JANUARY 2026
A PUBLICATION OF THE KENTUCKY SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION
From pile to policy:
A preview of the 2026
legislative session
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PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
TAKE NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
PEOPLE ARE TALKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
BEYOND THE BOARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
EDUCATION BRIEFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
TERMS OF SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
VOLUME 31 | NUMBER 5
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
Follow KSBA for education news, association updates, upcoming events and more
/company/ksba
ksba.org
8
Court strikes down SB1
Nearly a year after initially upholding it,
the Kentucky Supreme Court reversed
course in a 4–3 decision, striking down a
2022 law that limited the authority of the
Jefferson County school board.
12 Recognizing the work behind
the gavel
Behind every school board meeting is
hours of preparation, careful reading and
thoughtful decision-making. In celebration
of School Board Recognition Month, KSBA
asked Kentucky school board members
to pull back the curtain on the time and
effort their service requires and how
they manage the stress that comes with
governing. They also tell us why the
challenges remain worth the effort.
15 2026 Legislative session: What
could rise from an avalanche of bills
As the 2026 session of the Kentucky
General Assembly begins, see what issues
could rise to the top from the hundreds of
education-related bills that will be filed.
While the budget will have the biggest
impact on Kentucky public education,
many other issues are percolating.
20 2025 ends with successful
symposium
Education leaders from across the state
came together in Louisville Dec. 5-6 for
KSBA’s Winter Symposium, the final stop
on KSBA’s year-long journey on the Road
to Greatness. Throughout the weekend,
board members, administrators and
exhibitors traveled the path together,
sharing ideas, solutions and learning from
than 20 informative sessions.
/KSBAnews
PG 8
@KSBAnews
January 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 3
PG 15
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
Hannah Barnes,
Anchorage Ind.
Chris Cook,
Crittenden Co.
Susan Duncan,
Scott Co.
Carmela Fletcher-Green,
Montgomery Co.
John Matt Fourshee,
Carlisle Co.
Joanna Freels,
Shelby Co.
Tom Haggard,
Covington Ind.
Debbie Hammers,
Butler Co.
Venita Murphy,
Webster Co.
Angela Parsons-Woods,
Rockcastle Co.
Brandon Rutherford,
Madison Co.
David Turner,
Walton-Verona Ind.
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Tom Bell,
Christian Co.
Becky Burgett,
Gallatin Co.
Jason Collins,
Anderson Co.
Pat Hall,
Campbellsville Ind.
Ruschelle Hamilton,
Breathitt Co.
Jimmy Hinkle,
Barbourville Ind.
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 | January 2026
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Pamela Morehead,
KSBA President
Eminence Independent Schools board member
Stepping into 2026 with power
A new year gives us the opportunity for reflection and to make resolutions for upping our game.
As we step into 2026 together, I encourage each of you to think about the power you bring to your
board service – not power in our titles, but power rooted in knowledge, strength, leadership and
dedication. These are the qualities of effective school boards as they strive for strong public schools
for Kentucky’s children.
Knowledge is the foundation of effective governance. Board service can be complicated: adjusting
to changing laws, dealing with fiscal pressure, addressing student needs and meeting community
expectations. Fortunately, you are not in this alone!
KSBA offers tools, training opportunities and resources designed to support informed decision-
making. I encourage you to take full advantage of these and to commit to continuous learning. Whether
through conferences, webinars, reading or peer collaboration, your commitment to learning will
boost your confidence and your ability to serve, even in difficult times. When boards prioritize being
informed, they make decisions that are thoughtful, legally compliant and focused on student success.
Strength in board service is not measured by how loudly we speak or how many terms we serve. True
strength is demonstrated through relationships. Strong boards invest time and energy in building
trust with fellow board members, district leadership and the community at large. This requires mutual
respect in disagreement, honesty in difficult conversations, resilience when challenges arise and
perseverance when progress feels slow.
As we all know, public education work is demanding, and setbacks are inevitable. Boards that lean on
one another and remain united around shared goals are better equipped to weather the storm and
lead their districts forward.
Leadership is at the heart of board service. As board members, you set the tone for good governance
and promote your district’s values. You model expectations for accountability and professionalism
before, during and after every board meeting. It’s 24-7-365.
But strong leadership means not standing in one place, it requires intentional growth. You have to
be willing to look yourself in the mirror and identify areas for improvement. Effective leaders focus
on skill building, particularly in key areas like communication, collaboration and governance best
practices. Boards that are committed to strong leadership practices are more likely to make decisions
that align with district goals and student needs.
Finally, dedication fuels everything we do. Board service demands time, energy and focus, and I’m not
just talking about during the long meetings. Very often those demands happen behind the scenes and
without recognition.
Dedication means continuing to work toward both personal and professional goals with passion and a
strong work ethic. It means supporting one another, taking initiative when needs arise and delivering
quality work consistently. Dedicated boards do not settle for doing what is easy. They do what is right
for students and communities. Your willingness to stay engaged makes a real difference in the lives of
children across Kentucky.
