AUGUST 2026
A PUBLICATION OF THE KENTUCKY SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION
2026 School board
election preview:
New faces, veteran
retirements, yet little change
for dozens of districts
2 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
TAKE NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
PEOPLE ARE TALKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
BEYOND THE BOARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
EDUCATION BRIEFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
HONOR ROLL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
IN MEMORIAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
VOLUME 32 | NUMBER 1
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
Follow KSBA for education news, association updates, upcoming events and more
/company/ksba
ksba.org
8
Social settlement
How Breathitt County Schools became the
first district poised for trial against social
media companies – and reached a $27
million settlement instead.
12 Regional roundup
KSBA's annual regional meetings return
this fall with training, networking and
discussions on effective community
engagement.
14 Changing boards
Fewer new candidates, longtime member
retirements and several open seats are
reshaping this fall’s school board elections.
18 Summer success
More than 300 school leaders gathered
for two days of learning, networking
and leadership development at KSBA's
Summer Leadership Institute.
22 Fresh starts
Meet the latest district leaders hired by
school boards to lead Kentucky's public
school districts.
/KSBAnews
@KSBAnews
PG8
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 3
PG 18
PG 12
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Pamela Morehead,
President
Eminence Ind.
Jeremy Luckett,
President-elect
Owensboro Ind.
Karen Byrd,
Immediate Past President
Boone Co.
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE
Chris Cook,
Crittenden Co.
Carmela Fletcher-Green,
Montgomery Co.
John Matt Fourshee,
Carlisle Co.
Joanna Freels,
Shelby Co.
Debbie Hammers,
Butler Co.
Venita Murphy,
Webster Co.
Angela Parsons-Woods,
Rockcastle Co.
Ricky Pennington,
Morgan Co.
Trey Pippen,
Daviess Co.
Brandon Rutherford,
Madison Co.
David Turner,
Walton-Verona Ind.
Nancy Uhls,
Simpson Co.
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Tom Bell,
Christian Co.
Jason Collins,
Anderson Co.
Pat Hall,
Campbellsville Ind.
Ruschelle Hamilton,
Breathitt Co.
Jimmy Hinkle,
Barbourville Ind.
Jesica Jehn,
Kenton Co.
Vanessa Lucas,
Breckinridge Co.
Brenda Mattox,
Nicholas Co.
Kathleen Price,
Martin Co.
Mark Rich,
Edmonson Co.
Christine Thompson,
Livingston Co.
Allie Wright,
Trimble Co.
4 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
With less than three months
until election day, both
incumbent and first-time school
board candidates are in the
midst of defining themselves.
Nearly half of the board seats
across the Commonwealth are
up for grabs this November, so
candidates are busy making
cases for why their communities
should entrust them with
matters of school district governance for the next four
years, such as setting tax rates, approving budgets and
policies, hiring and evaluating the superintendent and
setting the strategic vision of the district.
Those running may choose to highlight professional
backgrounds they feel uniquely qualify them for office, or
they may appeal to their communities with what motivated
them to run in the first place. Some candidates may make
promises about what they aspire to accomplish if elected
or share their personal experiences as district alumni,
parents, grandparents, retired employees or avid volunteers.
Every candidate campaigns in her or his own way, but the
success and wellbeing of students stands as the common
denominator.
As a candidate, you are doing more than just trying to get
voters to flip over the ballot and fill in the box next to your
name. You are also charged with explaining what it is school
boards actually do and convincing voters why effective
school boards matter.
That’s a tall order but, as Kentucky’s leading advocate
and resource for school boards, we at KSBA are more
than happy to support you in shouldering these two very
important responsibilities.
To help elevate the role of school boards and to encourage a
more informed electorate, KSBA recently launched our 2026
School Board Election Voter Resources page. This covers
topics ranging from understanding the key decisions school
boards make and statutory requirements to candidate
criteria and even information about the ballots themselves.
We believe that it is beneficial for both candidates and
the voters who will elect them to share a well-rounded
understanding and appreciation of district governance.
We also believe the process works best when school board
members and their constituents openly communicate.
For example, as part of KSBA’s voter resources, we
encourage community members to consider asking some
of the following questions of the individuals vying for the
opportunity to serve in the boardroom:
• What is the proper role of a school board member?
• What inspired you to run for school board?
• What is the difference between governance and
management?
• What are the district’s greatest challenges?
• How would you work with board members who
disagree with you?
• How would you balance the interests of parents,
taxpayers and students?
• How do you describe an effective school board
member?
School board members should reflect on these questions and
be prepared to answer them. You might be surprised to learn
that your answers to these questions may evolve over time!
Scan the QR code or visit ksba.org/voterresources.aspx to
access KSBA’s new school board voter resources.
Additionally, effective community engagement will be
the focus of this year’s KSBA Regional Meeting program.
