Republican legislators target Jefferson and Fayette counties after budget shortfalls
Kentucky lawmakers on Wednesday introduced two priority bills aimed at strengthening oversight and modernizing the state’s largest school districts after Jefferson and Fayette counties experienced major budget shortfalls and declining public trust.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) — Republican leaders said the proposed legislation focuses on improving education accountability and fiscal responsibility within large school systems.
Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, R-District 9, said concerns surrounding Jefferson County Public Schools and Fayette County Public Schools have intensified over the past year.
“There have been a lot of conversations in Kentucky over the last year about problems in JCPS and Fayette County school systems, related not only to education accountability, which has concerned us for a long time, but also fiscal responsibility, so these pieces of legislation are going to be targeted toward that,” Givens said.
Senate Bill 1 clarifies district leadership roles
Senate Bill 1 outlines clearer lines of responsibility between school boards and superintendents. Under the proposal, local boards of education would concentrate on long-term planning, fiscal oversight, and performance evaluation, while superintendents would manage daily operations, personnel, and administrative duties.
The bill applies only to districts that meet certain size and operational thresholds.
“It requires the superintendent to stand before the public and the board to present that budget,” Givens said. “That does two things. First, it adds transparency. Second, the superintendent will need a deeper understanding of the budget’s operations than they may have had before.”
Senate Bill 3 increases budget transparency
Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-District 6, is designed to increase transparency in public school finances and provide taxpayers with clearer access to how education funds are budgeted, spent, and reported.
“Families deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent in our school systems,” Tichenor said. “Senate Bill 3 is about accountability, transparency, and trust. When we ask Kentuckians to invest in education, they should have clear, consistent access to financial information showing where those dollars are going.”
Tichenor stressed that the bill does not limit local authority but instead equips communities with better financial insight.
“The public would have access to the budgeting process, requiring the superintendent to provide the budget to the board two weeks in advance and present it publicly throughout the entire process, starting in January and continuing through the final working budget,” she said.
She added that the legislation would require districts to provide receipts and financial documentation before spending decisions are finalized.
“It will also require districts to provide fiscal transparency on expenditures, credit card statements, and internal audits, all of which would be posted on their websites for the public to review,” Tichenor said.
Both lawmakers said they have not yet spoken with officials from Fayette County Public Schools about the proposed legislation.
“This bill respects local control while ensuring transparency is not optional,” Tichenor said. “Greater openness leads to better decisions, stronger public confidence, and more responsible use of taxpayer dollars.”
Givens said education funding, board governance, and accountability remain top legislative priorities, with additional proposals expected.
Both bills have been filed and are now awaiting committee assignments.
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