February 8, 2026
Beau Barnes: Safeguarding Kentucky’s Educator Retirement System
In this KASS Live episode, Beau Barnes — Deputy Executive Secretary of Operations and General Counsel for the Teachers’ Retirement System of Kentucky (TRS) — brought superintendents into a frank conversation about the health and future of the statewide retirement system that supports Kentucky’s educators. Barnes discussed the role of sustained investment, governance integrity, and transparent communication in ensuring that TRS remains a stable and dependable benefit for teachers and administrators alike. His insights underscored that secure and well-governed retirement systems are essential to recruiting and retaining high-quality staff across districts.
Barnes also highlighted how reforms and strategic planning within TRS intersect with broader district priorities, from workforce stability to long-range financial forecasting. His discussion aimed to demystify complex pension topics and frame them in terms that district leaders can incorporate into their planning conversations. Rather than an abstract financial challenge, TRS became a lens through which superintendents could examine how retirement policy and operational decisions affect district morale, long-term hiring strategies, and community confidence in public education as a career pathway.
👉 Watch the full conversation with Beau Barnes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VgqkixoaAU&list=PL-5C6cZuwEFLtZQLLGV_A3n__fBWYWk6V&index=2
December 6-8 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown Organizations that support Kentucky public school districts can now register to exhibit, sponsor, or join as a Preferred Partner at the 2026 KASS Annual Conference, December 6-8 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. The Annual Conference is the largest KASS gathering of the year, bringing Kentucky's school superintendents together for professional learning, peer connection, and conversation about the work ahead for their districts. For superintendents, the partners in the room are part of that work. For organizations, it is a direct and personal way to understand what district leaders need. What This Conference Means for Districts and Partners Kentucky's superintendents are the chief decision-makers for districts across the Commonwealth. They are accountable for governance, operations, and long-term student outcomes, and they come to KASS events to learn alongside peers and find partners who can help them do the job well. Because KASS is the state organization dedicated solely to superintendents, partners at the Annual Conference are in the room with the leaders who set direction and shape priorities for their districts. This year's conference theme is The Power of Possibility: Empowering Learners. Igniting Innovation. Transforming Education. Conference at a Glance
The KASS Fall Superintendents Summit brings Kentucky district leaders together September 8–9 in Lexington for focused conversation and peer connection. Limited sponsorship opportunities available for organizations committed to Kentucky public education.
Join Kentucky superintendents at the KASS Summer Summit in Lexington. Limited sponsorship opportunities available for meaningful, relationship-driven engagement.
HB 757 phases out state equalization for facility nickels, and every Kentucky district is now on a clock. Here is what the 2026 session means for school construction funding and what superintendents must do before April 15.
Kentucky law requires full transportation funding — but the gap between obligation and appropriation costs districts $94 million a year. Here's what that means for students, buses, and classrooms across the Commonwealth.
Kentucky's HB 257 adds three new accountability indicators — National Board certification rates, 8th grade Algebra 1 enrollment, and FAFSA completion — to the state's overall district score. Here's why district leaders are raising concerns, and why this conversation isn't over.
