Kentucky News Network

Jefferson County Schools could be the first in the state to act to raise the dropout age from 16 to 18.  School board member Chris Brady says he'll bring the issue up for discussion Monday night and could pursue a vote.

"I think it's in our best interest to set the expectation that everyone graduates by at least age 18 and to say it's not okay to dropout before that time," Brady adds.

Brady says it's important for JCPS to act quickly to send a message to the state and the community that the district wants to do everything it can to reach all students.  JCPS is the state's largest district.  
 
Governor Beshear just signed the bill last week. It leaves the decision up to individual districts. Once 55% of districts raise the age, it will become mandatory for all four years later. Over 6,000 Kentucky students drop out each year. Over 1,000 JCPS students are dropping out each year.

The state wants to hear the opinions of teachers across the state. They're being asked to complete the TELL Kentucky Survey. TELL stands for teaching, empowering, leading, and learning.

Schools will use the information gathered for their annual improvement plans. The state will also use the data to make improvements. Questions on the survey cover everything from school leadership and community support to use of time and managing student conduct.

The survey is being done every two years. 2011 was the first year, with 80% of Kentucky teachers responding. State officials hope to get that number to 90% this year. The online survey is anonymous and takes about 30 minutes to complete. It runs through March 29.  Click here for more information on the survey and to see response rates, by district.

Elizabethtown Police are investigating two horrific cases of child abuse.  A three-month-old infant is in the hospital, severely malnourished and with several broken bones.  The baby boy has a fractured skull, broken ribs, a broken leg, and multiple bruises.  Elizabethtown Police Officer Virgil Willoughby adds the infant was malnourished almost to the point of death.  

"The photographs show this infant was literally skins and bone, says Willoughby.

The baby actually weighed less than he did at birth.  The parents, 18-year-old Alexander Irwin and 19-year-old Jessica Capponi are charged with criminal abuse.  Irwin is also charged with assault.  He told police the baby fell out of his arms and hit the floor.

Concerned citizens protested Tuesday morning outside the Taylor County animal shelter. The shelter will be closed to the public in April, and will instead, become a holding facility. Animals won’t be available for adoption by the public. Instead they will be transferred to other county shelters after spending one day in the holding facility. 

Harry Reif is president of the Taylor County SPCA.  He, among others, is looking for answers.

"It's Taylor county tax money that pays for the shelter, and the people of Taylor county feel they should have a voice in how it's operated and what the facility is used for," suggests Reif.

When the Academy Awards are presented in Los Angeles later this month, actress Jennifer Lawrence won't be the only Kentucky connection: Robyn Stuart of Frankfort is making candy for the Oscar Gifting Lounge--3,500 bourbon balls to be exact. 

Stuart says she got her start watching her mom make bourbon balls around the holidays. 

"That was her way of saying 'thanks' and so she gave them to the garbage man, the mail man, everybody she wanted to say thank you to," says Stuart.