As we step into 2026, I challenge you to embrace the power of knowledge, strength, leadership and
dedication. Together, these qualities will guide your board service and help ensure a strong future for
public education in the Commonwealth.
In honor of January’s School Board Recognition Month, I thank you for your service and for your
commitment to your students.
Powell County nickel tax
fails at ballot
Powell County voters on Nov. 25
rejected a nickel tax for improvements
to the district’s facilities. The tax, which
would have added 5.8 cents per $100 of
assessed value to the district’s tax rate,
was defeated with 60% of voters casting
ballots against the tax.
The district had projected that the
nickel tax would increase its bonding
potential from $6 million to $21 mil
lion and would have made the district
eligible for state equalization funds in
the next two-year budget. The district
planned improvements to its track,
which is no longer able to hold regu
lated track meets, and build a baseball
field which the district does not cur
rently have.
The district’s tax rate will now
revert to the rate that would gener
ate 4% in new revenue.
January 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 5
TAKE NOTE
COSSBA national
conference coming to Ky.
The 2026 Con
sortium of State
School Boards
Associations
(COSSBA) will
hold its National Conference March
13-15 at the Galt House in Louisville.
This year’s event provides a unique
opportunity for Kentucky school board
teams to participate in a national con
ference close to home.
Join school board members, super
intendents, district administrators
and education partners from across
the country for a weekend of learning
and networking without even leaving
the state.
Keynote speakers include Phylicia Ra
shad, an actor and director best known
for her iconic role as Claire Huxtable on
“The Cosby Show.” Rashad, whose ca
reer spans stage, screen and academia,
will open the conference. Cultural futur
ist, author, musician and educational
entrepreneur Ravi Hutheesing will
serve as the Saturday keynote and child
therapist Stuart “Mister Stu” Perry, will
be Sunday’s keynote speaker.
For more information go to
cossba.org.
Districts awarded for buying
local food
The Kentucky Department of Agri
culture’s (KDA’s) new Kentucky Farm
to School Stars Recognition Program,
which was created to recognize school
districts that demonstrate a commit
ment to increase purchases directly
from Kentucky farmers, has recognized
three districts.
“Developing programs and incen
tives to get more of that food into our
Kentucky school meals increases the
nutrient level for our school children
and positively impacts our farm fami
lies,” said Kentucky Agriculture Com
missioner Jonathan Shell.
The school districts recognized and
the amounts awarded are:
• Jackson Independent Schools in
Breathitt County, $10,000,
• Mercer County Schools, $8,000.
• Barren County Schools, $6,000.
Winning districts had the highest
percentage of locally produced pro
teins and produce for an entire school
year in their meals. The funds were
awarded through KDA’s portion of the
Ag Tag funds, which come from the
voluntary donations Kentuckians pay
each year when renewing their farm
license plate.
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
Associate Executive Director: Josh Shoulta
Communications Director: Brenna Kelly
Association Engagement Manager: Matt McCarty
KSBA celebrated staff milestones in December at the association’s annual holiday lunch. The staff
members recognized for their years of employment include (from left) Matt McCarty, engagement
manager, 10 years; Melanie Traynor, staff accountant, five years; and Matt Wells, director of Informa
tion Technology, 15 years.
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
“We want to provide a safe
and conducive atmosphere for
learning. That will thereby increase
student achievement, and the philosophy
of community policing is evident in its
operation strategies, working collaboratively
with administrators, personnel, community
members, students, parents and use problem-
solving techniques to address the problems
in the community.”
Harvey Colwell, Perry County Schools safe schools coordinator, on the school
board’s vote to create a district police department instead of contracting
with the sheriff’s office for school resource officers.
From the Hazard Herald
Reggie Taylor
“These results
aren’t just
numbers. They
represent
countless hours
of learning,
teaching, and
believing in what our students can
achieve. This year has proven that
when our Rebel community works
together and is intentional with
what we do, we rise to the top!”
Reggie Taylor, Owen County Schools
superintendent, on the district’s performance
on the Kentucky Summative Assessments which
were released in November.
The News-Herald, Owenton
Aleisha Ellis
“One of the
biggest benefits
is just learning
kind of how we
compare to other
districts and
seeing that the way we do things is
ahead of the curve in many ways.
Stepping outside of our day-to-day
routines helped our staff recognize
our strengths.”
Aleisha Ellis, Clark County Schools finance
director, on attending the Kentucky Association
of School Business Officials conference.
From Facebook
David Turner
“‘Winning an
election is the
beginning, not
the end!’”
