Welcome Back: Leading Kentucky Education Forward Together
August 14, 2025
Welcome Back: Leading Kentucky Education Forward Together
As a new school year begins, we are excited to welcome back our students, staff, and school leaders across the Commonwealth. As we begin this new year, possibilities and challenges await. Our superintendents are the leadership heartbeat of our public education system, shaping futures, strengthening communities, and navigating through every challenge we face.
This year brings both opportunity and urgency. The challenges before us (growing workforce needs, evolving accountability demands, and the need for sustainable funding) require unified, purposeful advocacy. The time is NOW for Kentucky to recommit to the work of public education and KASS remains committed to putting Kids First
in every action. We stand with every Kentuckian to advance a vision of education that reflects the promise of every child and the values of every community in the Commonwealth.
Our Top Legislative Priorities for 2026
1. Launch a Meaningful, Modern Accountability System
Kentucky needs an accountability framework that measures more than test scores. Our vision is a system that partners with local communities, honors personal growth, and values the skills and attributes that make each student life-ready. This means elevating community-based accountability alongside state measures, ensuring that what we track truly reflects what matters most to families, educators, and employers.
2. Build a Strong, Sustainable Educator Workforce Pipeline
Our schools are only as strong as the people who lead them. With education now recognized as a top five in-demand sector, we must attract, develop, and retain exceptional educators at every level. This includes competitive salaries, expanded pathways into the profession, and induction programs that set new teachers, principals, and superintendents up for success.
3. Secure a Budget that Invests in Long-Term Student Success
To meet Kentucky’s goals, we must restore SEEK funding to the 2008 inflation-adjusted equivalent of $5,743 per student. Aligning our budget with our ambitions ensures that every district has the resources to address local needs, provide competitive wages, and deliver safe, high-quality learning environments.
A Call to Lead Together
The year ahead will be pivotal. KASS will continue to advocate with clarity, compassion, and resolve because the future of Kentucky’s children depends on it. We invite every superintendent to join us in reaching out to legislators, sharing local stories, and making our united voice heard in Frankfort.
Your leadership matters. Your advocacy matters. Together, we can shape a world-class public education system for Kentucky.
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Kentucky schools are making real progress, but proposed legislation could restrict local school board taxing authority at the worst possible time. Here’s why KASS says now is the time to protect local investment and strengthen the state-local funding partnership.
House Bill 500 is the most important education bill in Kentucky right now because it will shape SEEK funding, transportation support, and Tier I equalization for school districts statewide.
