectations and cultural affirmation across K–12.
Dr. Matthews, the district’s chief officer for unity, belonging and student efficacy, described five “links” (social belonging; home and community connections; growth mindset; wise critique/high expectations; and culture and value affirmations) that guide the initiative. The grant supports multiple activities: an elementary after-school program called Links to Literacy, middle-school mentoring and job-embedded professional learning, and high-school mentoring and plans for student-voice initiatives.
Dr. Matthews said the Links to Literacy program ran in 20 schools in the fall semester with about 300 students, meeting two days per week for two hours. The district compared MAP reading-growth points and reported a 9-point average MAP gain for students who participated in Stronger Connections versus a 6-point average gain overall from fall to winter.
Secondary programs cover mentoring in dozens of schools; presenters said more than 900 secondary students have access to mentoring programs tied to the initiative. Dr. Matthews and staff highlighted site-level activities — horse-eye dissections at Leestown, goal-setting and budgeting workshops at Bryan Station, peer mentoring, a Get Fit Club and student service projects — as examples of how community and curriculum connect under the grant.
The grant runs through next September, Dr. Matthews said; district staff said broader behavioral and discipline impacts are the next metrics to be developed as part of the evaluation work.
