September 17, 2025 • 29 mins
From classrooms to clinics, Kentuckians are facing choices and challenges that demand attention. In this week’s Kentucky Focus, Scott Fitzgerald unpacks what’s at stake, why it matters, and what it means for families across the state.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. Well, the state's
largest public school system, Jefferson County Public Schools, is facing
tough times and families across the Commonwealth are watching closely.
Could there be a solution on the horizon that provides
more options for students? Will break down what this means
for the commonwealth, schools, teachers, and families. And believe it
or not, the weather is actually going to cool here
(00:23):
in Kentucky and many of us around the state are
entering what experts call peak week. We'll hear from a
top expert about why this season is so risky and
what you can do to stay safe. Stay with us.
I'm Scott Fitzgerald. This is Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Welcome to Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the
show that looks at issues affecting the Commonwealth and its citizens.
We cover state politics and history, human interest stories, sports,
and even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on kNN.
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Speaker 1 (03:50):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. Jefferson County Public Schools is
facing the financial crisis that could threaten its very existence.
In just over a year, with one hundred and eighty
eight million dollar deficit, staff salaries making up eighty four
percent of the budget, and federal COVID relief funds gone.
Tough's decisions are on the horizon. Meanwhile, some see public
charter schools as a potential JCPS angel, offering families more
(04:12):
options and easing pressure on traditional schools. Joining us to
explain how charter schools work and what they can mean
for Jefferson County and maybe others is Jim Waters with
the Bluegrass Institute. Jim, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 8 (04:23):
Hey, great to be here, Scott, thanks for the invite.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
What exactly is a public charter school?
Speaker 8 (04:28):
Well, I'm glad you said it that way. It's actually
a public school that's managed differently, run differently than a
traditional public school. A public charter school is free of
some of the regulations that traditional public school has, and
we think hold great teachers and schools back sometimes and
(04:49):
you know, they're more free to be innovative. They can
hire the staff that best fits that school's purpose. And
the school is autonomous, so it has its own board
and the board makes the decisions about curriculum and personnel
and finances. Now, the charter schools still have to abide
by state testing requirements. By teacher certification requirements. The teachers
(05:12):
are part of the retirement system and those type of things.
But when it comes to the day to day ability
to innovate, be creative, offer education, but do it in
a different way sometimes, that's where the real secret sauce
of charter schools is.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Jim Waters joining us with the Bluegrass Institute where, of
course you're talking about the news that came out this
week Jefferson County public schools are facing a financial crisis
and could charter public schools be an alternative? And Jim,
how are they funded?
Speaker 8 (05:39):
Oh, they are publicly funded. House Bill nine, which was
passed here in twenty twenty two by the legislature, would
allow a portion of the dollars that are set aside
for the educating of each public schools student in Kentucky
to follow a student that wants to enroll in a
charter school. Now, every public school student has three buckets
(06:03):
of revenue basically the district receives. One is local property
tax dollars, another are the state seat funding dollars, and
another are federal dollars. The state portion of those dollars
is actually supposed to follow the student. Anyhow, in Kentucky
according to our education laws. So that's how this would work.
(06:26):
Those dollars would follow student to a charter school, So
a charter school would receive the state portion of funding
that each student already or that district's received for each
student already.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Great conversation with Jim Waters. He joins us from the
Bluegrass Institute, of course, talking about the news that JCPS
is facing a one eighty eight million dollar deficit, and Jim,
some parents worry about students with disabilities. Can charter schools
meet those needs?
Speaker 8 (06:52):
Not only can they, they must They must accept students
with IEPs with disabilities. There are forty five charter school
laws in the nation. Every single one of them requires
charter schools to accept students, first of all, on a
first come, first serve basis. But also they cannot pick
and choose students. They cannot choose not to accept students
(07:15):
that have disabilities. In fact, we're seeing some really great
things happening with some charter schools around the country that
are marketing to disabled students and that are focusing on
helping disabled students, And there's some really great things happening
with that. You know, charter schools can be flexible. They
can provide services that disabled students need that maybe the
(07:38):
rest of the student population doesn't need. So it's an
ability again to focus on the needs of the students.
And the answer is absolutely yes. Unlike some of our
other types of schools, you know, not magnet schools, for example,
don't have to accept all students. Some of the other
special kinds of public schools we have in Kentucky also
(07:59):
don't have to do that. So, but charter schools would public.
Charter schools are public schools. They must accept students on
a first come, first serve basis, They cannot charge tuition,
and they must accept students with learning disabilities.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Spending some informative minutes here with Jim Waters with the
Bluegrass Institute coming strong on the heels of the news
we got this week Jefferson County public schools facing a
financial crisis, and Jim, there's also the teacher angle. Does
expanding charter schools give teachers more opportunities and affect their pack.