@Burgettb. This
is a great message
for novice & experienced board
members alike. Knowing & visibly
living your purpose & your ‘why’
will help you to share the good
news and allow you to be an active
listener.” #KSBAWinter25
David Turner (@DavidT4WV), Walton-Verona
Independent Schools board member, on
messages from KSBA Cadre trainer and Gallatin
County Schools board member Becky Burgett
during her session on ethics at KSBA’s Winter
Symposium.
From X, formerly Twitter
Dan Costellow
“We renovated
hallways and
classrooms. We
expanded our
science labs, our
agriculture shop,
our construction shop … and built a
nearly 600-seat auditorium, which
we’re really proud of. Students
and staff did a great job of working
around the spaces that were being
renovated … it turned out really
great, and we’re really proud of it.”
Dan Costellow, Logan County Schools
superintendent, on the district’s $33 million
renovation of Logan County High School which
was completed in December. It was the first
significant renovation of the school which
opened in 1982.
From WNKY-TV, Bowling Green
6 Kentucky School Advocate | January 2026
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
“There’s no replacement for kids
being in our schools, but NTI does
allow us some flexibility, especially on
days like (Dec. 8). We have finals coming up,
and our teachers are really trying to finish up
the instruction for the first semester, so it’s
really difficult to miss days.”
Matt Thompson, Montgomery County Schools superintendent, explaining how the
district uses nontraditional instruction days to keep learning on track during
inclement weather.
From WKYT-TV, Lexington
Corrie Shull
“We have heard
the voices of
our community;
the concern,
apprehension,
and passionate
engagement regarding the
proposed changes to our JCPS
schools. We recognize that our
schools are the heart of our
communities, and any change must
be approached with the utmost
care, transparency, and a focus on
the best interests of our students.”
Corrie Shull, Jefferson County Schools board
chairman, on the decision to pause a plan to
close or consolidate some schools as the district
faces a budget deficit.
From the Courier Journal, Louisville
Rob Clayton
“We’ve long
wanted to be
able to provide
additional
preschool
services, and the
ability to have a standalone center is
really going to be transformational
as we look forward to engaging
more and more students as our
district continues to grow. This is
just one step toward achieving (and)
ensuring that every student that
enrolls in Warren County Public
Schools is kindergarten-ready by
kindergarten.”
Rob Clayton, Warren County Schools
superintendent, on the district’s new $3.5
million Early Learning Academy which will serve
up to 650 preschool students.
From WBKO-TV, Bowling Green
Jason Booher
“The Whitaker
Bank sponsorship
helped offset the
cost of refinishing
the gym floor this
summer, and in
return, their logo was added to the
floor, similar to what is done in many
college and professional arenas.”
Jason Booher, Mercer County Schools
superintendent, on the district’s agreement
with Whitaker Bank which paid $25,000
for advertising on the district’s high school
gym floor.
From the Harrodsburg Herald
Adryanne
Warren
“Each of our
schools showed
meaningful
progress this year.
These results
confirm the steady work happening
in classrooms every day and the
commitment our teachers and
staff have to student learning
and well-being.”
Adryanne Warren, LaRue County Schools
superintendent, on the results of her
students on the state’s assessment and
accountability system.
From The LaRue County Herald News
January 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 7
The Kentucky Supreme Court reheard the case challenging the constitutionality of SB 1 (2022) in
August 2025. Provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts
8 Kentucky School Advocate | January 2026
Nearly a year after it upheld a law
that would have limited the power of
the Jefferson County Schools board
but retained the power of the state’s
other 170 school boards, the Kentucky
Supreme Court reversed itself and
declared the law unconstitutional.
In a 4-3 ruling issued Dec. 18, the
justices struck down the law, SB 1
passed in 2022, ruling that it targeted
one school district and therefore
violated the state constitution’s ban on
such narrow legislation.
The law, which was the Republican
supermajority’s 2022 priority bill,
would have shifted some board
authority to the superintendent and
put restrictions on when the board
could meet.
Writing for the majority, Justice
Angela McCormick Bisig said the law
and its defenders failed to articulate
why it only applied to Jefferson County
Schools and how the new governing
structure would benefit the district.
“Reformulating the balance of power
between one county’s school board
and superintendent to the exclusion
of all others without any reasonable
basis fails the very tests established
in our constitutional jurisprudence to
discern constitutional infirmity,” Bisig
wrote. “This decision today upholds
our founders’ ideal of forbidding even
well-intentioned but unreasonable
special or disparate treatment of any
one specific community.”
Kentucky School Boards Association
Executive Director Kerri Schelling
said the ruling maintains local board
authority across the state.
“SB 1 would have prevented one
elected school board from making some
of the same decisions weighed by the
other 170 elected boards across the
Commonwealth,” Schelling said. “This
ruling upholds the autonomy that every
school board needs to effectively carry
out the responsibilities entrusted to
them by their local communities.”
After the state Supreme Court issued
its original opinion upholding the law
in December 2024, Justice Pamela
Goodwine joined the court this past
January. She then joined three other
justices in granting Jefferson County
Schools’ request to rehear the case. The
same coalition formed the majority –
Bisig, Goodwine and Justices Michelle
Keller and Kelly Thompson.
