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Dear Colleagues,
As the legislative session wrapped up before the veto break this week, we saw action on many pieces of legislation, including many bills we have been following at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
One particular piece of legislation we want to draw your attention to is House Bill (HB) 727, which began as a bill allowing the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) to use funds from certification fees to replace the current Kentucky Educator Placement Service System (KEPS) with a statewide job portal.
Once the House passed the bill on March 11, the Senate effectively turned it into an omnibus bill, incorporating several other proposals related to education. Among them:
- Allows EPSB to issue five-year teaching certificates to eligible retired teachers to allow them to come back;
- Amends KRS 157.220 to address maximum class sizes and caseloads for exceptional children and youth;
- Aligns the non-voting student and teacher representative roles on the Kentucky Board of Education to Kentucky Supreme Court districts instead of congressional districts;
- Puts the Carol Martin Gatton Kentucky FFA Leadership Training Center in Hardinsburg under KDE’s administrative authority following a recommendation from the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts;
- Creates new training requirements for school board members to include ethics, open records, open meetings and finance training; and
- Amends KRS 156.808 to allow the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate regulations for full-time and part-time certified and equivalent staff governing leave, which would now include maternity leave for employees at the state-operated area technology centers.
Another part of the legislation allows districts to request a funding adjustment through the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) program under special circumstances when the total assessed valuation of real property or personal property for the school district, as defined in KRS 132.010, is amended by the Department of Revenue’s final certified property assessment report. This would help districts if they are in a situation where that amended total assessed valuation amount affects the net general fund used in SEEK calculations by 1% or more.
The legislation would also remove some reporting requirements as part of an effort to reduce red tape and dissolves the Council for Education Technology, which has not met for more than three decades. I encourage you to read it thoroughly to see what else is in the bill. As usual, KDE will be producing a guidance document for the new legislation shortly after the session ends that will be available on KDE’s Legislative Guidance webpage.
We also saw movement on House Bill 257, a bill to reimagine Kentucky’s state assessment and accountability systems. Following negotiations with lawmakers in both chambers, the legislation is now on the governor’s desk for his consideration.
The bill, inspired by the work of the Kentucky United We Learn Council, encourages districts to work more closely with their communities to establish priorities for their schools and create local indicators of quality – also known as a local accountability system.
Adopting local indicators of quality will be optional for districts. Language in the original bill that would have triggered statewide adoption once 60% of districts adopted the new system was taken out. Many other aspects of the original bill, including a financial incentive of up to $15,000 to help districts develop local indicators of quality, remain in the version that is on the governor’s desk.
The version of the bill that passed out of the legislature includes requiring "targeted quality measures" to be added to the School Report Card until June 30, 2030, which shall include a measure of the change from the prior school year on the following factors:
- The percentage of certified teachers within the school and district who have attained Rank II or higher or who are National Board certified;
- For schools and districts containing students in 8th grade, the percentage of students earning at least one high school credit upon the completion of the student's 8th-grade school year; and
- For schools and districts containing 12th-grade students, the percentage of students who have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the student’s graduation date or officially opted out of completing it.
After July 1, 2030, the targeted measures of quality would be not just reported in the School Report Card but would be included as a new indicator in the state accountability system with a cumulative weight of no less than 5%.
An additional section was added to House Bill 257 requiring KDE to study middle school mathematics and advanced mathematics coursework opportunities and submit a report to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Education by Nov. 1.
As always, we are also following what happens with House Bill 500, the executive branch budget bill. Of course, it is a rather large bill that lawmakers have been adjusting throughout the session, so once we have the chance to sort through every part of what was sent to the governor, we will provide more guidance on how it impacts you and your districts. We will continue providing updates on everything happening in Frankfort as we get closer to the legislative session ending on April 15.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
2026 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit Keynote Announced and Registration Open
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia invite you to a two-day event designed to elevate your impact in education. Mark your calendars to attend the 2026 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit on Sept. 21-22 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington!
Mike Rutherford, 2026 Continuous Improvement Summit keynote, will engage participants with conversations on high-performance teaching and learning, leadership development, creating and leading team-based organizations and results-based organizational improvement.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your professional learning, strengthen existing relationships or tackle unique challenges with fresh strategies, this conference is for you. Don’t miss this opportunity to spark new ideas, gain insights from KDE leaders and join Kentucky’s continuous improvement movement! Visit the 2026 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit registration webpage to register.
Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference Registration Coming Soon!
Mark your calendar and watch for registration to open soon for the third-annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference taking place at the Galt House in Louisville June 8-9.
The session begins with afternoon breakout sessions following registration on Monday, June 8, and continues Tuesday, June 9 with a welcome, keynote address, additional breakout sessions and opportunities to engage with vendors and attendees.
This event is free for Kentucky K-12 public school educators and will include:
- Multiple breakout sessions across both days.
- A featured welcome and keynote on Tuesday morning.
- Dedicated time for networking and vendor hall experience.
- Lunch will be provided and structured transition times are built into the schedule.