Speaker 8 (08:28):
You know, that's a great question and one that's an
area that's not often thought of when it comes to
school choices and these types of options. But yes, when
you have these types of choices for parents and families.
It also creates more and different opportunities for teachers. Some teachers,
you know, just like some students would do better in
(08:51):
a charter school, some teachers would do better in a
different environment, and so this offers them that option as well.
And we also see around the country a lot of
former traditional public school teachers who have moved into the
charter school arena and are doing great, and they again,
they have flexibility. A lot of times, the disciplinary environment
(09:12):
is much better in a charter school, and some teachers
really that's what they want. And so this is again
about meeting needs that people have and students, teachers, parents, families.
The focus should be on them, Scott, on students and
on their needs rather than on protecting some kind of system.
(09:33):
We think the system should adjust to the needs of
the students and that's what we're trying to do here
in Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Always enjoy catching up with Jim Waters. He is with
the Bluegrass Institute, and again we're talking about the news
out of Jefferson County Public Schools and their financial crisis
and what this could mean for other districts and is
there a way out of this with say charter schools
and Jim. Critics say charter schools could take resources away
from districts like jcps. How do you respond to that.
Speaker 8 (10:01):
The very definition of a charter school is they are
a public school and they are part of the public
education system. A lot of times that argument is intended
to distract from the fact that we need options for
parents in communities, and so I think that's really First
(10:24):
of all, we have forty four states in America that
have charter schools. There are almost two hundred and thirty
thousand students in public charter schools just in the states
surrounding the border Kentucky. If charter schools were going to
harm public education, then we would have seen that already.
With almost thirty five years of public charter schools existing
(10:47):
in this country. The sky has not fallen in in
the public system. As a matter of fact, states that
have more choices, more options, and have charter schools as
an opportunity for parents, public education systems in many cases
are actually performing at a higher level and are being
more accountable and transparent with their dollars. So I think
(11:09):
that's just that that's an unproven argument that's used to
distract away from the fact that this is that. Really,
what I think a lot of people are in the
system are saying is we can't do education any differently here.
We can't be innovative with this, and I think that's wrong.
Every other area of our society we've innovated and we've
(11:31):
changed as we've needed to, and it's time for education
to have some of that as well.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Spending in some good. In four minutes again, Jim Waters
He is with the Bluegrass Institute talking about crises facing
public school systems, specifically Jefferson County public schools with the
one hundred and eighty eight million dollar deficit and cuts
on the horizon. Finally, Jim, now that the Kentucky Supreme
Court has heard the arguments, what's at stake for families
in the future of education in the Commonwealth.
Speaker 8 (11:56):
What's at stake here is simply, is our priorities going
to be control and money or are they going to
be the needs of students and parents and families. And
I think that the court ruling is is going to
be very important in opening up some opportunities, especially for
(12:18):
our disadvantaged, low income students, especially in our urban areas
like Jefferson County. Around the country, we're seeing that charter
schools are especially effective with that student population, and they're
effective at closing the achievement gaps between black and white students,
between lower income and higher income students. And I think
(12:42):
that we need to acknowledge that there's a need for
that to happen. In Kentucky, that we have a serious
issue with our academic outcomes. Only about one in three
of our students are reading and doing math proficiently. In
Jefferson County. Are minority students only fewer than two and
ten in many cases are proficient in those academic areas.
(13:04):
And so let's give this a try. Let's try something
that's working in other states, and let's see if we
can help more of our students. That's really what this
should be about. You know, public charter schools. This is
not a new idea. It's not a radical idea. Indiana
has lots of options for parents, including charter schools, as
does Tennessee and the states around us, and we see
(13:27):
that it's having a positive effect on students, families, even
teachers and the public education system. Another thing that charter
schools have to be I'll mention here is they have
to be transparent. They are subject to the Open Records
Act here in Kentucky, and I think if our public
education system maybe was more transparent with how they're spending
(13:48):
their dollars, we might not see as deep of deficits
as we're seeing. It's amazing to me that the school
district with a two billion dollar budget has has, you know,
an almost two hundred million dollars deficit when teachers really
have not seen large pay raises. So those dollars are
going to administration, to bureaucracy, and a charter school can't
(14:11):
afford to do that. They have to use their resources
carefully because they don't get as many of them. So
I think there's a case to be made here for
options in Kentucky. And I want our families to benefit,
just like all the families in forty four other states.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Are Jim Waters fantastic conversation as always, he is with
the Bluegrass Institute and they have put together a clear,
frequently asked questions to help those of you may be
listening right now make sense of well an important option
that is charter schools. Jim, where can folks go to
see that they.