In his dissent, joined by Chief Justice
Debra Lambert and Deputy Chief Justice
Robert Conley, Justice Shea Nickell said
the court disregarded procedural rules
in rehearing the case, creating a new
level of “judicial fog.”
He argued that the case was
legitimately decided in December 2024.
In his arguments before the court in
August of this year, Jefferson County
Schools attorney David Tachu argued
that if the 2024 ruling stood, it would
open the door for laws impacting only
one school district, city or county.
Attorney Matthew Kuhn, representing
the state attorney general, argued
that if the court declared the law
unconstitutional it would also invalidate
city-county government mergers.
In the opinion, Bisig wrote that the
law gave powers such as approving
a $250,000 contract to the Jefferson
County superintendent, but not to the
state’s other superintendents.
“For reasons unknown, the statute
also forbids the Jefferson County
school board from meeting more
than once every four weeks,” she
wrote. “Notably, the statute offers no
indication as to why these particular
adjustments are beneficial for a county
school district in a county with a
consolidated local government. Nor
Supreme Court strikes down SB1
By Brenna R. Kelly | Staff writer
does the statute speak to any reason
why its adjustments are not beneficial
in other types of school districts.”
Reacting to the decision, Jefferson
County board chair Corrie Shull said
he was grateful for the ruling because
“JCPS voters and taxpayers should have
the same voice in their local operations
that other Kentuckians do, through
their elected school board members.”
Shull added that the board looks
forward to working with the legislature
to benefit all Kentucky students.
House Speaker David Osborne,
R-Prospect, said in a statement that the
ruling shows the court will reverse an
opinion based on the outcome of an
election.
“It leads Kentuckians to believe that
a school system can continue to fail the
very children it exists to serve if it backs
the right candidate. This raises serious
and unavoidable questions about the
legitimacy of an independent judiciary,”
Osborne said, according to the Kentucky
Lantern.
Attorney General Russell Coleman
said in a statement that he was
“stunned that our Supreme Court
reversed itself based only a new justice
joining the court.”
“This decision is devastating for JCPS
students and leaves them trapped in
a failing system while sabotaging the
General Assembly’s rescue mission,” he
said.
The section of law shifting curriculum
decisions and principal hiring from
school councils to superintendents was
not challenged as part of the case.
Serving schools like the future
depends on it. Because it does.
We’re here to support student outcomes with more effective
learning environments, helping to alleviate budget constraints with
lower utility bills and promoting district sustainability goals through
electrification and efficiency that support building decarbonization.
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Contact us to Learn More:
Walton-Verona Independent Schools board
member David Turner and Paducah Independent
board member Felix Akojie discuss the council’s
priorities for the upcoming year.
10 Kentucky School Advocate | January 2026
Six of KSBA’s 12 regional directors
completed their terms of service on Dec.
31. Each contributed as voting members
of the KSBA Board of Directors and
KSBA regional directors complete
terms of service
STAFF REPORT
as coordinators of their respective
regional meetings. KSBA is grateful to
these leaders for their time, service and
expertise, and for their commitment to
advancing the association’s vision. To
learn more about KSBA’s board, visit
ksba.org/BoardofDirectors.aspx.
Jerry Browning
GARRARD COUNTY
CENTRAL REGION
Joy Colligan
OWEN COUNTY
FIFTH REGION
Donna Isfort
ESTILL COUNTY
UPPER KY RIVER
REGION
Keith Mason
ELLIOTT COUNTY
EASTERN KY
NORTH REGION
Shawn Smee
MURRAY
INDEPENDENT
FIRST REGION
Nancy Uhls
SIMPSON COUNTY
THIRD REGION
New members join KDE’s school board
member advisory council
STAFF REPORT
A newly constituted Local School
Board Member Advisory Council
met on Dec. 4 before KSBA’s Winter
Symposium.
The council, made up of 13 local
school board members, is designed
to provide feedback to the Kentucky
Department of Education and Education
Commissioner Robbie Fletcher on how
KDE and state-level policies impact
local school districts.
At the meeting, KDE’s Director of
Innovation Sarah Snipes welcomed
three new members: Jennifer Thomas,
of Graves County Schools, David Turner,
of Walton-Verona Independent Schools,
and Carl Kiser, of Clark County Schools.
They joined David Webster,
Simpson County Schools, Joanna
Freels, Shelby County Schools,
Brenda Rose, Whitley County
Schools, Felix Akojie, Paducah
Independent Schools, and Venita
Murphy, Webster County Schools.
Snipes asked the members what
priorities they would like to focus on in
the upcoming year.
“If we had the commissioner here, we
have a department, the state board’s ear
for one hour what might be a topic we
want to address?” she said.