Visit page 13 for a list of dates and event information for
the association’s 12 stops throughout the state between
Aug. 24 and Sept. 24. As we connect with our members
a little closer to home, participants will gain insights on
how to meaningfully interact with constituents, clearly
communicate the board’s role, maximize transparency and
minimize divisiveness.
KSBA wishes all of our members up for election the best of
luck this fall, and we hope to see many of you in person in
the weeks ahead.
EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS
Connecting candidates with their
communities this fall
Josh Shoulta
KSBA Associate Executive Director
Scan the QR code to
access KSBA’s new
school board voter
resources.
Morehead appointed to EPSB
KSBA President and
Eminence Independent
Schools board member
Pamela Morehead has
been appointed to the
Education Professional
Standards Board. Gov.
Andy Beshear appointed
Morehead to a term that
will expire June 30, 2029. EPSB is com
prised of 17 members. The secretary of
the Education and Labor Cabinet and
the president of the Council on Postsec
ondary Education, or their designees,
serve as ex officio voting members,
while the other 15 members represent
various groups within the education
community and are appointed by the
governor and confirmed by the Senate.
Murphy appointed
to KSBA board
KSBA President
Pamela Morehead has
appointed Webster
County Schools board
member Venita Murphy
to KSBA’s 27-member
board of directors.
Murphy fills a vacant at
large seat.
Murphy’s term on the board will
expire at the annual business meeting
in 2028.
Murphy also serves on the Kentucky
Department of Education’s Local School
Board Member Advisory Council.
KSBA’s board oversees the executive
director, assures that the long-term
interests of the membership are being
served, maintains and advances the
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 5
TAKE NOTE
strategic direction of KSBA and sup
ports new organizational initiatives.
Board members appointed
to SCAAC
Gov. Andy Beshear has appointed
Danville Independent Schools board
member Jennifer Pusateri to the School
Curriculum, Assessment and Account
ability Council. Pusateri is a senior
universal design consultant at the
University of Kentucky
Center for the Enhance
ment of Learning and
Teaching and vice-chair
of the Danville Indepen
dent board. She replaces
Deborah Atherton, a
former Bullitt County
Schools board member,
whose term has expired. Pusateri will
serve for a term expiring July 14, 2028.
Beshear also reappointed Franklin
County Schools board member Chuck
Fletcher to the council. Fletcher, of
Frankfort, is a retired educator in addi
tion to a Franklin County board mem
ber. He will serve for a term expiring
Oct. 5, 2027.
The 17-member
council's role is to study,
audit, review and make
recommendations
concerning Kentucky’s
system of academic
standards, assessing
learning, identifying aca
demic competencies and deficiencies of
students, holding schools accountable
for learning, and assisting schools to
improve their performance.
Beshear fills four KBE seats
On July 31, Gov. Andy Beshear reap
pointed two members to the Kentucky
Board of Education and appointed two
new members. Their terms will end on
April 14, 2030.
The two new members
are Felicia Nu’Mann, of
Louisville, the director
of the Center of Justice &
Policy Initiatives at the
Louisville Urban League
and former attorney at
the Kentucky Depart
ment Education, and
Patti Minter, of Bowling
Green, a Western Ken
tucky University history
professor and a former
Democratic member
of the Kentucky House
of Representatives.
Nu’Mann replaces Diana
Woods, while Minter
replaces Lee Todd.
Those reappointed include Randy
Poe, of Union, the executive director of
the Northen Kentucky Education Coun
cil and former Boone County Schools
superintendent, and Julie Pile, of Flor
ence, the president of Parent Camp
Inc. and former Boone County Schools
board member.
The new members will be subject to
Senate confirmation during the 2027
General Assembly. The seat represent
ing the Sixth Supreme Court district
remains vacant.
Kentucky School
Boards Association
260 Democrat Dr., Frankfort, KY 40601
800-372-2962 | ksba.org
The Kentucky School Advocate is published 10 times a year by
the Kentucky School Boards Association. Copies are mailed to
KSBA members as part of their association membership.
Executive Director: Kerri Schelling
Communications Director: Brenna Kelly
Communications Manager: Brian Wilkerson
Morehead
Murphy
Pusateri
Minter
Nu’Mann
Fletcher
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
“As I near retirement, it was
nice to work with the local
board on one last project. The board
approved a project which will create
new seating at Dragon Stadium while also
constructing a field house, restrooms and a
concessions area. Restrooms will also be
added for tennis.”
Will Hodges (@WillHod89856982), now former Green County Schools
superintendent, during a board meeting during his final week on the job.
From X, formerly Twitter
Joshua
Matthews
“We live in a
world where
we understand
the risk. We
understand
sometimes the threat that exists,
and running away from that
doesn’t help anything. We have to
attack that head-on.”
Joshua Matthews, Shelby County Schools
superintendent, on the installation of a new
safety system designed to detect potential
weapons in all district high schools.
From WDRB-TV, Louisville
Jennifer
Luttrell
“It was just an
honor to know
that our tradition
goes back so
far, and we’re
honoring students for their service
and commitment and just excellence
today. It’s an honor for our school
and our student body – and also
our community.”
