Title XIII, Education

Each county in this state constitutes a county school district, except that, in counties in which there are independent school districts, the county school district consists of the remainder of the county outside of the boundaries of the independent school districts.

(1) All school districts embracing designated cities together with the territory within their limits, including any territory added for school purposes outside of the city limits, and all independent graded common school districts having a school census enumeration of two hundred…

Boards of education of any two (2) or more contiguous school districts may by concurrent action merge their districts into one (1). In case of a merger, the members of the boards of education of the merged districts may serve out the terms for which they were elected. The resulti…

(1) When a board of education of an independent school district desires to have its district become a part of the county school district, it shall by motion so record its desire in the minutes of the board. The board, or its executive officer, shall convey this request to the cou…

(1) Upon a merger under the provisions of KRS 160.040 and 160.041 of an independent school district in a city of the first class with a county school district in counties containing a city of the first class, the members of the county board of education of the merged county schoo…

(1) At the regular November election during the first even-numbered year nearest to the time of the merger of the districts, as above set out, two (2) members of the county board of education shall be elected from the county at large for a term of four (4) years, and two (2) year…

is located. (1) If seventy-five percent (75%) of either the registered voters or property owners in an area adjacent to either a county or independent school district petition the respective school boards for a transfer of property to the school board district other than that in …

(1) The General Assembly hereby finds that from time to time various school boards, in the exercise of their administrative discretion, have determined that their school districts would be most efficiently administered if one (1) or more of the district's schools were constructed…

When any property assessable for school purposes in one school district is annexed by or transferred to another school district, the recipient district shall assume a part of the indebtedness, if any, of the other school district incurred for school buildings and grounds in the p…

coverage. The Kentucky Board of Education shall by regulation require each school district to: (1) Provide for fire and extended insurance coverage on each building owned by the board which is not surplus to its needs as shown by the approved facilities plan. The requirement for …

funds -- Report -- Matching funds -- Termination of participation. (1) There is hereby established the school of innovation pilot project to provide school districts with the opportunity to explore innovative school operation models. (2) (a) There is hereby established in the Sta…

- Annual report. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Complaint" has the same meaning as in KRS 600.020; (b) "Court-designated worker" has the same meaning as in KRS 600.020; and (c) "Habitual truant" has the same meaning as in KRS 159.150(3). (2) The purpose of this section is to r…

electronic communication -- Parental authorization for exceptions -- Communications that are not restricted -- Disclosure of affiliation -- Report of unauthorized electronic communication -- Disciplinary penalties -- Notification and investigation of report. (1) As used in this s…

minor or student. A public school district or public charter school shall not enter into a nondisclosure agreement relating to misconduct involving a minor or student, including abusive conduct as defined in KRS 160.380.

hires and student teachers in certified nonpublic schools -- New checks on teachers permitted every five years -- Fingerprinting -- Disclosure statement -- Employment of offenders by certified nonpublic schools -- Forms -- Nondisclosure agreement prohibited. (1) For purposes of t…

Operation -- Annual report. (1) As used in this section, "Kentucky Educator Placement Service System" or "system" means the online statewide job posting system operated by the Kentucky Department of Education for vacancies at, and applications to, local school districts and publi…

(1) As used in this section: (a) "Military-connected student" means a child enrolled in a Kentucky public school who is a dependent of a current or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the Kentucky National Guard, or any reserve component thereof; and (b) "Purp…

As used in KRS 160.157, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Board" means the board of education of a local school district; (2) "Community school" means a school that makes its facilities available for citizen use, coordinates activities of local citizens in identifying p…

(1) The Kentucky Board of Education shall develop a state plan for community education which sets forth the goals and objectives of the program and establishes a system of priorities for targeting available resources on the areas with the greatest need. (2) The Kentucky Departmen…

(1) A public school district may receive funding for a community school program if it meets all of the following criteria: (a) Submits an application for approval by the Kentucky Board of Education in the manner and form prescribed by the Department of Education; (b) Submits a pl…

Meetings -- Reimbursement of expenses. (1) A state Council for Community Education shall be established for the purpose of advising the commissioner of education and the Department of Education on issues relating to community education programs and making recommendations for the …

As used in KRS 160.1590 to 160.1599: (1) "Achievement gap" means the difference between performance goals and actual performance on state standardized examinations and other academic performance measures for subgroups of students, especially groups defined by socioeconomic status…

(1) The General Assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) Reducing achievement gaps in Kentucky is necessary for the state to realize its workforce and economic development potential; (b) Past and current measures have been insufficient for making progress toward reducing the …

of charter application -- Collective may act as substitute authorizer -- Annual report -- Performance review -- Contract renewal. (1) The Kentucky Public Charter School Pilot Project is hereby established to study the impact of public charter schools within the common school syst…