After a discussion, the council
decided to focus on teacher recruitment
and retention, inequality gaps,
numeracy, communication and the
respective responsibilities of school-
based decision making councils and
school boards.
Fletcher also gave an update on
the proposed accountability and
assessment system and the 2026
legislative session.
Four new members, appointed by
KDE, are expected to join the council
before its next meeting on Feb. 19
at KSBA’s Annual Conference in
Louisville.
January 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 11
Campbellsville Independent
Schools
Campbellsville
Independent Schools
Superintendent
Kirby Smith
announced he will
resign at the end of
the current school
year and officially
retire in September.
“It has been an honor to serve
this district and to work alongside
people who truly care about the lives
of students – our board, our staff,
our families, and, of course, to work
alongside our students,” he said.
Smith said he is proud of his
accomplishments during his nine years
as superintendent including building
a new middle school and a performing
arts center and expanding the district’s
athletic facilities. Under Smith’s
tenure the district also created its own
police department and launched a
personalized learning program.
Smith also thanked the board
members for “your support and your
commitment to always do what is best
for students.”
Erlanger-Elsmere Independent
Schools
After six years as
superintendent of
Erlanger-Elsmere
Independent
Schools, Chad Molley
will retire at the end
of the school year.
Molley followed in
his father’s footsteps
serving as superintendent. James
Molley was the district’s superintendent
from 1994-2002.
Before becoming superintendent
Molley served as high school teacher,
assistant principal, athletic director,
instructional coordinator and
assistant superintendent.
Superintendent changes
STAFF REPORT
“With my deep ties to the community
– having been a student here and having
lived in this community for almost 48
years now – it really means a lot to me
to be able to serve this school district,
it’s students, our staff, and the cities
of Erlanger and Elsmere,” Molley said
in 2020 after the board chose him as
superintendent.
Henry County Schools
Henry
County Schools
Superintendent Jim
Masters will retire
at the end of the
school year after five
years as the district’s
leader and 29 years
in education.
Masters also served as principal of
Henry County High School from 2008
to 2012 and as the director of K-12
Curriculum and Instruction in Franklin
County Schools from 2012 to 2021.
“Working alongside the board of
education, staff, students, families and
community of Henry County has been
the honor of my life,” Masters said after
the board’s meeting, according to the
Henry County Local.
“Our board and staff care deeply
about students. Our families support
the work. And our kids continue to
prove what they’re capable of. I am
grateful to have been part of this
chapter in our district’s history.”
KSBA Field Consultant and former
Henry County Schools Superintendent
Tim Abrams is facilitating the district’s
search for a new superintendent.
Walton-Verona Independent
Schools
Matt Baker, who
has led Walton-
Verona Independent
Schools as
superintendent for
the past eight years,
announced he will
retire at the end of
the school year.
“I am deeply grateful for the
opportunity to work alongside such
a dedicated board and talented
staff,” he said. “Looking back on my
tenure, I am incredibly proud of
the milestones we have achieved
together accomplishments that
have strengthened our district and
positioned it for continued success.”
During his tenure the district made
significant investments including
expanded access to technology and staff
pay increases, Baker said. The district
also opened the Walton-Verona Early
Childhood Center and the Intermediate
School, which will provide room for the
district’s growth, he said.
“While stepping away is bittersweet,
I do so with confidence in the bright
future ahead,” he said.
KSBA is facilitating the district’s
superintendent search.
Molley
Smith
Masters
Baker
12 Kentucky School Advocate | January 2026
“Realize that there is
only so much you can
do as an individual and
rely on your other
board members to help
you achieve the goals
you have for your
district. There is a reason we have
five members,”
– Paul Forester, Edmonson
County Schools
“I would recommend a
working session prior
to the start of the board
meetings. This has
made a positive
difference in helping
board members truly
understand and gather information
prior to making decisions.”
– Nita Neal, Bullitt County Schools
“Always review the
board agenda at least
3-4 days before the
meeting, then meet
with the
Superintendent and
financial officer for any
questions you may have. Never go into a
board meeting with just reviewing the
material shortly. Always know what is
on the agenda and how your decision
will affect the school and community.”
– Bridget Elliott, Elliott County Schools
“To always remember,
people are entrusting
you with their most
valuable possession,
their children.”
– Hargis Davis,
Gallatin County Schools
“I’ve learned over the
past 15 years to not let
what people say on
social media get you
rattled. 95% of them
have no idea what is
being said from others,
they’re just jumping on to complain.”
– Billy Montgomery, Mercer County
Schools
“Pray for God’s
guidance and make the
decision that you will
be the most satisfied
with and brings the
best reward for the
students, staff and
the district.”
– Tony Krahenbuhl, Laurel
County Schools
In which of
the following
ways do you
prepare for a
school board
meeting in
the 24 hours
prior?
What is one thing you would recommend to other school board members to help manage
stress related to school board service?
