Kentucky School Advocate

June 2024

While the filing deadline for local school board seats was June 4, there is still a chance to file for some board seats after that date. Under a change in state law, the filing deadline to fill seats with unexpired terms is Aug. 12. An unexpired term is a term that would not typically be up for election this year, but has been filled by an appointment following a vacancy. 

Under state law, unexpired terms for school board “with one year or more on August 1 after the vacancy occurs shall be filled for the unexpired term by an election to be held at the next regular election after the vacancy occurs.” 

Another change to board elections: if no one files for the unexpired term or declares intent to be a write-in candidate for the seat, then the seat will be vacant on Nov. 1. Boards would then have to appoint a new member. 

Similarly, if no one files for a regular board term or declares intent to be a write-in candidate for the seat, then the seat will be vacant on Jan. 1 and the board would have to appoint a new member. Prior to the change, which came in House Bill 580, write-in candidates were not allowed if no one had filed for the seat. 

The deadline for filing an intent to be a write-in candidate is Oct. 25.

The two-year state budget passed by the Kentucky General Assembly, House Bill 6, includes requirements that districts report increases in certified and classified staff compensation to the Kentucky Department of Education.

KDE has distributed the mandatory survey, which is crucial for collecting data necessary to fulfill KDE’s reporting obligations to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue.

The survey seeks information specifically related to compensation increases in the 2024-25 fiscal year. KDE asked that the surveys be completed by June 15. 

The survey included: 

•    Describe the type of staff compensation increases adopted, such as percentage-based or flat rate, if applicable.

•    The average percentage rate or average dollar amount of the compensation increases for certified staff and for classified staff.

•    The manner in which the compensation increases were delineated, such as universally or by job classification.

•    The date the local board of education adopted the compensation increases.

•    The effective date of the compensation increases.

•    Any changes to the district’s certified staff single salary schedule(s), such as flat rate or percentage based.

•    Any changes to the district’s classified staff single salary schedule(s), such as flat rate or percentage based.

•    A PDF upload of any monetary compensation in addition to that provided through the district’s single salary schedule, such as extra service pay or one-time payments.

The Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA), of which KSBA is a founding member, will hold its 2024 Federal Advocacy Conference Sept. 8-10 in Washington, D.C. The event will feature appearances by members of Congress, a bipartisan congressional staff panel, state breakout groups and a variety of sessions on topics including educational policy challenges, demographics, emerging technology and more.  

COSSBA offers an early bird registration rate of $625 until July 15. Discounted hotel accommodations can be reserved until Aug. 18. For more information and online registration, visit COSSBA.org. 

COSSBA is a nonpartisan, national alliance of 25 member states dedicated to sharing resources and information to support, promote and strengthen state school boards associations.

KSBA joined nonprofits across the state to celebrate Kentucky Gives Day 2024 on May 7, an annual day of fundraising and awareness for hundreds of charitable causes. In all, KSBA raised more than $2,500 for the KSBA Educational Foundation in support of the association’s First Degree College Scholarship and CTE Student Grant programs for Kentucky high school students. 

In 2024, KSBA awarded five first-generation college scholarships to high school seniors and 42 CTE Student Grants to high school students currently in pursuit of CTE industry certifications. For more information on these programs, and to see a listing of this year’s student aid recipients, visit KSBAEF.org. 

KSBA is grateful to the many members, friends, staff and partners who contributed to the KSBA Educational Foundation during the 2023-24 school year.