Title XIII, Education

The teacher in charge shall read or cause to be read a portion of the Bible daily in every classroom or session room of the common schools of the state in the presence of the pupils therein assembled, but no child shall be required to read the Bible against the wish of his parent…

proper respect for and display of the flag -- Observation of moment of silence or reflection. (1) As a continuation of the policy of teaching our country's history and as an affirmation of the freedom of religion in this country, the board of education of a local school district …

(1) In any public school instruction concerning the theories of the creation of man and the earth, and which involves the theory thereon commonly known as evolution, any teacher so desiring may include as a portion of such instruction the theory of creation as presented in the Bi…

(1) It shall be the duty of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, provided sufficient funds are available as provided in subsection (3) of this section, to ensure that a durable, permanent copy of the Ten Commandments shall be displayed on a wall in each public elementary and…

(1) The General Assembly finds the following: (a) Judicial decisions concerning religion, free speech, and public education are widely misunderstood and misapplied; (b) Confusion surrounding these decisions has caused some to be less accommodating of the religious liberty and fre…

As used in KRS 158.181 to 158.187, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) "Establishment clause" means the portion of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution that forbids laws respecting an establishment of religion; (2) "Free exercise clause" means the portion …

board of education -- Administrative remedies. (1) Consistent with the Constitutions of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, a student shall have the right to carry out an activity described in any of paragraphs (a) to (j) of subsection (2) of this secti…

speech. (1) Nothing in KRS 158.181 to 158.187 shall be construed to affect, interpret, or in any way address the establishment clause. (2) The specification of religious liberty or free speech rights in KRS 158.181 to 158.187 shall not be construed to exclude or limit religious l…

encouraging religious or anti-religious activity in violation of establishment clause. Nothing in KRS 158.181 to 158.187 shall be construed to support, encourage, or permit a teacher, administrator, or other employee of the public schools to lead, direct, or encourage any religio…

and certified employees. Before September 15 of each year, the commissioner of education shall: (1) E-mail electronic copies or send paper copies of KRS 158.183 and 158.195 directly to each local school board, school-based decision making council, and certified employee in Kentuc…

KRS 158.181 to 158.187 may be cited as the Nicole Hadley, Jessica James, and Kayce Steger Act.

use of the Bible or other scripture. A teacher in a public school shall be permitted to: (1) Teach about religion with the use of the Bible or other scripture, but without providing religious instruction, for the secular study of: (a) The history of religion; (b) Comparative reli…

opposite biological sex -- Requirements -- Best available accommodation to be provided. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Biological sex" means the physical condition of being male or female, which is determined by a person's chromosomes, and is identified at birth by a person's …

No book or other publication of a sectarian, infidel, or immoral character, or that reflects on any religious denomination, shall be used or distributed in any common school. No sectarian, infidel, or immoral doctrine shall be taught in any common school.

contraception, or family planning -- District to notify parents -- District prohibited from keeping student information confidential from a parent -- Prohibition on policies for use of pronouns that do not conform to a student's biological sex. (1) As used in this section: (a) "E…

- Complaint resolution policy -- Determination by principal -- Appeal -- Final disposition by board -- Request by parent or guardian to preclude student access -- Parent's or guardian's access -- Model policy. (1) As used in this section, "harmful to minors" means materials, prog…

while employees are on duty -- Construction. (1) For the purposes of this section, "on duty" means those times when a school district employee is: (a) Required by the district to be on campus or at another designated location and required to perform the scope of the employee's du…

Each public elementary and secondary school classroom in the Commonwealth of Kentucky shall prominently display a copy of the Bill of Rights, embodying the individual liberties safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States.

Reading and posting in public schools of texts and documents on American history and heritage -- Posting of restrictions on child labor in public school buildings that contain instructional space for students in grades six through twelve. (1) (a) Local boards shall require each p…

to be included. (1) A public school or public charter school shall provide instruction and instructional materials that are aligned with the social studies academic standards adopted in accordance with KRS 158.6453 and consistent with the following concepts: (a) All individuals a…

School council or governing body authorized to display historic religious and nonreligious artifacts, monuments, symbols, and texts in conjunction with course of study. (1) A school-based decision making council under administrative regulations of the Kentucky Board of Education …

(1) The boards of education of local school districts may provide an opportunity for pupils to attend moral instruction in their jurisdiction, in the manner provided in this section. (2) (a) Local boards of education shall allow pupils to be excused for up to one (1) hour on no m…

As used in KRS 156.476, 158.282, 161.051, and this section: (1) "Braille" means the system of reading and writing through touch commonly known as Standard English Braille; (2) "Individualized education program (IEP)" means a written statement developed for an exceptional student …

students in program -- Exceptions. (1) The purpose of KRS 156.476, 158.281, 161.051, and this section shall be to assure, to the maximum extent possible, that all blind students shall be instructed in the use of braille. (2) The written individualized education program for each e…

(1) No student shall be compelled to solicit or meet any kind of quota in a fundraising activity. Solicitations by students shall be on a completely voluntary basis and no grade changes or any other sanctions shall be imposed for refusal or failure of a student to engage in any s…

Students who serve as election officers under KRS 117.045(9) shall be granted one (1) day of excused absence for each election day served.