Jennifer Luttrell, Owensboro High School
(Owensboro Independent Schools) principal,
on the school being home to the oldest and
longest-running JROTC program in Kentucky.
From Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro
Sheri Satterly
“I personally like
the kindergarten
to start a day
early. It allows
them to get more
acclimated to
the building. We can go ahead and
do our Brigance testing, which we
have to have done the first 30 days
of school, and we can have more
people trained on that to administer
the test because we’ll have all hands
on deck.”
Sheri Satterly, Frankfort Independent
Schools superintendent, on the possibility
of starting kindergarten a day before other
students begin the school year, rather than a
day after, as has been traditionally done.
From the State-Journal, Frankfort
Sarah
Blackburn
“STEAM Night
continues to be
one of the most
powerful ways
we connect our
classrooms to our community.
When students explain their
thinking and invite others into
the process, the learning becomes
deeper and more impactful.”
Sarah Blackburn, Pikeville Independent
Schools’ community schools coordinator and
digital learning coach, on the district’s work
each year to showcase the students’ learning
in science, technology, engineering, arts and
mathematics.
From the Appalachian News-Express
6 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
“For my students in
particular, it teaches social
skills and independence. They
absolutely love it. They enjoy helping
others instead of always being the
ones that receive the help. It's also an
opportunity for the parents to see what their
kids are capable of doing. Hopefully this
helps them prepare for a job outside
of school.”
DeAnna Bailey, special education instructor for Middlesboro Independent
Schools, discussing a program in which students with special needs
help run a coffee shop and spirit shop at the high school.
From the Middlesboro News
Andrew
Williams
“I care deeply
about education
in our region, and
to be able to talk
with lawmakers
about the needs, strengths and
future of our schools was an
incredible experience.”
Andrew Williams, principal of Harlan County
Schools’ Harlan Middle School, on visiting with
U.S. House members in Washington, D.C., as
part of the Rural School Leadership Academy.
From the Harlan Enterprise
Adrianne Tytus
"When I talked
to my kids,
they talked
about riding
around their
neighborhood,
they talked about riding to the
library. Some of them even live
really close to Fern Creek, so they're
then going to be able to even ride
to the park and come through the
fence to our campus."
Adrianne Tytus, principal of Jefferson County
Schools Fern Creek Elementary, on the gift
from a nonprofit of more than 200 bikes and
helmets to the school’s second graders.
From WDRB-TV, Louisville
Ben Wilcox
“It does give you
a peace of mind,
having our own
department.
Those other
responding
agencies don’t have to worry about
putting as many officers at the
schools during a critical incident,
because we’ll already have officers
in those schools.”
Ben Wilcox, Madison County Schools police
chief, on the district’s new police department.
From the Richmond Register
Kelly Walker
“I think that
our county is
changing so
quickly with all
the new industry
coming in that I
think it would be more relevant in
real time if we went ahead and did
the study.”
Kelly Walker, McCracken County Schools
board chair, on contracting once again with the
University of Dayton for an updated population
study, to help guide future facility decisions.
From WPSD-TV, Paducah
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 7
8 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
Eastern Kentucky district wins
multimillion dollar settlement in
social media suit
By Brian Wilkerson | Staff writer
Although it is one of Kentucky’s
smaller school districts, Breathitt
County Schools loomed large earlier
this year, when it was on track to be
the first of more than 1,200 school
districts across the country to take on
some of the world’s largest social media
platforms in federal court.
The districts collectively alleged
that the companies owning YouTube,
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and
TikTok have used addictive practices,
intense marketing and inadequate
safety measures to lure and keep
adolescents online, leading to a growing
mental health crisis that the schools say
has cost them considerable time and
resources.
The companies deny this, claiming
instead that they have been protective
and proactive in removing harmful
content and giving parents more
authority over their children’s social
media accounts. They also say there is
no medical proof that social media is
addictive in a clinical sense.
In both scope and size, the case has
been compared to those against tobacco
companies in the 1990s and, more
recently, manufacturers and dispensers
contributing to the opioid epidemic.
When Breathitt County Schools filed
its federal lawsuit in early 2023, there
was no way of knowing that the district
would be pivotal in a potentially
landmark outcome.
By then, many of the federal cases
against the social media companies had
already been funneled into a Northern
California federal court, the forum
chosen for bellwether trials to help
resolve all related cases more quickly.
that plan with their
settlement, he said.
It is difficult to
know how long it
would be before
all districts could
resolve their cases,
Johnson said. The
next bellwether
trial for schools isn’t
until February, with Tucson, Arizona’s
district as plaintiff. Still, four years
after this all began, “we’re definitely
closer to the end than we are to the
beginning or middle,” he said.
David vs. social media Goliaths
This is not the only case in which
Kentucky is taking the lead against the
social media giants. The Commonwealth
is also one of four states set to appear
in federal court in August against Meta,
which owns Facebook and Instagram.
