Public schools across Kentucky will see some changes starting Wednesday thanks to new laws the General Assembly passed this year, touching on student safety, school administration, school discipline and more.
Unless lawmakers specify otherwise, most laws in Kentucky go into effect on Wednesday, including many bills aimed at reforming public schools. Some of the laws this year only applied to one school district — Jefferson County Public Schools, the state’s largest by far.
School safety & discipline
Senate Bill 101 responds to calls from Kentucky teacher unions to prioritize teachers’ safety in the classroom by requiring more disciplinary action. The new law requires districts to expel middle and high schoolers for at least a year if the student injured or tried to injure school staff or property, especially if they used a weapon. It also expands definitions to include student conduct at bus stops and puts new requirements in place for certain expelled students to complete before being allowed to return to school.
In an attempt to better protect students entering and exiting school buses, House Bill 7 allows school districts to install “stop arm cameras.” Better be careful — a first offense is $300 and after that the penalty goes up to $500.
Targeting Jefferson County Public Schools
In a move familiar to close watchers of the state legislature, Republicans once again are limiting the powers of the Jefferson County Board of Education in favor of its superintendent. The Kentucky Supreme Court previously ruled that a strikingly similar attempt is unconstitutional, but supporters argue that ruling left the door open to try, try again, this time with a lengthy list of reasons preceding it…