Lyon, Oldham Educators Win 2026 Grissom Award
- Former Lyon director wins 2026 Grissom Award
- Oldham County program wins team honor
- Awards announced Aug. 6, 2026
- Recognizes special education excellence
- Highlights rural and suburban success
The Kentucky Department of Education recognized top performers in special education Thursday.
A former Lyon County director of special education and Oldham County's Exceptional Children Services Program received the 2026 Grissom Award.
Officials announced the winners Aug. 6.
The award honors those who show outstanding leadership and results for students with disabilities.
This recognition comes as schools across the state struggle to fill special education vacancies and meet rising student needs.
The Grissom Award stands as a marker of excellence in a field facing high pressure.
- Lyon County's former director won individual honors.
- Oldham County's program won the team award.
- The announcement was made late yesterday.
The distinction highlights two very different approaches to education.
Lyon County represents rural Kentucky, where resources are often spread thin.
Oldham County is a fast-growing suburban district with different challenges.
Both succeeded in supporting students with Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs.
The state sees these wins as models for others.
Experts said the awards spotlight strategies that work in diverse settings.
"These winners set the standard," an education official said.
"Their work changes lives."
The awards are named for the Grissom family, known for their advocacy in Kentucky education circles.
Winning requires evidence of student progress and innovative teaching methods.
It is not just a participation trophy.
Judges looked at data.
They looked at parent feedback.
They looked at how staff collaborate.
The results were clear.
Lyon and Oldham stood out.
This matters now because the pandemic widened learning gaps for students with disabilities.
Districts need proven ways to close those gaps.
These winners offer a roadmap.
Parents in both counties celebrated the news.
For many, the award validates the daily work happening in classrooms.
It confirms that their children are in good hands.
The ceremony will take place this fall.
But the impact is already being felt.
Other districts are reaching out.
They want to know the secret sauce.
How did a rural director and a suburban program crack the code?
The answers lie in their specific strategies.
It starts with leadership.
In Lyon, that leadership came from the top.
In Oldham, it came from a system built on teamwork.
Both approaches proved effective.
The state hopes this sparks a wave of innovation.
Special education is often overlooked.
The Grissom Award puts it front and center.
It forces a conversation about what works.
And it shows that excellence is possible anywhere.
From the coalfields to the suburbs, Kentucky students are benefiting.
That is the real story here.
It is not just about a plaque.
It is about the kids behind the numbers.
"This is about every student reaching their potential," a department spokesperson said.
"These winners made that happen."
Lyon Director Honored for Rural Leadership
The Lyon County director of special education earned individual praise for turning around a rural district.
Lyon County sits in western Kentucky.
It is small.
It is tight-knit.
Resources are not as plentiful as in Louisville or Lexington.
Yet, the director achieved results that rival big districts.
The former leader focused on inclusion.
The goal was to keep students in regular classrooms whenever possible.
Research shows this leads to better outcomes.
But it requires training and support.
The director made sure general education teachers felt prepared.
They provided coaching.
They provided resources.
They built a culture of acceptance.
Rural districts face unique hurdles.
Transportation is a major one.
Students might travel long distances to get specialized services.
The director worked to bring services closer to home.
They utilized telehealth where appropriate.
They partnered with regional centers.
They maximized every dollar.
"You have to be creative in rural Kentucky," a rural education expert said.
"This director mastered that."
The data backs it up.
Lyon County saw improvements in literacy rates among special education students.
Graduation rates ticked upward.
Discipline referrals went down.
These are the metrics that matter.
The Grissom Award committee noticed.
They saw a district doing more with less.
The former director left a legacy.
Even though they are no longer in the role, the systems they built remain.
That is the mark of true leadership.
It survives the transition.
Staff in Lyon County say the change was palpable.
Morale improved.
Teachers felt supported.
Parents felt heard.
One parent described the shift as night and day.
"We finally felt like partners," the parent said.
"Not just bystanders."
The award also highlights the importance of stability.
Rural districts often struggle to retain specialized staff.
The director created an environment people wanted to stay in.
They fostered professional growth.
They celebrated small wins.
They made the hard work feel worth it.
This retention is crucial.
Consistency helps students thrive.
Constant turnover hurts progress.
Lyon County stabilized its team.
The results followed.
The former director is now being looked at as a model for other rural leaders.
State officials plan to study their methods.
They want to replicate the success in other counties.
"If Lyon can do it, anyone can," a state official said.
"We just need to learn how."
The individual award is rare.
It usually goes to someone in a larger district.
Giving it to a Lyon leader sends a message.
Excellence is not bound by geography.
It happens in the smallest schools.
It happens in the biggest cities.
The Grissom Award recognizes that universal truth.
It puts a rural star on the map.
And it gives the community something to cheer about.
In a time when rural education often feels besieged, this is a victory.
It proves that investment in rural schools pays off.
It proves that rural students deserve the best.
The former director ensured they got it.
"This award belongs to the whole community," the director reportedly told staff.
"We did this together."
That sentiment is typical of the collaborative spirit fostered there.
It is a spirit that earned the state's highest honor.
Oldham's Program Sets Standard for Suburbs
Oldham County took home the team award for its Exceptional Children Services Program.
This district looks very different from Lyon.
It is one of the wealthiest in Kentucky.
It is growing fast.
Families move there for the schools.
The pressure to perform is high.
The special education program faces high expectations from parents.
Parents in Oldham County are advocates.
They know the law.
They know their rights.
They demand results.
The Exceptional Children Services Program met that demand head-on.
They built a program based on data.
They track everything.
They track reading scores.
They track behavior goals.
They track post-graduation outcomes.
This data drives decisions.
If a student is falling behind, the system flags it immediately.
Intervention happens fast.
There is no waiting to fail.
"Data is our compass," a program administrator said.
"It tells us where to go next."
The program also excels in transition planning.
This is a weak point in many districts.
Students with disabilities often struggle after high school.
Oldham County starts planning early.
They start in middle school.
They connect students with job training.
They connect them with college support services.
They ensure the IEP does not just end at graduation.
It leads to a future.
This forward-thinking approach impressed the judges.
The Grissom Award values long-term impact.
It is not just about passing a test today.
It is about building a life for tomorrow.
Oldham County's program does that well.
Another key factor is collaboration.
The program works closely with general education teachers.
Special education is not a silo.
It is woven into the fabric of the school.
Co-teaching models are common.
A special education teacher and a general education teacher work side-by-side.
They share the load.
They share the expertise.
This benefits all students.
It creates a seamless experience.
Students do not feel pulled out or stigmatized.
They learn alongside their peers.
This inclusion model requires significant training.
Oldham County invests heavily in professional development.
Teachers learn new strategies every year.
They stay current on research.
They stay current on technology.
This investment pays off in the classroom.
The program also emphasizes parent communication.
IEP meetings can be stressful.
Oldham County tries to make them productive.
They focus on partnership.
They focus on the child's strengths, not just deficits.
This approach