Speaker 8 (14:40):
Can go to our website at Bluegrass Institute dot org
and there are several questions there that we provide answers
for and they feel free to reach out as well
if we can be of additional help on helping folks
understand how these work and some great examples from other
states as well.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Jim, you're one of the best. Thanks for doing all
the heavy lifting there, all of you folks at the
Bluegrass Institute on that, my man, and let's talk again
soon once we get further down the road with this,
Let's do it. And again thank you to Jim Waters
and the Bluegrass Institute for helping us understand the role
of public charter schools could play, not only just in
Jefferson County, but maybe throughout the state. For anyone wanting
the one more, you can visit Bluegrass Institute's website BIPPS
(15:22):
dot org for more. That's b IPPs dot org for more.
Up next, we're turning to your health. There is a
critical window of time that possesses extra risks for those
who suffer from the seasonal ailments. We'll talk about that
with an expert about how to stay ahead of the curve.
I'm Scott Fitzgerald. You are listening to Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
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(16:06):
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what that does and that they become contributed members is
socided they have an income they can provide for their
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which makes Kentucky a safer place. And by Kentucky being
(16:29):
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Speaker 1 (17:13):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. As we
settle into the fall season, millions of Americans living with
asthma are entering one experts called peak week, hence the
time of the year in asthma attacks and hospitalization spike.
Joining us to talk about why this season poses such
a risk and what patients can do to stay safe
is doctor Justin Griwey, Board certified allergist and immunologist, Doctor Grywie. Welcome.
(17:36):
We appreciate you taking time for us. Thanks for having me,
Doctor raiwe Why is fall considered peak asthma season and
what makes this time of you're especially dangerous for people
with asthma?
Speaker 10 (17:46):
Good question.
Speaker 11 (17:46):
Yeah, August through December is really a critical time for
the asthma community, specifically in the US due to the
heightened exposure to seasonal asthma triggers with increased risks for
asthma attacks. But the third week of September is really
what makes you call asthma peak week, and that's where
emergency room visits and hospitalizations for asthma tend to be
the highest in the year. So each fall of the
(18:08):
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranks the one hundred
largest US metro areas by how challenging it is to
live with asthma, and I think in your neck of
the woods you come in about forty nine, so you're
not in the top twenty, but there's definitely some triggers
in your area that can definitely make asthma sufferers feel worse.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
I'm right on doctor Justin Griwee joining us. He is
a board certified allergist and immunologist. He's working in partnership
with AstraZeneca, and we're talking about fall allergies and doc,
what are some of the most common symptoms patients should
watch that indicate maybe an asthma attack might be coming.
Speaker 12 (18:43):
Sure.
Speaker 11 (18:43):
Yeah, the most common side effects or symptoms with asthma
is typically shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing,
and these symptoms happen when the airways get inflamed and
when they get tight. So it's important to understand that
underlying inflammation can exist not just with a but even
in the absence of symptoms. And so it's sometimes challenging
(19:03):
for patients to manage their asthma when they're constantly exposed
to triggers, whether it be pollens with ragweed this fall,
or mold with the decaying leaves. The weather shifts are
barometric pressure changes that people can be exposed to, pollution, bacteria, viruses,
back to school, so all these things can really put
patients that increase risks for attacks. And when we look
(19:25):
at the amount of asthmatics in the US, about twenty
two million adults suffer from this condition, with nearly nine
million asthma attacks and over seven hundred thousand er visits
linked to asthma flare ups. So this is a pretty
ubiguous condition that can really affect a lot of patients,
and again the fall being one of the most common
triggers for these patients to have asthma flare ups.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Doctor justin Greve we spending a few minutes with US again.
He's a board certified allergist and immunologist and he joins
US in partnership with Astrozenica. We're talking about fall allergies.
I know, TOC we had now to our music festival
and it's been very dry here lately and that my
wife could not stop sneezing all weekend long. So I
can certainly attest to what you're talking about there, Doc.
(20:09):
What proactive steps can patients take to reduce the risk
of an attack during this peak season.
Speaker 11 (20:15):
Yeah, as you mentioned, we're working with Astrasnenka. It's a
really raise awareness about this peak week and one of
the main issues that we really want to address is
one communication, So making sure that your audience members with
asthma talk with their doctors now, review their treatment plans
and know what to do before things get worse this fall,
so they can really reduce their risk for asthma attacks.
But it's also important that you know to understand that
(20:37):
asthma's not something that kind of you know, turns on
or turns off. It's a chronic condition and so the
potential for a flare up can occur at any time,
and so when we look at rescue treatments, or ways
we can treat our asthmatic patients. In the past, we
used to rely on a traditional rescuing and hailer that
really just worked on the tightening of the airways. But
(20:58):
with new advancements and rouvals recently, there's now an anti
inflammatory rescue treatment that treats both the tightening and the
inflammation in the airways, which both can lead to increased
incidents of exacerbations and hospitalizations. And so when we address
this inflammation, we can really protect patients this fall and
(21:18):
keep them out of the er and now to the hospital. So,
of course, for your audience members that want to dig deeper,
sites like Modern Age of Rescue dot com have great
information on anti inflammatory rescue strategies, and organizations like the
AAFA which I mentioned earlier has great educational resources and
supporting research to improve asthma care for everyone with that
(21:38):
ultimate goal of keeping people healthy this fall.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Yeah, I was going to say, doc, what are some
of the practical steps families can take now that will
help minimize the exposure to fall asthma triggers.