The states say the company violated
the federal Children’s Online Privacy
Protection Act and state consumer-
protection laws, which Meta denies.
The trial is on track to be the third
of its kind arguing that social media
harms mental health. Over a two-day
period in March, Meta and Google were
on the losing side of a California case
in which a woman said she became
addicted to social media as a minor,
while Meta lost a second trial filed by
the New Mexico Department of Justice.
The former ended with a $6 million
verdict, which Meta has appealed, and
the latter resulted in $375 million in
civil penalties.
Dozens of those
lawsuits have been
filed by Kentucky
public school districts.
Ronald Johnson, a
Louisville attorney
and lead litigator for
more than 30 of them,
said the social media
companies ultimately
chose Breathitt County Schools to be the
first district they would face.
In the days leading up to that mid-
June trial, however, both sides chose to
settle. The district received $27 million,
according to widespread reporting, or
a little less than half of the $60 million
the district initially sought. With a
population of just over 1,500 students,
the settlement amounts to roughly
$17,600 per student.
Breathitt County Schools officials said
they had spent the last decade trying
to limit social media’s access and its
impact. Superintendent Phillip Watts
testified that he now spends a fifth of his
day addressing concerns tied to social
media, from classroom distractions to
other behavioral issues, according to a
news release from the law firm Stites &
Harbison.
The 1,200-plus school districts have
since hired experts to write a multi-
pronged mental health plan for students
that would be funded by money received
from the companies, Johnson said.
“Breathitt County is fortunate to have
a wonderful and diligent, compassionate
school board, and I’m sure the board
members at this time are working on”
which programs they will fund from
Johnson
Willner
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 9
In an op-ed in the spring, Kentucky
Attorney General Russell Coleman
wrote that states are suing because
“innocent kids and their developing
brains (are facing) off against the most
sophisticated tech programs on the
planet. Our kids never really had a
chance.”
State Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville,
has seen the issue from several
perspectives. Beyond being a legislator
and parent, she was also executive
director of Kentucky Psychological
Association and a member of Jefferson
County Schools’ Board of Education.
Wilner said she made increased
mental health services for students
a priority, because schools “are
increasingly having to carry the load
– not just as educators, but basically
as social workers, as psychologists,
as health professionals, and that’s
expensive.”
She said she was disappointed that
legislation filed during this year’s
legislative session to curb social media
access for younger teens did not
become law, despite passing the House
unanimously.
House Bill 227 would have required
social media and artificial intelligence
companies to better protect youth
from addictive features and predatory
practices while strengthening age-
verification protocols for those 15
and younger and giving parents
more insight into and control of their
children’s usage.
State Rep. Matt Lockett,
R-Nicholasville, who sponsored the
bill, told the Kentucky Lantern that
he intends to file it again. Without its
protections, Willner added, “I think we
in Kentucky have left our students more
vulnerable than in states like California
and others where they have really taken
this as a serious responsibility.”
Limiting cellphones and laptops
In 2025, the General Assembly passed
a law tackling the issue in a different
way, requiring public schools to ban
cellphones in the classroom. In the first
school year after the bill took effect,
Jefferson County Schools reported
2,300 out-of-school suspensions
because of repeated violations, and
thousands of other students received
lesser punishments, according to
WDRB-TV in Louisville.
Beyond potentially setting new limits
on social media companies, the General
Assembly is also likely next year to
debate whether to reduce screen time
in the classroom.
The Interim Joint Committee on
Education heard testimony at its July
meeting that moving away from pencil
and paper in recent years has had a
detrimental impact on test scores.
Fleming County Schools Superintendent
Brian Creasman told legislators that his
district, like several others, is already
taking steps to limit screen use during
the upcoming school year.
In May, the U.S. Surgeon General’s
office issued an advisory calling screen
time in general a public health concern
because it harms sleeping patterns,
weakens personal relationships and
limits physical activity.
However, the
American Academy
of Pediatrics urged
some caution for
minors, saying early
this year that families
should “move beyond
simple screen time
limits and focus on
quality, context and
conversation” about
appropriate use.
David Couch,
associate
commissioner of the
Office of Education
Technology at
the Kentucky
Department of
Education, estimated current student
screen time for instruction at 10
to 15%, with almost none of that
involving social media.
Couch
Park
10 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
Both he and Marty Park, K-12 deputy
CIO and chief digital officer at KDE,
said schools have long prioritized
responsible, high-quality use of
technology, and they pointed out that
technology is an integral part of the
state’s academic standards.
It’s important, Park said, that
students learn these skills so they
are “competitive in nearly every
market they go into for work or higher
education.”
Park noted that there is a historical
precedent that could serve as a guide
when deciding the right balance for
students’ use of technology.
“Our math teachers have worked
through this for quite some time and
have adapted to when is the calculator
appropriate to use and (when) is it
not,” he said. “We’ve had to continue to
evolve in how we look at how students
are demonstrating learning.”