Behind every school board meeting is hours of preparation, careful reading and thoughtful decision-making – work that
is often balanced alongside full-time jobs, family responsibilities and the weight of public accountability. In celebration of
School Board Recognition Month, KSBA asked Kentucky school board members to pull back the curtain on the time and
effort their service requires and how they manage the stress that comes with governing. They also reflect on the moments,
values and outcomes that remind them why the challenges of board service remain worth the effort.
January 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 13
“Remember you can’t
fix everything, but look
where you can make a
difference. Also know
that on high profile
decisions you make,
about 50% will agree
with your position and 50% won’t. Your
decision must always be student
centered. Just do the next right thing
and you’ll arrive at the best place.”
– Tom Payne, Daviess County Schools
On average,
how much
time do you
typically spend
preparing
for a Regular
School board
meeting?
“This is my way of
supporting my county
and community. A way
of serving our people
and children in our
district. I get
satisfaction in knowing
that I’m trying to do my part in
educating the children in our district.”
– James Lane, Morgan County Schools
“When I hear our
graduates are moving
on to college or
technical school, I know
the time, effort and
stress was worth it.”
– Steven Gauze,
Martin County Schools
“Learning about new
programs, a staff
member achievement,
the progress of our
students, approving
field trips, fundraising,
policy, and leadership
initiatives across the district make it all
worthwhile. The stress, work and time
required as a board member becomes
minimal compared to the work our
students and teachers are doing.”
– Rachel Retherford, Erlanger-Elsmere
Independent Schools
“Having the
opportunity to assure
that all things are good
and right for the
students is the best
things there is. Also,
making sure all student
needs are met is very important!”
– Elaine Wilson, Somerset Independent
Schools
“I am a newly appointed
member and I am still
learning. However, my
love of children and
advocating for what is
best for them is what
drives me to be the best
board member I can be.”
– Natasha Fuson, Middlesboro
Independent Schools
What is one thing about board service that makes the time,
work and stress of board service worth it for you?
“I enjoy (being a board
member) and feel my
job on the board is
worthwhile when we
have a recognition
night at our meeting
and the room is full of
students and parents. Their smiling
faces give your heart a lift.”
– Lisa Smith, Grant County Schools
“Every time we have
students come to the
board meetings to
show what they do in
their schools instills joy
in my heart. Then
seeing the graduates
walk in at graduation is enough to show
the time and effort is worth it. Also,
having community members thank you
for your service.”
– David Webster, Simpson County
Schools
“Visiting the
classrooms/schools.
Going to plays,
musicals, games,
concerts, ceremonies
and eating in the
cafeteria with
students. By engaging with our
students and staffs, you get a feel for
what is needed, appreciated, required
and wanted to help them grow and be
successful in their academic, sports
and community lives.”
– Lisa Allen, Bowling Green
Independent Schools
“If I can somehow make
education for children
in my community
better, then it’s worth
it. The schools I serve
are the same schools I
went to, and the same
schools my children attend, so it’s
deeply personal for me.”
– Brooke Holley, Carter County Schools
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January 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 15
The 2026 session of the Kentucky
General Assembly will look and feel
different from past sessions with
lawmakers convening in temporary
chambers as the state Capitol
undergoes a multi-year renovation.
But despite the new surroundings,
lawmakers’ biggest priority of a 60-day
legislative session will remain the same
– crafting a new two-year state budget.
That budget will have the biggest
impact on Kentucky public education,
however there will likely be hundreds
of bills filed that could ultimately
impact schools and districts.
During this past year’s 30-day
session, lawmakers filed more than
1,000 bills with nearly 300 having the
potential to impact public education in
some way.
Budget focus of session, other
education issues to be addressed
By Brenna R. Kelly | Staff writer
The avalanche of possible new laws
began on Jan. 6 and will continue
until the early March deadline to file
new bills.
The new two-year budget
Most Kentucky education funding
flows from the two-year state budget
and how much lawmakers decide to put
into the pot of money to be distributed
to districts through the state’s Support
Education Excellence in Kentucky
(SEEK) formula.
As is typical in budget years, KSBA’s
No. 1 legislative priority is a budget that
adequately provides for all students
in Kentucky’s common schools. As
part of that request, KSBA is asking
lawmakers to ensure transportation is
funded at 100%, continue to equalize
nickel taxes, continue funding full-day
kindergarten and provide resources to
fully implement the School Safety and
Resiliency Act. (See KSBA’s Legislative
Priorities on page 18)
“Since local school boards’
authority is so closely connected to
funding, facilities and taxes, budget
issues will be a major focus for KSBA
this session,” said KSBA Executive
Director Kerri Schelling.
Going into the budget session, the
state’s Consensus Forecasting Group
in December projected that the state’s
general fund revenue would dip 1.3%
in fiscal year 2026 but would then grow
2.6% in fiscal year 2027.