Speaker 11 (21:48):
So if triggers are pollen related, definitely, you know, keeping
the windows and windows in the house and in the
car closed so that you're not exposed to that ragweed
or mold pollen in the area. Avoiding you know, you
can get out of fall chores, maybe avoiding raking those
leaves up in the backyard if you have a trigger
with mold or rag weed, so kind of avoiding those
(22:08):
those situations that might get you in a bad spot.
And of course making sure that you're carrying your rescuing
hailer and or using your daily and hailers as directed
by your physician. But all those things can be really
helpful to prevent these attacks. But having a plan is
the ultimate thing, you know, talk to your doctor, develop
an asthma treatment plan and stick to it this fall,
(22:28):
so you can really prevent those flare ups from recurring.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
In the first place, I was going to say, doctor
justin gry Wee joining us. Now get a board certified
analogist and immunologist working together with astra Zenica and a
couple just two more questions for you, doc, And the
more important thing is if somebody's listening to this and
they say, look, I don't know if I have analogies.
I've never been to the doctor. I don't know if
i'm I'm having an asthmatic reaction, What are some of
(22:51):
the questions or how can they be prepared if they
head to the doctor, What kind of questions can they ask?
Speaker 11 (22:57):
Yeah, I mean talking to your primary care doctor is
important and making sure that you address all these questions.
If you're having symptoms of shortness of breath, WESE, you know,
chest tightness, coughing, if you're a primary care doctor doesn't
seem equipped to handle those types of symptoms or they're
not improving despite treatment, then visiting a board certified allergy
imnologist or a board certified puminologist to address specifically the
(23:21):
asthma related symptoms. If you're concerned about seasonal allergies, then
a board certified allogist can be a great resource to
do testing, whether it's skin or blood testing to really
decide and determine if you truly have allergies or not.
And then of course doing more objective lung function testing
in the office for asthma it's called a Palmary function
test can give patients and a better understanding of what
(23:41):
their risks are for asthma. So relying on specialist to
really work up these questions and concerns and so working
with your primary care doctor to start, and maybe getting
a referral to a specialist to really point you in
the right direction and get the expert you know, expertise
that you really need to to prevent these attacks from
recurring in.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
The first Doctor Justin grwe a board certified allergist and
immunologists working together with Astra Zeneca to help us sort
of navigate our way through fall allergies and asthma. Doctor Grei,
we thank you so much for your time, appreciate having
great day, and again, thank you to doctor Justin Grwee,
a board certified agist and immunologists, for sharing his expertise
and giving us actionable tips to help keep our asthma
(24:22):
under control during this high risk fall period. From understanding
triggers to proactive care, his guidance makes the difference for
both patients and families all around the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
We're back to wrap things up after this. I'm Scott
Fitzgerald and you're listening to Kentucky Focus.
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Speaker 1 (26:41):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. As we
wrap things up this week again, Jefferson County Public Schools,
the state's largest public school district, is at a crossroads.
With tough financial choices ahead. Public charter schools could offer
a lifeline, really, a tuition free, innovative option for family
seeking high quality educa Think again, Jim Waters with the
(27:02):
Bluegrass Institute for helping us understand how charter schools operate
and what they could mean for the state's families. And
thank you once more to doctor Justin Grywe for sharing
his expertise on keeping your asthma under control during this
high risk fall season. And finally, thank you to you
the listener here in Kentucky, for making Kentucky Focus part
of your listening habits. It's Because of you, maybe we
(27:22):
sparked the conversations that matter most here in the state
of Kentucky. For all of this at the Kentucky News
Network and Kentucky Focus, I'm Scott Fitzgerald reminding you to
stay safe and stay positive. We'll talk to you next
week on Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the show that
looks at issues affecting the Commonwealth and its citizens. We
cover state politics, in history, human interest stories, sports, and
even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on kNN.
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Welcome to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. Well, the state's
largest public school system, Jefferson County Public Schools, is facing
tough times and families across the Commonwealth are watching closely.
Could there be a solution on the horizon that provides
more options for students? Will break down what this means
for the commonwealth, schools, teachers, and families. And believe it
or not, the weather is actually going to cool here
(00:23):
in Kentucky and many of us around the state are
entering what experts call peak week. We'll hear from a
top expert about why this season is so risky and
what you can do to stay safe. Stay with us.
I'm Scott Fitzgerald. This is Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Welcome to Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the
show that looks at issues affecting the Commonwealth and its citizens.
