Each year, districts are required to submit a Minority Educator Recruitment and Retention (MERR) report on their efforts to increase the percentage of minority teachers. In years past, the report was due by Oct. 1.

As a result of the implementation of the redesigned system, the MERR report will be due on or before July 31.

The new Kentucky Educator Placement Service (KEPS) application will open statewide beginning July 1, and the old KEPS will officially close June 30. Once the old KEPS closes, districts no longer will have access to postings in that system, so it is imperative that the editors complete the hiring information in the annual MERR report prior to the July 31 deadline. The MERR Web application will be open to complete the MERR portion of the report on July 1 and close July 31.

To assist districts with the reporting process, KDE will provide step-by-step procedures in an e-mail to all district KEPS contacts/editors. If the district contact has recently changed, contact Candace Souder at (502) 564-1479.