Lawmakers will also weigh whether
to reduce the state’s income tax again
Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, speaks during a June 25 news conference in a temporary building where lawmakers are
meeting while the Capitol is under renovation. The temporary Senate and House chambers have no galleries for the public. Kentucky Lantern photo by
David Stephenson
16 Kentucky School Advocate | January 2026
with the Republican Supermajority’s
goal of a 0% rate. Though this past
fall the state’s revenue missed the
benchmark to trigger another half-
percent cut, some lawmakers have said
they will advocate for another cut.
However, this session lawmakers
will also face unprecedented
uncertainty due to federal funding
cuts in Medicaid and the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program as the
result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
passed by Congress.
“It will impact
the way we do the
budget,” Kentucky
House Speaker David
Osborne, R-Prospect,
said during the
Kentucky Chamber
of Commerce’s
November
conference in Lexington. “I think this
budget is going to present some unique
challenges because there really are
disparate ideas on how we approach
this budget.”
Add to that lawmakers are concerned
about potential federal education
funding cuts, said Rep. James Tipton,
R-Taylorsville.
During a
legislative panel
discussion at KSBA’s
Winter Symposium,
former Warren
County Schools
board member
Rep. Kevin Jackson,
R-Bowling Green,
said the current two-year budget is
“like an early Christmas” compared to
what lawmakers are facing this session.
Jackson said budget experts warned
members during the recent House
Republican Caucus retreat.
“You would think the sky was
falling listening to our budget and
appropriations and revenue folks,” he
said. “I know that their job is to tamper
down expectations, but I really feel like
they were being honest this time.”
Banning diversity, equity and
inclusion
Though lawmakers can no longer
prefile bills, many of the issues the
legislature is expected to address
have been previewed during interim
committee meetings.
One of those is diversity, equity
and inclusion (DEI) in K-12 schools.
In a December committee meeting,
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield,
presented her plans to ban diversity,
equity and inclusion initiatives in the
state’s K-12 schools.
“DEI reinforces division rather than
unity and encourages students, teachers
and staff to see each other through
the lens of identity and creating group
think instead of creating independent
thinkers,” Tichenor said.
The bill would be similar to Senate
Bill 165 (2025) which said that districts
Osborne
Jackson
January 2026 | Kentucky School Advocate 17
could not promote discriminatory
concepts or DEI initiatives among
other restrictions. Tichenor also said
she believes social-emotional learning
(SEL) is DEI.
Fixing SB 181
Another bill
Tichenor is expected
to champion is one
that would make
changes to 2025’s
Senate Bill 181.
That bill required
school boards to
adopt a traceable
communication system for district
employees to communicate with
students.
The bill was unanimously passed in
both chambers of the legislature and
signed by Gov. Andy Beshear, however
administrators, teachers, coaches and
parents quickly discovered problems
with the law – such as restricting
communication for small businesses,
stepfamilies and other issues such as
reaching students in an emergency.
Another issue was whether districts
were required to accept waivers, who
qualifies as a volunteer or who is a
family member.
In an interview with Kentucky Today,
Tichenor said she is drafting a bill to
clarify the some the bill’s provisions
and expected to file it in the first days of
the session.
“We’re starting to look back at the
language of the bill to see how we can
tweak this – how to make this work
without lessening the intent of the bill
and be able to move forward with a
strong piece of legislation and policy
that still protects our kids and our
institutions,” she said. Tichenor has
met with several education stakeholder
groups including KSBA to work
on improvements to the bill. KSBA
Attorney John Powell said the changes
are “focused primarily on making
implementation easier on districts.”
Pre-K for all?
Gov. Andy
Beshear’s initiative
to expand pre-K will
also likely be a hot
topic this session.
A report from
Beshear’s Pre-K for
All committee urged
the state to expand
preschool gradually and allow districts
to decide when and how to expand their
programs.
The legislature
has so far been
unreceptive to
Beshear’s plans.
Osborne, has said
that families need
year-round childcare
not universal pre-K.
Senate President
Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said
after the Senate’s caucus retreat, that
though many county judge-executives
and chambers of commerce have been
getting phone calls asking them to
support Beshear’s plan, that may not
matter.
“We’re going to set policy based
on what we think is good policy, not
political arm twisting,” he said.
Other education issues:
Lawmakers have said that legislation
addressing issues at the state’s two
largest school districts will be at the top
of their list.
Fayette County Schools and its
superintendent have been under
scrutiny for travel expenses and an
effort to raise the county’s occupational
license tax. Jefferson County Schools is
facing a $188 million budget deficit.
“I think our priority legislation this
session is going to involve at least
two pieces of legislation targeted
specifically to the concerns that you’ve
raised here about Jefferson County
and Fayette County and the way that
we need to approach that,” Sen. David
Givens, R-Greensburg told Louisville
Public Media.
After meeting
during the
interim session,
the legislature’s
Make America
Healthy Again
– Kentucky task
force issued a set of
recommendations
including making school meals
healthier through farm-to-school
programs, nutrition education and
reducing access to processed foods.
