Superintendents from across Kentucky urged lawmakers Tuesday to increase funding in the state budget, particularly for construction expenses and declining transportation support.
As legislators work through what has been described as a bare-bones budget, school leaders are calling for full funding of transportation and school construction. The current GOP budget proposal would cut school transportation funding by nearly $40 million — about a 10% decrease compared to the current fiscal year.
Superintendents told members of a budget review subcommittee Tuesday that underfunding transportation through the state’s SEEK funding formula would divert money away from classrooms.
John Siler, superintendent of Whitley County Schools in southeastern Kentucky, said that in past years, when transportation received only partial funding, the district had to pull money from its general fund — dollars typically used for instructional tools such as laptops. In fiscal year 2025, transportation was only partially funded, forcing Siler’s district to cover the remaining $900,000.
“It also helps us when we can protect our general fund and not have to fill in the gaps for transportation shortfalls to increase our salaries for our teachers,” Siler said. “That helps us attract new teachers. It helps us retain the great ones that we already have.”
Superintendents also asked lawmakers to allocate additional funding for new school facilities, including matching funds raised through local levies and providing the second phase of state financing for partially funded projects. Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, who chairs the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, has described the proposed budget as “bare bones” and said it is likely to change before final passage.
Siler said transportation underfunding has prevented his district from replacing buses at the rate recommended by the Kentucky Department of Education. Under that guidance, the oldest bus in use should be about 15 years old. However, his district continues to operate some buses that have been in service since 2008.
“If you talk to any of these superintendents, we want to keep our kids safe, not only in the school buildings, but as we transport them to and from school,” Siler said. “It’s also going to allow us to keep our instructional funds where they need to be.”
Rep. Scott Lewis, R-Hartford, a former superintendent and school board member, asked superintendents to clarify what percentage of their transportation needs are currently being met.
“One of our goals since we’ve been up here is to get that at 100%,” Lewis said.
The two-year budget approved in 2024 fully funded local K-12 transportation costs in its second year — the current fiscal year — while funding the first year at roughly 80%. It marked the first time in more than 20 years that the state fully covered those costs, even though state law requires it.
According to the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s proposed budget also falls short of fully funding transportation, with an estimated $89 million needed annually to meet that goal. House Democratic leaders have introduced their own proposal, which would maintain transportation funding at nearly $400 million over the two-year period.
Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher said school bus prices have surged since the pandemic, mirroring rising construction costs.
Data from the Kentucky Association of School Administrators show that bus prices have increased by tens of thousands of dollars since 2022.
For instance, a 52-passenger bus cost $130,799 in 2022. This year, the same bus costs $160,036.
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