Kentucky School Advocate
December 2023
Mercer County board member dies
YeagerMercer County school board member Larry Yeager died Nov. 8 in Harrodsburg. Yeager, who was 80, had served on the Mercer County board for 13 years. He also served on the KSBA Board of Directors from 2016-2019. Yeager was a former educator in Mercer County and served as the district’s athletic director for 27 years. Yeager had also served as vice president of Mercer County Retired Teachers. He was a strong supporter of FFA and 4-H. Yeager’s family asks that memorials be sent to the charity of one’s choice.
Kentucky school boards eliminate corporal punishment
All local Kentucky school boards have now approved a policy banning corporal punishment.
Following an administrative regulation that required boards to create a policy on the use of corporal punishment and advocacy efforts by Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, every school district in Kentucky has prohibited the use of corporal punishment.
“The decision by every school district across all 120 counties to formally prohibit corporal punishment in schools is a win for students and the Commonwealth,” said Alex Young, a Kentucky native and student at the University of Notre Dame who lobbied the General Assembly to end corporal punishment in schools. “I am grateful that school boards and district leaders across Kentucky are in agreement that the archaic and inappropriate practice of corporal punishment has no place in our schools.”
The General Assembly never banned corporal punishment, but the administrative regulation requiring school boards to make a policy ended up with the same effect.
The Kentucky Department of Education’s 2022-2023 School Report Card showed there were five incidents of corporal punishment this past school year, all in Pike County.
Last call for KSBA award nominations
KSBA is accepting nominations through Dec. 15 for the 2024 Kentucky School Board Member of the Year Award (BMOY) and KOSAA KUP (Knowledge, Understanding, and Passion).
The BMOY, now in its third year, honors those who have made significant contributions to public education through service on their local school boards. The KOSAA KUP award was established in 2022 to recognize exemplary service of Kentucky Organization of Superintendents’ Administrative Assistants members and celebrate the critical roles they play in advancement of public education.
Winners will be honored on stage during KSBA’s 2024 Annual Conference, March 1-3 in Louisville. Access award criteria and the nomination forms at ksba.org/KSBAAwardsPrograms.aspx or contact Josh Shoulta at 502-695-4630 ext. 1208. Both awards are sponsored by American Fidelity.
COSSBA Annual Conference in Dallas this February
The Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA) will host its 2024 Annual Conference Feb. 23-25 in Dallas with a preconference on Feb. 22. A conference agenda, hotel rate information, registration and more are available at cossba.org.
Founded by state school boards associations in 2021, COSSBA is a non-partisan, national alliance dedicated to sharing resources and information to support, promote and strengthen state school boards associations as they serve their local school districts and board members. KSBA is one of 25 COSSBA member states.