We cover state politics and history, human interest stories, sports,
and even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on kNN.
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Speaker 1 (03:50):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. Jefferson County Public Schools is
facing the financial crisis that could threaten its very existence.
In just over a year, with one hundred and eighty
eight million dollar deficit, staff salaries making up eighty four
percent of the budget, and federal COVID relief funds gone.
Tough's decisions are on the horizon. Meanwhile, some see public
charter schools as a potential JCPS angel, offering families more
(04:12):
options and easing pressure on traditional schools. Joining us to
explain how charter schools work and what they can mean
for Jefferson County and maybe others is Jim Waters with
the Bluegrass Institute. Jim, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 8 (04:23):
Hey, great to be here, Scott, thanks for the invite.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
What exactly is a public charter school?
Speaker 8 (04:28):
Well, I'm glad you said it that way. It's actually
a public school that's managed differently, run differently than a
traditional public school. A public charter school is free of
some of the regulations that traditional public school has, and
we think hold great teachers and schools back sometimes and
(04:49):
you know, they're more free to be innovative. They can
hire the staff that best fits that school's purpose. And
the school is autonomous, so it has its own board
and the board makes the decisions about curriculum and personnel
and finances. Now, the charter schools still have to abide
by state testing requirements. By teacher certification requirements. The teachers
(05:12):
are part of the retirement system and those type of things.
But when it comes to the day to day ability
to innovate, be creative, offer education, but do it in
a different way sometimes, that's where the real secret sauce
of charter schools is.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Jim Waters joining us with the Bluegrass Institute where, of
course you're talking about the news that came out this
week Jefferson County public schools are facing a financial crisis
and could charter public schools be an alternative? And Jim,
how are they funded?
Speaker 8 (05:39):
Oh, they are publicly funded. House Bill nine, which was
passed here in twenty twenty two by the legislature, would
allow a portion of the dollars that are set aside
for the educating of each public schools student in Kentucky
to follow a student that wants to enroll in a
charter school. Now, every public school student has three buckets
(06:03):
of revenue basically the district receives. One is local property
tax dollars, another are the state seat funding dollars, and
another are federal dollars. The state portion of those dollars
is actually supposed to follow the student. Anyhow, in Kentucky
according to our education laws. So that's how this would work.
(06:26):
Those dollars would follow student to a charter school, So
a charter school would receive the state portion of funding
that each student already or that district's received for each
student already.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Great conversation with Jim Waters. He joins us from the
Bluegrass Institute, of course, talking about the news that JCPS
is facing a one eighty eight million dollar deficit, and Jim,
some parents worry about students with disabilities. Can charter schools
meet those needs?
Speaker 8 (06:52):
Not only can they, they must They must accept students
with IEPs with disabilities. There are forty five charter school
laws in the nation. Every single one of them requires
charter schools to accept students, first of all, on a
first come, first serve basis. But also they cannot pick
and choose students. They cannot choose not to accept students
(07:15):
that have disabilities. In fact, we're seeing some really great
things happening with some charter schools around the country that
are marketing to disabled students and that are focusing on
helping disabled students, And there's some really great things happening
with that. You know, charter schools can be flexible. They
can provide services that disabled students need that maybe the
(07:38):
rest of the student population doesn't need. So it's an
ability again to focus on the needs of the students.
And the answer is absolutely yes. Unlike some of our
other types of schools, you know, not magnet schools, for example,
don't have to accept all students. Some of the other
special kinds of public schools we have in Kentucky also
(07:59):
don't have to do that. So, but charter schools would public.
Charter schools are public schools. They must accept students on
a first come, first serve basis, They cannot charge tuition,
and they must accept students with learning disabilities.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Spending some informative minutes here with Jim Waters with the
Bluegrass Institute coming strong on the heels of the news
we got this week Jefferson County public schools facing a
financial crisis, and Jim, there's also the teacher angle. Does
expanding charter schools give teachers more opportunities and affect their pack.
Speaker 8 (08:28):
You know, that's a great question and one that's an
area that's not often thought of when it comes to
school choices and these types of options. But yes, when
you have these types of choices for parents and families.
It also creates more and different opportunities for teachers. Some teachers,
you know, just like some students would do better in
(08:51):
a charter school, some teachers would do better in a
different environment, and so this offers them that option as well.
And we also see around the country a lot of
former traditional public school teachers who have moved into the
charter school arena and are doing great, and they again,
they have flexibility. A lot of times, the disciplinary environment
(09:12):
is much better in a charter school, and some teachers
really that's what they want. And so this is again
about meeting needs that people have and students, teachers, parents, families.
The focus should be on them, Scott, on students and
on their needs rather than on protecting some kind of system.
