Education

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to make findings and declarations about locally driven innovation and the intent of the General Assembly to permit flexibility for school districts to improve practices; amend KRS 156.161 to modify the waiver process and the waiver authority of the Kentucky Board of Education; require the Kentucky Department of Education to assist local boards of education in the development of waiver requests; specify the analysis the department shall provide to the state board in reviewing a local board's waiver request; establish a process for a local board to submit a request for a school or program to be identified as a school of innovation with a set of waivers that operate collectively; provide protections for school districts that rely on waiver assistance from the department; create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to require the state board to establish a list of expedited waivers; establish the expedited waiver process and authority; require the state board to annually review all waivers granted to determine necessary changes to administrative regulations or statutes or identify new best practices; amend KRS 157.360 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to establish the school of innovation pilot project; establish the school of innovation pilot project fund; provide procedures for the operation of the pilot project; conclude the pilot project on June 30, 2028; require the department to annually report information and findings from the pilot project to the Legislative Research Commission.

Amend KRS 164.001 to remove the definition of "committee," "P-16 council," and "remedial education"; amend KRS 164.013 to conform; amend KRS 164.0211 to attach the Board of Student Body Presidents to the Council on Postsecondary Education for administration and organization purposes; create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to codify the existing Commonwealth Education Continuum; establish governance and membership of the continuum; establish the duties of the continuum; provide that the administrative and support staff of the continuum shall be provided by the council; direct the continuum to submit an annual report and establish the contents of the report; amend KRS 164.330 to remove requirement for board of regents meetings to be held within 30 days of an appointment; amend various KRS sections to conform; repeal KRS 164.003, 164.004, 164.0285, 164.0286, 164.0287, 164.0268, and 164.033.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to define "department" and "principal"; establish the principal leadership development practicum; require the Kentucky Department of Education to develop and operate the practicum and outline the required components of the practicum; allow for substitution of practicum hours for hours of instruction required by the effective instructional leadership program; begin the practicum requirements with the 2027-2028 school year; authorize the promulgation of administrative regulations for the operation of the practicum; amend KRS 156.101 to conform; amend KRS 161.207 to remove references to the principal internship program and make conforming changes to initial principal certification process; amend KRS 156.492 to remove an outdated reference; require the Kentucky Department of Education to submit a report to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2026, setting out the implementation plan for the practicum.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; require the Kentucky Department of Education to establish an approved list of reading curriculum and interventions that do not use a three-cueing system; prohibit school districts from using any curriculum or program that employs a three-cueing system; prohibit the use of a three-cueing system in teacher professional development; require the Educational Professional Standards Board to promulgate administrative regulations establishing curriculum for each approved educator preparation program; amend KRS 158.307 to require rather than allow local boards of education to develop a policy on dyslexia; require rather than allow the policy to include listed items; amend KRS 164.304 to require postsecondary institutions offering teacher preparation programs to include instruction on dyslexia by the 2027-2028 school year, rather than the instruction being contingent on funding availability; amend KRS 164.306 to specify that educator preparation programs shall use evidence-based reading instruction and intervention programs and shall not provide instruction on a three-cueing system; amend KRS 161.028 to require the board to include in the standards set for teacher preparation programs that the programs shall use evidence-based reading instruction and intervention programs and shall not provide instruction on a three-cueing system.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 14 to elect for the Commonwealth to participate in the qualified elementary and secondary education scholarship federal tax credit; designate the Secretary of State as the sole official authorized to report the state's election and submit the required list to the United States Secretary of the Treasury; require the Secretary of State to publish associated administrative regulations and other guidance on a website; authorize the Secretary of State to promulgate administrative regulations to carry out the program; authorize the Secretary of State to collect a fee and accept private contributions to pay for necessary costs and establish requirements for the administration of the funds; waive Eleventh Amendment immunity for the section; amend KRS 141.019 to exclude qualified contributions made to scholarship granting organizations from allowed individual income tax dedications.

Amend KRS 164.515 to make the amount of tuition waived for the spouse or child of designated permanently disabled veterans a last-dollar scholarship that shall not exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees less any state or federal grants; amend KRS 164.2841 to make the amount tuition waived for the survivor of police officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter killed in line of duty last-dollar scholarship that shall not exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees less any state or federal grants; amend KRS 164.2842 to make the amount of tuition waived for the survivor of police officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter permanently and totally disabled in line of duty a last-dollar scholarship that shall not exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees less any state or federal grants; amend KRS 164.507 to make the amount of tuition waived for the non-married spouse or child of a deceased veteran a last-dollar scholarship that shall not exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees less any state or federal grants; amend KRS 164.020 to delete the tuition waiver for employees and faculty of state and locally operated secondary area technology center staff.