Kentucky School Advocate
August 2024
Staff Report
Board members and administrators from more than 80 school districts attended KSBA’s 2024 Summer Leadership Institute and the Kentucky Organization of Superintendents' Administrative Assistants Summer Conference in Bowling Green. On July 19 and 20, district leaders, exhibitors and presenters came together for a weekend of training and networking.
Friday’s Opening Session featured a keynote address from the newly installed Kentucky commissioner of education, Robbie Fletcher.
“We must give our kids the opportunity to dream. We must give them the opportunity to persist, to be challenged, and must give them the opportunity to succeed,” Fletcher said.
Saturday’s Plenary Session, presented by KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling and Communications Director Josh Shoulta, addressed Amendment 2 which, if passed, would give the legislature new authority to direct public funds to private education providers.
“Bottom line: If passed, public funds – state and local tax dollars – would be fair game for use for unaccountable non-public schools,” Schelling said. “Define that however you want: private schools, religious schools, home schools, private education providers, charters.”
Attendees also took part in a variety of sessions, a trade show of nearly three dozen exhibitors, bonus sessions and networking luncheon. KSBA Staff Attorney John Powell led training on the Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act to help board members satisfy new state-mandated training requirements resulting from legislation passed during the 2024 General Assembly.