Military Burial Honor Guard Program -- Inclusion in instructional program. (1) An excused absence may be granted, subject to approval by the local school board, to all students of Kentucky secondary schools who participate in the Military Burial Honor Guard Program, as set out in…

Organization Burial Honor Guard -- Inclusion in instructional program. (1) An excused absence may be granted, subject to approval by the local school board, to all students of Kentucky secondary schools who participate in the Veterans' Service Organization Burial Honor Guard Prog…

(1) If, at the beginning of a school year, a board of education for a local school district provides information on immunizations, infectious disease, medications, or other school health issues to parents and guardians of students in grades six (6) through twelve (12), then the f…

(1) (a) The Kentucky Department of Education, in coordination with the Department for Public Health, the Kentucky Board of Licensed Diabetes Educators, or any other entity the department deems appropriate, shall develop Type 1 diabetes informational materials for the parents and …

students on risks of exposure to ultraviolet rays. (1) The General Assembly finds that: (a) The chief cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet rays from natural sunlight and artificial sources; (b) According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is one (1) of the mos…

(1) The General Assembly hereby finds that training Kentucky students in cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures will: (a) Increase students' ability to respond to emergency situations at school, home, and public places; (b) Benefit Kentucky communities by rapidly increasing the…

encouraged. Kentucky schools are encouraged to include a segment concentrating on the prevention of pediatric abusive head trauma, as defined in KRS 620.020, during a student's final year of study at Kentucky high schools. Important areas of concentration for this segment would i…

for kindergarten through grade three -- Evidence -- Assistance -- Universal screener and diagnostic assessment -- Comprehensive reading program -- Training -- Reading improvement plan and team -- Accelerated interventions - - Teacher academies or coaching models -- Web-based reso…

Science of reading program -- Three-cueing system prohibited -- Administrative regulations. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Curriculum" means the content and plan for instruction, including materials, instructional programs, texts, lesson plans, and assessments needed to help s…

dyslexia -- Professional development related to dyslexia -- Local board of education policy to identify and assist students in kindergarten through grade three with dyslexia -- Annual report. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that is…

(1) The Office of Adult Education shall provide technical assistance to providers to develop family literacy services. The technical assistance shall be evaluated on a regular basis by contracted evaluators outside the program. (2) The services shall: (a) Provide parents with ins…

The General Assembly finds that: (1) Every student should have access to a safe, secure, and orderly school that is conducive to learning; (2) All schools and school districts must have plans, policies, and procedures dealing with measures for assisting students who are at risk o…

As used in this chapter: (1) "Intervention services" means any preventive, developmental, corrective, supportive services or treatment provided to a student who is at risk of school failure, is at risk of participation in violent behavior or juvenile crime, or has been expelled f…

Marshal appointed by and reporting to the commissioner of the Department of Criminal Justice Training -- Annual report to the Center for School Safety, the Legislative Research Commission, and the Kentucky Board of Education -- School security risk assessment tool, purpose -- Are…

coordinator's functions and duties -- Policies and procedures excluded from application of KRS 61.870 to 61.884 -- Limitation of civil and criminal liability for school district, school safety coordinator, and school employees acting in good faith. (1) Beginning with the 2019-202…

agencies in efforts to assign certified school resource officers to each campus as funds and personnel become available -- Employment of guardians -- Memorandum of understanding between local boards of education and law enforcement agencies or the Kentucky State Police -- Policie…

for employment as a school resource officer by a school district -- When officer considered an employee of the school district and when an employee of the Kentucky State Police -- Duties and prohibited activities -- Funding of position -- Rights, privileges, immunities, and matte…

school-based counselors -- Trauma-informed team to recognize and deal with issues of student trauma -- Collaboration for services between two or more school districts or between school districts, educational cooperatives, or other public or private entities -- Annual report to de…

mental health services -- Model interagency agreements. (1) The Kentucky Department of Education shall annually provide to the Kentucky Board of Education and the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Education a summary of the data gather…

program -- Members of board -- Center for School Safety and its board of directors not subject to reorganization by the Governor. (1) The General Assembly hereby authorizes the establishment of the Center for School Safety. The center's mission shall be to serve as the central po…