(09:33):
We think the system should adjust to the needs of
the students and that's what we're trying to do here
in Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Always enjoy catching up with Jim Waters. He is with
the Bluegrass Institute, and again we're talking about the news
out of Jefferson County Public Schools and their financial crisis
and what this could mean for other districts and is
there a way out of this with say charter schools
and Jim. Critics say charter schools could take resources away
from districts like jcps. How do you respond to that.
Speaker 8 (10:01):
The very definition of a charter school is they are
a public school and they are part of the public
education system. A lot of times that argument is intended
to distract from the fact that we need options for
parents in communities, and so I think that's really First
(10:24):
of all, we have forty four states in America that
have charter schools. There are almost two hundred and thirty
thousand students in public charter schools just in the states
surrounding the border Kentucky. If charter schools were going to
harm public education, then we would have seen that already.
With almost thirty five years of public charter schools existing
(10:47):
in this country. The sky has not fallen in in
the public system. As a matter of fact, states that
have more choices, more options, and have charter schools as
an opportunity for parents, public education systems in many cases
are actually performing at a higher level and are being
more accountable and transparent with their dollars. So I think
(11:09):
that's just that that's an unproven argument that's used to
distract away from the fact that this is that. Really,
what I think a lot of people are in the
system are saying is we can't do education any differently here.
We can't be innovative with this, and I think that's wrong.
Every other area of our society we've innovated and we've
(11:31):
changed as we've needed to, and it's time for education
to have some of that as well.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Spending in some good. In four minutes again, Jim Waters
He is with the Bluegrass Institute talking about crises facing
public school systems, specifically Jefferson County public schools with the
one hundred and eighty eight million dollar deficit and cuts
on the horizon. Finally, Jim, now that the Kentucky Supreme
Court has heard the arguments, what's at stake for families
in the future of education in the Commonwealth.
Speaker 8 (11:56):
What's at stake here is simply, is our priorities going
to be control and money or are they going to
be the needs of students and parents and families. And
I think that the court ruling is is going to
be very important in opening up some opportunities, especially for
(12:18):
our disadvantaged, low income students, especially in our urban areas
like Jefferson County. Around the country, we're seeing that charter
schools are especially effective with that student population, and they're
effective at closing the achievement gaps between black and white students,
between lower income and higher income students. And I think
(12:42):
that we need to acknowledge that there's a need for
that to happen. In Kentucky, that we have a serious
issue with our academic outcomes. Only about one in three
of our students are reading and doing math proficiently. In
Jefferson County. Are minority students only fewer than two and
ten in many cases are proficient in those academic areas.
(13:04):
And so let's give this a try. Let's try something
that's working in other states, and let's see if we
can help more of our students. That's really what this
should be about. You know, public charter schools. This is
not a new idea. It's not a radical idea. Indiana
has lots of options for parents, including charter schools, as
does Tennessee and the states around us, and we see
(13:27):
that it's having a positive effect on students, families, even
teachers and the public education system. Another thing that charter
schools have to be I'll mention here is they have
to be transparent. They are subject to the Open Records
Act here in Kentucky, and I think if our public
education system maybe was more transparent with how they're spending
(13:48):
their dollars, we might not see as deep of deficits
as we're seeing. It's amazing to me that the school
district with a two billion dollar budget has has, you know,
an almost two hundred million dollars deficit when teachers really
have not seen large pay raises. So those dollars are
going to administration, to bureaucracy, and a charter school can't
(14:11):
afford to do that. They have to use their resources
carefully because they don't get as many of them. So
I think there's a case to be made here for
options in Kentucky. And I want our families to benefit,
just like all the families in forty four other states.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Are Jim Waters fantastic conversation as always, he is with
the Bluegrass Institute and they have put together a clear,
frequently asked questions to help those of you may be
listening right now make sense of well an important option
that is charter schools. Jim, where can folks go to
see that they.
Speaker 8 (14:40):
Can go to our website at Bluegrass Institute dot org
and there are several questions there that we provide answers
for and they feel free to reach out as well
if we can be of additional help on helping folks
understand how these work and some great examples from other
states as well.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Jim, you're one of the best. Thanks for doing all
the heavy lifting there, all of you folks at the
Bluegrass Institute on that, my man, and let's talk again
soon once we get further down the road with this,
Let's do it. And again thank you to Jim Waters
and the Bluegrass Institute for helping us understand the role
of public charter schools could play, not only just in
Jefferson County, but maybe throughout the state. For anyone wanting
the one more, you can visit Bluegrass Institute's website BIPPS
(15:22):
dot org for more. That's b IPPs dot org for more.
Up next, we're turning to your health. There is a
critical window of time that possesses extra risks for those
who suffer from the seasonal ailments. We'll talk about that
with an expert about how to stay ahead of the curve.