That evolution is not always easy
to navigate, however, as the lawsuits
against social media companies and
concerns about the rapid rise of
artificial intelligence show. Finding
ways to help students overcome the
detrimental side of these platforms,
Coleman wrote in his op-ed, is “the new
fight of our time.”
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 11
SCHMIDT-ARCH.COM
WBE
Spaces that prepare students
for tomorrow's careers
Environments that support
learning and well-being
Design that maximizes
taxpayer investment
Safe, flexible schools where
every student thrives
EXPLORE OUR
K-12 PORTFOLIO
Start a conversation about your vision.
Jason Radford, Ed.D., Business Development
859.621.2357 jradford@schmidt-arch.com
Nick Holmes, Client Liaison
502.881.6446 nholmes@schmidt-arch.com
50 Years of Building Kentucky's Schools
Carrying forward the Kentucky design legacy of Arrasmith, delivering K-12
environments built for student success, wellness, safety, and responsible investment.
12 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
KSBA embarks on 90th regional
meetings tour
STAFF REPORT
Just months after KSBA was founded
in spring 1936, the association held
its first regional meeting for 38 board
members and superintendents at
Daviess County High School.
Ninety years after that meeting of
members from a 10-county region,
KSBA is still holding regional meetings –
just a lot more of them.
Starting on Aug. 24, KSBA will
begin its tour of the association’s 12
regions, bringing engaging training,
timely updates and fellowship to board
members and superintendents across
the state.
The meetings offer a chance for
members to participate in in-person
training and discussions of timely
education issues closer to home.
Each meeting features dinner (billed
by the host district) and a program
that counts for 1.25 hours of state-
mandated board training credit. The
events also often feature student
performers/hospitality, networking
time and prize drawings. Dinner
begins at 6 p.m. (local time) and the
meetings wrap up around 8 p.m.
During the program, KSBA staff
will lead attendees in an interactive
discussion on effective community
engagement for school board members.
Participants will gain insights on how to
meaningfully interact with constituents,
clearly communicate the board’s role,
maximize transparency and minimize
divisiveness.
Also this year, six of the 12
regional meetings will hold elections
for regional directors who will
serve on the association’s board of
directors and serve as hosts of future
regional meetings.
Meeting details and invitations
will be communicated to members
by their host districts in the weeks
prior to the events. Scan the QR code
on the next page or visit
KSBA.org/RegionalMeetings.aspx
for additional meeting information,
including a KSBA region map, contact
information, answers to frequently
asked questions, regional director
election criteria and more.
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 13
Central Ky. Region
Lawrenceburg
SEPT
Upper Cumberland Region*
Barbourville
SEPT
24
Second Region*
Hopkinsville
Eastern Ky. North Region
Carlisle
SEPT
First Region
Grand Rivers
AUG
24
AUG
25
Third Region
Brownsville
AUG
27
Northern Ky. Region*
Covington
SEPT
Dates & locations for KSBA’s
2026 Regional Meetings
Fifth Region
Bedford
SEPT
22
Upper Ky. River Region
Jackson
Fourth Region*
Mt. Washington
SEPT
10
SEPT
14
Eastern Ky. South Region*
Inez
SEPT
17
Middle Cumberland Region*
Campbellsville
SEPT
21
*Regional director election to be held
KSBA’s Regions
Scan the QR code
or go
ksba.org/RegionalMeetings.aspx
for more information
14 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
2026 school board election preview
Fewer incumbents, newcomers seek board seats
By Brenna R. Kelly | Staff writer
Heightened attention on the boards
governing Kentucky’s two largest public
school districts over the past year has
raised public awareness of the role
local school boards play in overseeing
Kentucky public education. That
spotlight could have prompted more
people to seek a seat in this fall’s school
board elections.
Instead, the opposite happened.
After the June 2 filing deadline, fewer
new candidates and fewer incumbents
filed to run for the nearly 400 school
board seats on the ballot this November
than in 2022, the previous comparable
election cycle.
A total of 208 newcomers are seeking
a four-year board seat this fall, 36 fewer
than in 2022, the last similar election
in which generally three seats on
independent boards and two seats on
county boards are on the ballot.
Also this year, a smaller percentage
of incumbents are seeking another
term on their board. Just 78.2% of
incumbents filed for election – that’s
down from 85% in 2022 but is closer
to incumbent filings in 2014 and 2018,
when 78% and 81% of incumbents filed
respectively.
The percent of those incumbents
who will face a challenger is also
down slightly this year, but in line with
previous election cycles. Four years ago,
34% of incumbents were opposed; this
year it’s just 31%.
Of those incumbents, most are likely
to keep their seats. Over the past five
elections with a comparable cycle, an
average of 86% of incumbents won
reelection.
Boards unchanged and
open seats
The election will not change the
makeup of more than one third of
the Kentucky school boards. Sixty-
two of the state’s school boards will
have no change in membership after
the election because the boards’
incumbents are running unopposed.
But some boards may have to appoint
new members in January after no one
filed for an open seat. After the filing
deadline, there were 11 open seats in
10 districts. Candidates have until Aug.