Task force member Rep. Steve Doan,
R-Erlanger, presented a bill to the group
that would ban 11 substances from
school meals including brominated
vegetable oil, potassium bromate and
some dyes. Doan filed a similar bill in
2025 that did not pass.
Republican lawmakers are expected
to create a system for federal tax credits
for education expenses. Though voters
rejected the use of state funds for non-
public schools in 2024, these would be
federal tax credits.
Under the program, part of the One
Big Beautiful Bill Act, taxpayers could
get a dollar-for-dollar tax credit up to
$1,700 by donating to a scholarship
granting organization. The law requires
states to opt in to the program. Givens
told Louisville Public Media he plans to
file legislation to set up the program.
Tichenor
Beshear
Stivers
Givens
See how to follow the
2026 legislative session
and learn some legislative
terms on page 26
18 Kentucky School Advocate | January 2026
KSBA 2026 Legislative Priorities
Enacting a state budget that
adequately provides for all
students in Kentucky’s
common schools.
We ask the General Assembly to:
Protect funding for our state’s
most vulnerable students including
SEEK add-on funding for exceptional
students, at-risk students and English
language learners, and Learning &
Results Services (LARS) programs
including family resource and youth
services centers (FRYSCs), state
agency children and extended school
services (ESS).
Ensure 100% reimbursement for
student transportation to help school
boards address driver shortages.
Continue funding for full-day
kindergarten and codify that funding
into law.
Continue to equalize local nickels
levied by school boards for facilities.
Continue to fund statewide and
local efforts to create safe school
environments, including funding to
achieve the goals of the School Safety
and Resiliency Act (2019).
Continue to appropriate the full
actuarially determined contributions
to the Teachers’ Retirement System
(TRS), and the full amount needed for
school employee health insurance.
Protecting local control of school
boards so they can make decisions
in the best interest of the
communities that elected them.
We ask the General Assembly to
continue supporting local board
authority over the issues that call
for local solutions and thoughtful
use of local resources. This includes
prioritizing permissive statutory
language over rigid, one-size-fits-all
statewide mandates. This also includes
the passage of legislation that
maintains local taxing authority and
does not contribute to the erosion of the
elected board’s ability to levy necessary
funding for schools.
Preventing unintended
consequences.
We ask members of the General
Assembly to consult school boards,
administrators, teachers, parents
and students when considering
education legislation – ensuring the
letter of the law matches the spirit of
the law.
We ask the General Assembly to make
urgent, necessary improvements
to 2025’s Senate Bill 181 regarding
traceable communications and to
seek out feedback from the districts
and personnel charged with its
implementation.
Advocating for adequate funding
for any new requirements.
We ask the General Assembly to
consider the potential financial
impact of new requirements on
school districts. To successfully
achieve the policy goals of the
legislation, we ask that any new
mandates be accompanied by the
resources to effectively implement
the requirements.
Expanding access to early
childhood education to improve
kindergarten readiness.
Across the state, many of our students
enter school without the skills they
need to succeed in the classroom. In
the 2023-24 school year, fewer than
half of students arrived prepared for
kindergarten. To help us give students
the greatest chance to thrive in school,
we ask the General Assembly to
continue its efforts to expand access to
early childhood learning experiences
and support districts’ preschool
programs.
Enabling facility improvement
cost-saving and funding
modernization.
We ask the General Assembly to
make permanent the provisions of
House Bill 678 (2022) which have
saved districts time and money by
providing flexibility over the facility
improvement process. Those measures
are now set to expire in 2027.
We also ask the General Assembly
to work with education stakeholders
to explore pathways to modernize
how school boards fund facility
improvement and construction and
how those facilities are insured.
Each year, the Kentucky School Boards Association outlines legislative priorities for advancing public education,
strengthening Kentucky’s 171 school districts and empowering local school boards.
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20 Kentucky School Advocate | January 2026
Education leaders from across the
state came together in Louisville Dec.
5-6 for KSBA’s Winter Symposium, the
final stop on KSBA’s year-long journey
on the Road to Greatness. Throughout
the weekend, board members,
administrators and exhibitors
traveled the path together, sharing
ideas, solutions and learning from
more than 20 informative sessions.
General sessions featured a
bipartisan panel of legislators – Rep.
Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green,
Rep. Lisa Willner, D-Louisville, and
Rep. Timmy Truett, R-Jackson – who
previewed the 2026 legislative
session, a keynote address from
Kathy McFarland, executive director
of the Consortium of State School
Boards Associations and from Melissa
Goins, director of the state’s Family
Resource and Youth Services Centers.
Though the Road to Greatness
concluded in Louisville, its impact
will continue as leaders apply what
they learned along the way to guide
their students and districts on their
own journeys.
KSBA wraps 2025 with successful symposium