I'm Scott Fitzgerald. You are listening to Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
The mission of Kentucky State Place is a sifeguard and
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we have someone that commits a crime, and we want
to ensure that those pay their debt to society, and
(16:06):
they do. But once they finish that, and that's when
we want to incorporate these re entry programs for those
to be able to go back in their communities. And
what that does and that they become contributed members is
socided they have an income they can provide for their
family and by that then they're not committing further offenses,
which makes Kentucky a safer place. And by Kentucky being
(16:29):
a safer place, that's also safer for law enforcement across
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Speaker 1 (17:13):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. As we
settle into the fall season, millions of Americans living with
asthma are entering one experts called peak week, hence the
time of the year in asthma attacks and hospitalization spike.
Joining us to talk about why this season poses such
a risk and what patients can do to stay safe
is doctor Justin Griwey, Board certified allergist and immunologist, Doctor Grywie. Welcome.
(17:36):
We appreciate you taking time for us. Thanks for having me,
Doctor raiwe Why is fall considered peak asthma season and
what makes this time of you're especially dangerous for people
with asthma?
Speaker 10 (17:46):
Good question.
Speaker 11 (17:46):
Yeah, August through December is really a critical time for
the asthma community, specifically in the US due to the
heightened exposure to seasonal asthma triggers with increased risks for
asthma attacks. But the third week of September is really
what makes you call asthma peak week, and that's where
emergency room visits and hospitalizations for asthma tend to be
the highest in the year. So each fall of the
(18:08):
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranks the one hundred
largest US metro areas by how challenging it is to
live with asthma, and I think in your neck of
the woods you come in about forty nine, so you're
not in the top twenty, but there's definitely some triggers
in your area that can definitely make asthma sufferers feel worse.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
I'm right on doctor Justin Griwee joining us. He is
a board certified allergist and immunologist. He's working in partnership
with AstraZeneca, and we're talking about fall allergies and doc,
what are some of the most common symptoms patients should
watch that indicate maybe an asthma attack might be coming.
Speaker 12 (18:43):
Sure.
Speaker 11 (18:43):
Yeah, the most common side effects or symptoms with asthma
is typically shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing,
and these symptoms happen when the airways get inflamed and
when they get tight. So it's important to understand that
underlying inflammation can exist not just with a but even
in the absence of symptoms. And so it's sometimes challenging
(19:03):
for patients to manage their asthma when they're constantly exposed
to triggers, whether it be pollens with ragweed this fall,
or mold with the decaying leaves. The weather shifts are
barometric pressure changes that people can be exposed to, pollution, bacteria, viruses,
back to school, so all these things can really put
patients that increase risks for attacks. And when we look
(19:25):
at the amount of asthmatics in the US, about twenty
two million adults suffer from this condition, with nearly nine
million asthma attacks and over seven hundred thousand er visits
linked to asthma flare ups. So this is a pretty
ubiguous condition that can really affect a lot of patients,
and again the fall being one of the most common
triggers for these patients to have asthma flare ups.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Doctor justin Greve we spending a few minutes with US again.
He's a board certified allergist and immunologist and he joins
US in partnership with Astrozenica. We're talking about fall allergies.
I know, TOC we had now to our music festival
and it's been very dry here lately and that my
wife could not stop sneezing all weekend long. So I
can certainly attest to what you're talking about there, Doc.
(20:09):
What proactive steps can patients take to reduce the risk
of an attack during this peak season.
Speaker 11 (20:15):
Yeah, as you mentioned, we're working with Astrasnenka. It's a
really raise awareness about this peak week and one of
the main issues that we really want to address is
one communication, So making sure that your audience members with
asthma talk with their doctors now, review their treatment plans
and know what to do before things get worse this fall,
so they can really reduce their risk for asthma attacks.
But it's also important that you know to understand that
(20:37):
asthma's not something that kind of you know, turns on
or turns off. It's a chronic condition and so the
potential for a flare up can occur at any time,
and so when we look at rescue treatments, or ways
we can treat our asthmatic patients. In the past, we
used to rely on a traditional rescuing and hailer that
really just worked on the tightening of the airways. But
(20:58):
with new advancements and rouvals recently, there's now an anti
inflammatory rescue treatment that treats both the tightening and the
inflammation in the airways, which both can lead to increased
incidents of exacerbations and hospitalizations. And so when we address
this inflammation, we can really protect patients this fall and
(21:18):
keep them out of the er and now to the hospital. So,
of course, for your audience members that want to dig deeper,
sites like Modern Age of Rescue dot com have great
information on anti inflammatory rescue strategies, and organizations like the
AAFA which I mentioned earlier has great educational resources and
supporting research to improve asthma care for everyone with that
(21:38):
ultimate goal of keeping people healthy this fall.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Yeah, I was going to say, doc, what are some
of the practical steps families can take now that will
help minimize the exposure to fall asthma triggers.