24 to file as a write-in candidate.
This is the first time this election
cycle in which seats can be filled by
write-in candidates. In 2024, the
General Assembly passed House Bill
580, which allows candidates to file as a
write-in if no one has filed for the seat.
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
20
40
60
80
100
% of
incumbents
seeking
reelection
84%
78%
81%
85%
78%
35%
33%
31%
34%
31%
% of
incumbents
opposed
School board incumbents filing since 2010*
*cycles for three
independent
seats and two
county seats
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 15
Previously, if no one filed for the seat,
there was no election on the ballot and
therefore no one could be a write-in
candidate.
The number of open seats is similar
to the 2018 election, when there
were nine open seats. The open seats
this year include Berea Independent,
Dawson Springs Independent, Ballard
County, Boone County, Grayson County,
Pike County, Rowan County, Russellville
Independent, Simpson County, and
Southgate Independent.
This election also marks the
retirement of one of the largest groups
of longtime school board leaders in
recent years. At least 17 school board
members with 20 or more years of
service decided not to seek another
term. In the last similar election, just
three members with more than 20
years’ service decided to retire and in
2024 there were 11.
With this year’s departing members,
the state is losing a combined 447 years
of experience.
Crowded races
While most races have two
candidates, several have drawn many
more candidates. It should come as
no surprise that two of the races that
have garnered the most candidates
are in Jefferson County. The board was
recently reduced from seven to five
seats with the passage of Senate Bill 4.
All five seats are on the ballot, with one
seat drawing six candidates and other
drawing five.
An unexpired term in Green County
also has five candidates. Garth
Bobrowski, who was appointed to the
board in April, has four challengers
seeking his seat.
In Ashland Independent, there are
five candidates to fill two seats on the
board. Incumbent Don Asby did not file
and incumbent Bill Bradley is facing
four new candidates.
Most members on the ballot
In several districts, resignations have
led to most of the board seats up for
election this fall.
In Greenup County, four of the
five current board members are up
for election. Two of the members,
Katherine Meadows and Angela
Pannuti, who were appointed in
February, are running for a four-year
term. They are both opposed. Two other
members, Nick Fannin and Abe Haislop,
are running to fill out terms that end in
2028. They are both unopposed.
For Dawson Springs Independent, all
five members of the board are on the
ballot this year. Incumbents Michael
Ausenbaugh and Meredith Hyde are
both running unopposed for four-year
terms while incumbent Kent Dillingham
did not file for reelection. The two other
board members, Mary Beth Drennen
and Christy Winfrey, are running
unopposed to finish unexpired terms.
Second largest school district’s
board races
In Fayette County, board chair Tyler
Murphy is challenging a law passed this
spring that would prevent him from
serving on the board.
Under Senate Bill 4, the bill that also
changed the Jefferson County board,
someone who lives in a school district
with more than 300,000 people – only
Jefferson and Fayette counties – cannot
run for school board if he or she works
100 or more days in another public
school district. Murphy is a teacher in
Boyle County Schools.
Murphy filed for
reelection on April 14,
just hours before the
law went into effect.
The Fayette County
clerk said she cannot
remove Murphy from
the ballot. Murphy
has joined with the
Kentucky Education
Association in a lawsuit in Franklin
Circuit Court challenging the law.
In the election, Murphy faces
Kathy Schiflett, who retired from the
Administrative Office of the Courts, and
R.J. Hijalda, a swim coach and employee
of Grounded All Day Café.
Also seeking to keep her seat on
the board is Amanda Ferguson, who
rejoined the board four years ago
after previously serving on it for eight
years. She faces Rodney Jackson, a
dentist who served as
chair of the Fayette
Education Foundation.
He is not the same
Rodney Jackson who
served as the district’s
finance director and
recently announced
that he plans to sue the
district.
Beyond the ballot
Longtime Boone County Schools
board member Karen Byrd is not
seeking another term. Byrd, who served
as KSBA president from 2023 to 2025,
currently serves as KSBA immediate
past-president.
Byrd who served
on the Boone County
board for 32 years,
said her retirement
from the board does
not mark the end of
her commitment to
public education both
in the state and in her
community.
“It’s been a great honor to serve on
the Boone County school board for the
last 32 years. But all good things must
come to an end at some point,” she
said. “That does not mean I’m going
anywhere. I will continue to be an
advocate for public education because
there are still children counting on us to
prepare them for their futures.”
Another longtime
board member, Floyd
County Schools’ Dr.
Chandra Varia has
decided not to seek
another term. Varia,
who was KSBA’s 2023
Kentucky School Board
Member of the Year,
has served on the
Floyd County board for 25 years.
As she was being honored during the
2023 Annual Conference, Varia said she
always felt she was serving not only the
students in her district, but all students
across the state.