Exemption from laws and regulations -- School requirements -- Enrollment option information for parents -- Board of directors -- Buildings and grounds, liability insurance, and other undertakings -- Requirement to be nonsectarian and nondiscriminatory -- Authorized grade levels -…

and state board -- Required application information. (1) An application to establish a public charter school may be submitted to a public charter school authorizer by teachers, parents, school administrators, community residents, public organizations, nonprofit organizations, or …

decisions -- Criteria for approval -- Explanation of decision -- Submission to Department of Education -- School board member charter authorization training. (1) A public charter school authorizer shall: (a) Fulfill the expectations and intent of this section and KRS 160.1590 to …

board -- Judicial review -- Joint oversight. (1) Any applicant or board of directors of a public charter school may request technical assistance from the Kentucky Department of Education to address deficiencies identified by an authorizer. The department shall respond within thir…

charter contract with authorizer -- Calculation of daily average attendance -- Proportional transfer of funds -- Services -- Negotiation by collaborative -- Calculations for first year -- Authorizer fee -- Schedule for funds transfer -- Grants -- Share of state and federal funds …

directors and authorizer's governing body -- Corporate powers -- Prohibition against tax levies and use of eminent domain -- Immunity from liability. (1) Upon the approval of a charter contract by a public charter school authorizer, the applicant shall be permitted to operate a p…

-- Reasons for nonrenewal or revocation -- Administrative regulations -- Report of action taken and reason for decision -- School closure protocol. (1) A charter contract may be renewed by the authorizer for a term of duration of five (5) years, although the authorizer may vary t…

Establishment requirements -- Administrative regulations -- Governance -- Enrollment requirements -- Employees -- Collective bargaining -- School facilities. (1) An existing public school not scheduled for closure may be converted into a public charter school and be identified to…

procedures -- Approval of Department of Education required for mortgages and leases -- Authorization for general obligation bonds -- Rental and debt service payments -- Funds intercept -- Sale of real or personal property by board. (1) As used in this section and KRS 160.180 and …

Every person elected to a board of education shall, before assuming the duties of the office, take the following oath, in addition to the constitutional oath: "State of Kentucky, "County of _________ "_______________, being duly sworn, says that he or she is eligible under the la…

office -- Reelection -- Annual in-service training requirements. (1) As used in this section, "relative" means father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, and daughter. (2) A person shall only be eligible for membership on a board of education if the person: (a) Has atta…

(1) Any vacancy in any board of education shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the local board within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs. Within thirty (30) days of the vacancy, the local board shall, for two (2) weeks, have solicited applications …

(1) All elections for members of boards of education shall be in even numbered years, for a term of four (4) years. Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, the elections shall be held at the regular November election. (2) In each even numbered year, there shall be h…

lines of divisions -- Boards in large school districts. (1) In independent school districts, the members of the school board shall be elected from the district at large. In county school districts, members shall be elected from divisions. (2) The board of education of each county…

(1) The divisions for the Jefferson County Board of Education shall be based upon the precinct identification codes and precinct boundaries maintained by the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office as of March 19, 2026. The divisions shall be composed of the following territory in Jeffer…

county's boundary. (1) In a school district where the district boundary extends beyond the boundary of a single county, candidates for election to the school board shall be elected from the district at large. Nomination papers shall be filed with and certified by the clerk of the…

All elections for members of boards of education shall be by secret vote. The county clerk shall cause to be prepared for presentation to the voters the names of legally eligible candidates who have filed a petition as provided in KRS 118.315.

The candidate names shall be presented to the voters in the form prescribed by the general election law, except that no party emblem or distinguishing mark shall be used, save the words "School Candidates." The order in which the names of the candidates are to appear shall be det…

The general election laws shall apply to all elections of school board members.

(1) No election officer or other person within an election booth shall tell or indicate to a voter the political affiliation of any candidate. (2) An election booth means an area in which a voter casts his vote which is designed in such a manner that the secrecy of the vote is in…

(1) The voting in county districts shall be by divisions. Each voter shall vote for only one (1) candidate. The legally eligible candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast in his division shall be declared elected. (2) In independent school districts each voter may vote…

(1) Each board of education shall hold at least one (1) regular meeting each month, at a time and place fixed by the board. Special meetings may be called by the chairman. On request of three (3) members of the board, the secretary shall call a special meeting. Each member of the…

plans. (1) Members of boards of education shall receive no salaries, but members of boards of education may receive, for each day a regular or special meeting is attended, a per diem of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) and their actual expenses. Members shall receive this same pe…

(1) Each board of education shall have general control and management of the public schools in its district and may establish schools and provide for courses and other services as it deems necessary for the promotion of education and the general health and welfare of pupils, cons…

or services -- Fringe benefits program. (1) All school employees working on a continuing, regular basis, shall be paid regularly, on dates determined by the employing board of education, during the school year or during the fiscal year for twelve (12) month employees, the provisi…

community purposes. Any statute to the contrary notwithstanding, upon the recommendation of the chief state school officer, the Kentucky Board of Education may adopt administrative regulations authorizing a local board of education to enter into an agreement with a public agency …