The Kentucky Department of Education and Governor Andy Beshear's Office have opened the nomination period for the 2026-2027 Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award, according to an announcement published in Kentucky Teacher. Nominations close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 9.

The Kentucky award recognizes the state's more than 46,000 classified school employees who work in roles often essential but frequently overlooked. The top two state nominees will be forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education for consideration for the national 2027 Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award.

Classified employees serve in vital capacities, from driving students to school and preparing meals to working with partner agencies to meet crucial student needs, according to the education department. The state award was established in 2020 by Governor Beshear and Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman.

"Our schools simply could not function without our classified employees," said Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher. "These employees often are the unsung heroes of our school system."

The RISE Award was enacted by Congress in 2019 and is overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. The national award recognizes full- or part-time classified school employees who provide exemplary service to students in pre-kindergarten through high school.

Nominations may be submitted by public school districts, private schools, educational cooperatives, education organizations, professional organizations, labor organizations, nonprofit entities, parents and students. Each nominator can submit up to two candidates via the 2026-2027 KESSP Award Nomination Form.

Taylor County Schools' Vanessa Lyons, a reading intervention teacher for students in grades 3-5, and Spencer County Schools' Kala Marshall, an instructional assistant and girls basketball coach, received the 2025-2026 Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award. Lyons was also a finalist for the national RISE Award.