The full Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference 2026 Schedule at a Glance is available for review and planning purposes.
Hotel Information
A hotel room block at the Galt House is available for conference attendees at a special group rate. Rooms must be reserved by May 8 to receive the discounted rate. We encourage interested participants to book early, as availability is limited. Please visit the Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference 2026 hotel booking link to reserve your room!
Nominations Open for 2026 Kentucky Special Education Teacher of the Year
The Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children (KYCEC), in collaboration with the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning, is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2026 Kentucky Special Education Teacher of the Year are now open and will close on June 30.
Any full-time, certified public school special education teacher in the state of Kentucky with at least five years of experience is eligible. Teachers may be nominated by students, parents, colleagues, principals, superintendents or anyone in the community who has an interest in honoring an outstanding special educator.
Please fill out the 2026 Kentucky Special Education Teacher of the Year nomination form by June 30. More details can be found on the KYCEC Special Education Teacher of the Year website. Help us celebrate the incredible work happening across the Commonwealth!
Nominations Open for the 2026 Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking recommendations of exemplary educators and leaders in the Commonwealth’s public schools to join the Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program (KEEP).
Recommendations should be made by education leaders, including but not limited to: district superintendents, district curriculum and professional development supervisors, principals, and representatives from teacher training institutions. Self-recommendations will not be accepted.
Note: This is a confidential process. Candidates should not be aware of this recommendation.
The candidate’s contributions to education should be largely unheralded yet worthy of the spotlight. This program is open to educators of all experience levels. Candidates should be currently serving in certified teacher, specialist or principal roles in Kentucky public schools, and demonstrate the criteria listed below:
- Effective and innovative instructional practices as evidenced by student learning results;
- Educational accomplishments and leadership beyond the classroom;
- Strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and
- Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.
Recommendations must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. CT on May 1.
Please note that you will need to upload a letter of recommendation as part of this form. For more information, please reference the 2026 KEEP guide.
Nominate an educator by submitting the 2026 KEEP nomination form.
Guidance on Unpaid Fees
Generally, a district cannot withhold grades due to unpaid fees. KRS 160.330 and KRS 157.100, along with OAG 82-386, indicate that a school cannot withhold grades, diplomas or records as leverage to force a student to pay fees.
Taking part in a graduation ceremony – or “walking” – is somewhat more problematic, since the act of the ceremony itself doesn’t confer graduate status. Instead, the diploma confers graduate status whether or not the student participates in a graduation ceremony. So long as the student is not prevented from receiving the diploma, using the graduation ceremony as leverage may be technically permissible. However, that strategy is not best practice and, in keeping with the spirit of OAG 82-386, is discouraged by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
Any fee charged for participating in a graduation ceremony should be reasonable and permissible. If a graduation fee is for caps, gowns or other items incidental to the ceremony, these are reasonable fees. If the fee, however, is for the district to raise funds, this would be problematic.
As to the question of in-school detention as a consequence for a student’s failure to pay fees, this should be discouraged. Student code of conduct violations should be the only sources of student discipline such as in-school detention or in-school suspension. In-school detention or suspension deprives the student of the full instructional opportunity provided in the ordinary school day. Detention for a student who is unable to pay a fee is reminiscent of debtor’s prison and does not lead to the desired outcome for either party: payment of the fee.
The usual routes for recoupment of funds owed should be pursued, such as small claims court. This is in keeping with the Kentucky law prohibition on a school lowering a student’s grades as a punishment for misconduct, including as a punishment for unexcused absences or tardies.
See OAG 96-28, which outlines this conclusion and describes the analysis when a student is suspended (the missed schoolwork may not be made up since that is the essence of the punishment). A school may, however, prohibit a student’s participation in a graduation ceremony since taking part in a graduation ceremony – or “walking” – doesn’t confer graduate status. Again, restricting the student’s participation in graduation may be technically allowable as leverage, but that strategy is not best practice and not recommended by KDE in keeping with the spirit of this OAG opinion.
KDPH Releases FAQ Document on School Immunization Requirements
The “Kentucky School Immunization Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions” document was developed by the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) to address common questions from schools, providers, and families regarding the recent CDC vaccine schedule reorganization and whether anything has changed for Kentucky schools or childcare settings. It will help support you in responding to questions and help you reassure families/guardians of school-age children that:
The KDPH is committed to protecting the health and safety of all people in our Commonwealth, including through access to vaccines. KDPH continues to recommend that health care providers follow the child and adolescent immunization schedules published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians and that families consult with their health care providers to make informed decisions about their health.
This document joins many other resources found in the 2025 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Outreach Toolkit — a streamlined, updated resource to support vaccination efforts across Kentucky. It includes immunization schedules, noncompliance and declination forms (in English and Spanish), resources for immigrant and refugee children, and updated flyers and social media graphics — all tied to the new theme: Healthy Roots, Stronger Futures.
Just as strong roots help children grow and thrive, timely vaccinations lay a foundation for lifelong health and are available through the KDPH Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Outreach Toolkit.
If you have any questions, please contact SchoolHealth@ky.gov.
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