Kentucky School Advocate

February 2025

With several months to go in the school year, many districts have used all 10 of the non-traditional instruction days allowed under state law. An early January snowstorm caused many districts to use several days. Compounding the problem, several districts used multiple NTI days this past fall during a manhunt for a shooting suspect along I-75, some used the days for Hurricane Helene and some for threats of violence. 

“Superintendents have reached out to me. I’ve also reached out to legislators and we’ve talked a little bit about the potential for adding NTI days,” Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher said during the January Superintendents Webcast. “I am promoting an additional five days for districts at this point to in order to help out all the issues that we’ve had.” 

For example, as of late January, Harlan County Schools, Estill County Schools and Lawrence County Schools had used 10 NTI days, Johnson County Schools had used nine and Lee County Schools had used eight. 

Fletcher said there has also been discussion about calamity days. 

“We're in support of giving districts relief as much as possible,” he said. 

Legislators have been receptive to the request to add NTI, he said. However, lawmakers dd not return to Frankfort until Feb. 4. Fletcher has urged district leaders that need more NTI days to reach out to their legislators and let them know their concerns. 

Former Russellville Independent school board member Davonna Page joined KSBA staff in late January as the association’s new Policy and eMeeting Services manager. She served on her local board from 2003 until 2024, choosing not to run for reelection. Page also previously served as a member of KSBA’s board of directors, both as a regional director and director at-large, before serving as the association’s 47th president from 2021-2023. 

In addition to her many years on her school board and as a KSBA director, Page brings four decades of experience as a paralegal. She spent the last 20 years on staff with Kerrick Bachert in Bowling Green. 

“I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience to KSBA and contribute to KSBA’s mission to provide superior support, service and training to Kentucky’s 171 districts,” she said.  

The Kentucky Department of Education’s Local Superintendents Advisory Council voted Jan. 28 to update a regulation on how officials can be removed from office. 

The regulation, which was up for its seven-year review, stated that the Kentucky Board of Education could vote to remove a local school board member. However, HB 331 passed in 2021 changed state law to say KBE cannot remove local board members. The regulation, 701 KAR 5:055, was updated to reflect the change in state law. LSAC voted unanimously for the change. The regulation will now go to KBE for a vote.