“Truly speaking, I never felt it is
work,” Varia said. “I really, really enjoy
to be a school board member. Taking
Murphy
Ferguson
Byrd
Varia
16 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
care of children, fulfilling needs of every
child, and taking care for the bright
future from birth to adulthood. They
give me happiness.”
In Fulton Independent Schools, two
members who earlier this year voted
against the district discussing a merger
with Fulton County School did not file
for reelection. In April the board voted
3-2 to enter into discussions with the
county district with Christy Pettigrew
and Carol Bransford voting no; when
board chair Austin Ferrell abstained,
however, the motion carried.
The board later voted not to discuss
a merger and instead hired a new
superintendent.
Ferrell is running for one of the
three seats and faces four challengers,
including Rea Jones, who narrowly
missed a seat on the board in the 2022
election.
In some races, family members
are seeking to replace their kin. In
Beechwood Independent, incumbent
Brad Hood, who has served on the
board for 15 years, has decided not to
run for reelection. His daughter Robin
Hood, who serves on the district’s
alumni association’s board of directors,
is seeking a seat on the board.
Robin Hood is one of four candidates
for three seats on the board. Incumbent
Amy Sleet is seeking reelection along
with newcomers Shane Noem, chair of
the Kenton County Republican Party,
and Taylor Blessing, former president of
the district’s parent student and teacher
association and vice-president of the
Kentucky PTA.
Another longtime Beechwood
incumbent, Jeanne Berger, who has
served on the board for 15 years and
served on KSBA’s board of directors, is
not seeking reelection.
In Clinton County Schools, Jermey
Fryman resigned from the board in June
after a ruling from the state attorney
general’s office that he could no longer
serve on the board.
Fryman had filed for reelection but
then withdrew after he resigned. On
the day before the filing deadline, his
wife, Beth Fryman, filed to fill his seat.
Former board member Kevin Marcum,
who served from 2014 to 2018, has also
filed for the seat.
Unexpired terms
Even though the initial filing deadline
has passed, there’s still a chance to file
for at least 37 seats on the ballot. This
year is the second school board election
since the General Assembly changed
the law to extend the filing deadline for
unexpired school board seats.
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 17
An unexpired seat is a seat that would
not typically be on this year’s ballot, but
must be filled by an election due to a
vacancy. If someone has been appointed
to the seat, the member must run for
election to keep the seat. Whoever wins
a race for an expired term will begin
board service as soon as the election is
certified instead of beginning service in
January.
This year there are at least 25 county
seats and 12 independent district seats
on the ballot for unexpired terms. This
year’s filing deadline for unexpired
terms is Aug. 11.
New law upends Jefferson Co. board
election, remakes districts
By Brian Wilkerson | Staff writer
With its passage of Senate Bill 4 this spring, the General Assembly significantly
overhauled the Jefferson County Schools Board of Education, reducing it from seven
to five seats and declaring all open for the Nov. 3 election. Twenty-two candidates,
including three incumbents, have filed to run.
Those seeking reelection include Taylor Everett and Trevin Bass, each of whom will
face three other candidates; and Gail Logan Strange who will face two candidates.
Those incumbents not seeking reelection include current chair
Corey Shull, who has spent almost eight years in office; Linda
Duncan, who has served on the board for 20 years; and Tricia Lister,
who told the Louisville Courier-Journal that she did not want to run
because the redistricting would put her against Strange.
Under the new law, two of the five districts, Districts 4 and 5, will
initially have two-year terms, so that the board will once again have
staggered four-year election cycles in 2028 and beyond.
Among the non-incumbents, the candidates for the new board
represent a wide range of experience and expertise. They include
Bob DeVore, who previously served on the McCreary County
Schools board; Tim Shaughnessy, a former six-term Democratic
state senator; Robert Kahne, co-host of the politically oriented “My
Old Kentucky Podcast,” which is on hiatus; Amina Shale, a Somali
Bantu refugee and advocate; Veda Pendleton, a former equity
lead at the Kentucky Department of Education and former dean of
Spalding University’s College of Education; and Gay Adelmann, co-
founder of “Dear JCPS,” a school-focused advocacy group.
Several other candidates once worked for Jefferson County
Schools, including Phil Haming, Michelle Patrick and Kimberly Ann
Vinegar. In mid-July, Louisville Public Media (LPM) reported that
Adelmann and TraShaun Spencer did not live in the board divisions for which they
filed, a violation of state law.
After the story, former Jefferson County Schools Board member James Craig, who
resigned in June, filed a petition in court to remove Adelmann from the ballot. She
disputes that she filed incorrectly and told the Courier-Journal that she would “see
(Craig) in court.”
Spencer told LPM she believes that the residency requirement does not apply and
would continue her candidacy.
The story cited an attorney with the Kentucky State Board of Elections, who said a
county clerk generally cannot remove a candidate without a judge’s order.