Speaker 11 (21:48):
So if triggers are pollen related, definitely, you know, keeping
the windows and windows in the house and in the
car closed so that you're not exposed to that ragweed
or mold pollen in the area. Avoiding you know, you
can get out of fall chores, maybe avoiding raking those
leaves up in the backyard if you have a trigger
with mold or rag weed, so kind of avoiding those
(22:08):
those situations that might get you in a bad spot.
And of course making sure that you're carrying your rescuing
hailer and or using your daily and hailers as directed
by your physician. But all those things can be really
helpful to prevent these attacks. But having a plan is
the ultimate thing, you know, talk to your doctor, develop
an asthma treatment plan and stick to it this fall,
(22:28):
so you can really prevent those flare ups from recurring.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
In the first place, I was going to say, doctor
justin gry Wee joining us. Now get a board certified
analogist and immunologist working together with astra Zenica and a
couple just two more questions for you, doc, And the
more important thing is if somebody's listening to this and
they say, look, I don't know if I have analogies.
I've never been to the doctor. I don't know if
i'm I'm having an asthmatic reaction, What are some of
(22:51):
the questions or how can they be prepared if they
head to the doctor, What kind of questions can they ask?
Speaker 11 (22:57):
Yeah, I mean talking to your primary care doctor is
important and making sure that you address all these questions.
If you're having symptoms of shortness of breath, WESE, you know,
chest tightness, coughing, if you're a primary care doctor doesn't
seem equipped to handle those types of symptoms or they're
not improving despite treatment, then visiting a board certified allergy
imnologist or a board certified puminologist to address specifically the
(23:21):
asthma related symptoms. If you're concerned about seasonal allergies, then
a board certified allogist can be a great resource to
do testing, whether it's skin or blood testing to really
decide and determine if you truly have allergies or not.
And then of course doing more objective lung function testing
in the office for asthma it's called a Palmary function
test can give patients and a better understanding of what
(23:41):
their risks are for asthma. So relying on specialist to
really work up these questions and concerns and so working
with your primary care doctor to start, and maybe getting
a referral to a specialist to really point you in
the right direction and get the expert you know, expertise
that you really need to to prevent these attacks from
recurring in.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
The first Doctor Justin grwe a board certified allergist and
immunologists working together with Astra Zeneca to help us sort
of navigate our way through fall allergies and asthma. Doctor Grei,
we thank you so much for your time, appreciate having
great day, and again, thank you to doctor Justin Grwee,
a board certified agist and immunologists, for sharing his expertise
and giving us actionable tips to help keep our asthma
(24:22):
under control during this high risk fall period. From understanding
triggers to proactive care, his guidance makes the difference for
both patients and families all around the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
We're back to wrap things up after this. I'm Scott
Fitzgerald and you're listening to Kentucky Focus.
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Speaker 1 (26:41):
Welcome back to Kentucky Focus. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. As we
wrap things up this week again, Jefferson County Public Schools,
the state's largest public school district, is at a crossroads.
With tough financial choices ahead. Public charter schools could offer
a lifeline, really, a tuition free, innovative option for family
seeking high quality educa Think again, Jim Waters with the
(27:02):
Bluegrass Institute for helping us understand how charter schools operate
and what they could mean for the state's families. And
thank you once more to doctor Justin Grywe for sharing
his expertise on keeping your asthma under control during this
high risk fall season. And finally, thank you to you
the listener here in Kentucky, for making Kentucky Focus part
of your listening habits. It's Because of you, maybe we
(27:22):
sparked the conversations that matter most here in the state
of Kentucky. For all of this at the Kentucky News
Network and Kentucky Focus, I'm Scott Fitzgerald reminding you to
stay safe and stay positive. We'll talk to you next
week on Kentucky Focus.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Kentucky Focus on the Kentucky News Network, the show that
looks at issues affecting the Commonwealth and its citizens. We
cover state politics, in history, human interest stories, sports, and
even entertainment. It's Kentucky Focus on kNN.
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I lost count of how many foster homes I lived
in twenty maybe more. Each time a new room, a
new bed, a new routine with a new family. But number,
a space that really felt like mine. Eventually, I didn't
even bother unpacking because moving again was never an if.
It was always a win.
Speaker 13 (28:41):
There are more than one hundred thousand children in foster
care waiting to be adopted the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
It's working to help find them a forever family and
a permanent home of their own.
Speaker 12 (28:54):
When I was fifteen, I didn't have anywhere to go
for the holidays, so my high school principal invited me
to stay with his family. It was just supposed to
be for a few weeks, but soon they asked me
to stay forever as their daughter. Now I have my
own room and decorated it myself. It's kind of a tornado,
but it's my tornado, and just like my family, it's
(29:15):
mine to keep.
Speaker 13 (29:16):
If you have room in your home or your heart,
see how you can help at Dave Thomas Foundation dot org.
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