LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The financial troubles facing Fayette County Public Schools did not happen overnight.
What began as a reported $16 million budget shortfall in May 2025 has grown into a multi-year accounting crisis, with investigations still ongoing and a final deficit figure not expected until September.
How it started
In May 2025, the public first learned FCPS faced a $16 million budget shortfall. Board member Amanda Ferguson raised the question publicly: “How did we get here?”
The board attempted to address the gap by raising the occupational license tax, but the attorney general deemed that vote unlawful and void following reporting that questioned its legality…