Everett
Bass
Strange
Departing longtime
members
Years of Service
James Milam
Russellville Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Brenda Chism
Eminence Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Karen Byrd
Boone County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
James Roby
Bardstown Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Lonnie Napier
Leslie County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Denny Gray
Lyon County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Joseph Porter
Paintsville Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Roger Faulkner
Williamsburg Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Jacqueline Burnside
Berea Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Chandra Varia
Floyd County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Edwin Smith
Barbourville Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Jeff Beach
Ft. Thomas Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Carol Bransford
Fulton Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Diann Meadows
Powell County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Anna Majors
Grayson County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Janice Shepherd
Paris Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Charlie Wise
Hardin County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
18 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
A summer of leadership
More than 300 board members,
superintendents, administrative
assistants and exhibitors spent part
of a summer weekend at KSBA 2026
Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) on
July 10-11 at Marriott Griffin Gate in
Lexington.
The two-day event featured more
than 24 workshops and general
sessions, including a keynote address
from Michelle Gross, the 2026 Kentucky
Teacher of the Year. Saturday’s general
session also featured a discussion
about school district finance with Chris
McIntyre, Warren County Schools chief
financial officer, chief operating officer,
treasurer and construction supervisor;
Terrie Morgan, Hardin County Schools
superintendent; and Chris Cook,
Crittenden County Schools board
member.
Breakout sessions included Kentucky
Education Commissioner Robbie
Fletcher and Associate Commissioner
Jennifer Stafford; local school leaders;
KSBA staff; and representatives from
businesses and civic organizations
focused on school safety, mental health
and school facilities.
Also held during the institute was the
2026 Summer Meeting of the Kentucky
Organization of Superintendents’
Administrative Assistants. The
participants heard updates on the
changes to district policies spurred
by the 2026 legislative session, board
meeting practices and more.
KSBA’s next conference, the 2026
Winter Symposium, will be held Dec.
4-5 in Louisville.
AUGUST 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 19
20 Kentucky School Advocate | AUGUST 2026
KSBA Board of Directors holds work session, meeting
STAFF REPORT
LSBMAC chair resigns, council hears KDE updates
STAFF REPORT
The 27-member KSBA Board of
Directors held a work session and
meeting June 12-13 in Frankfort at the
KSBA office.
During the work session, prior to
the board of directors meeting, board
members discussed the process for
electing regional directors.
Board of directors members
contemplated making improvements
to the process of electing regional
directors to ensure a consistent
process across all regions. Any changes
would be implemented after the 2026
elections.
During the board of directors
meeting, the board heard a presentation
of the 2027 KSBA strategic plan
and then voted to approve the new
plan. The board also completed
Executive Director Kerri Schelling’s
annual evaluation, completed annual
discrimination and sexual harassment
prevention training and approved the
2027 fiscal year budget.
Angela Parsons-Woods, of Rockcastle County
Schools, places her Post-it note on the wall
during an exercise while Ricky Pennington, of
Morgan County Schools, awaits his turn.
KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling,
President Pamela Morehead and Incoming
President Jeremy Luckett kick off the June board
of directors meeting.
Citing the added responsibility of
becoming a pastor, Simpson County
Schools board member David Webster
resigned as chairman of the Kentucky
Department of Education’s Local School
Board Member Advisory Council during
its July 9 meeting. Webster’s resignation
also ended his 16 years of service on
the council.
“Thank you, David, for all of your
years of service,” said Sarah Snipes,
KDE’s Innovation director and the
council’s facilitator.
Vice chair Carl Kiser, a Clark County
Schools board member, will serve as
chair, while council members selected
Shelby County Schools board member
Joanna Freels as vice chair.
Webster said he planned to continue
serving on Simpson County Schools
board, noting that he is currently
unopposed for reelection in November.
Beyond changes in leadership, the
council also heard an update on the
General Assembly’s mandate this year
to rebid the contract for the statewide
college entrance exam.
Education Commissioner Robbie
Fletcher said that moving to the SAT
a year ago – the first switch in the
two decades since the exam was first
required – saved the state $350,000
annually, and he was unaware of any
widespread concerns.
However, legislative leaders said
they prefer a return to the ACT because
of the longitudinal data it provides.
Fletcher said a contract should be
finalized by October, and it is possible
that districts could choose which test
they want their students to take.
In her presentation, KDE Assistant
Director of the Division of Educator
Recruitment and Development Elly
Gilbert said a broad exit survey of
teachers showed more clearly why they
left their job.
She said work/life balance, school
culture and retirement were three of
the most prominent reasons, while
salary was listed as a major factor by
only a fifth of those moving to another
district and a sixth of those leaving the
profession altogether.
Several school districts, she added,
were having success in retaining
workers by offering targeted financial
incentives such as affordable childcare,
rewarding career milestones, and, for
substitute teachers, providing free
breakfast and lunch.
The council will meet Dec. 3 before
KSBA’s Winter Symposium, which
is scheduled for December 4-5 in
Louisville.
Local School Board Member Advisory Council
member David Turner, of Walton-Verona Inde
pendent Schools, and newly elected chair Carl
Kiser, of Clark County Schools, with outgoing
chair David Webster, of Simpson County Schools.