2025 Legislative Session
The Prichard Committee actively tracks and supports legislation that strengthens Kentucky's education and economic opportunity. Our focus is on policies that drive measurable progress in national rankings, as outlined in our Big Bold Future national rankings report, helping to build a brighter future for the Commonwealth.
Priority Bills
HB 4
AN ACT relating to postsecondary institutions.
Bars public postsecondary institutions from differentiating or providing benefits based on religion, race, sex, color, or national origin, and from funding or mandating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities. Establishes annual reporting requirements and civil enforcement mechanisms. Requires the Council on Postsecondary Education to avoid approving or continuing programs that include “discriminatory concepts.”
J. Decker
We oppose HB 4 because it bars targeted supports and restricts how campuses address equity gaps, undermining inclusive environments that help all learners succeed.
HB 169
AN ACT relating to school board elections.
Makes local school board elections partisan by requiring candidates’ party affiliation on the ballot. Repeals existing statutes that mandated nonpartisan board of education elections.
T. Roberts
Making local school board elections partisanundercuts the inclusive leadership essential for stronger student success; weoppose HB 169 to keep governance focused on shared problem‐solving.
HB 208
AN ACT relating to technology in public schools
Mandates local boards of education to adopt rules prohibiting student use of personal devices, like cell phones, during the school day, with limited exceptions. Adds social media to the list of prohibited content through school technology.
J. Bray
Limiting personal device use can reduce distractions, but we’re monitoring to see if HB 208 strikes the right balance between maintaining focus and allowing for constructive technology use.
HB 240
AN ACT relating to primary school.
Requires a universal kindergarten screener in the final 10 days of the school year. Beginning with 2025-2026, students who show inadequate progress must repeat kindergarten unless they turn seven by August 1. Calls for re-evaluating reading improvement plans for any students who repeat.
T. Truett
Early screening and prompt interventions cantransform a child’s educational trajectory. We support universal screeningprovided professional judgment is used to determine appropriate interventions.
SB 5
AN ACT relating to public schools.
Designates “state intervention schools” for those in comprehensive support and improvement (CSI) status that fail to exit on schedule. Empowers the commissioner of education to manage such schools and approve a turnaround plan. Also establishes a waiver process for certain laws and regulations and creates guidelines for “schools of innovation.”
S. West
Struggling schools must improve and need robustresources to do so, so we’re monitoring SB 5 to ensure accountability measurescome with enough support for meaningful change.
SB 6
AN ACT relating to the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky Program.
Amends how Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding is reported by including on-behalf and “distributable” costs. Defines those costs and details how they’re determined. Scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026.
D. Givens
We understand the need to show the full taxpayerinvestment in our schools and want to keep each SEEK component transparent, socommunities can see per‐pupil funding details and pursue better outcomes.
HB 8
AN ACT relating to education.
Transfers responsibility for adopting and updating state academic standards and instructional materials to the state board and renames the State Textbook Commission as the State Instructional Materials Council. Requires school districts to use only approved materials and modifies certain council memberships. Also ends school-based decision-making councils’ ability to waive class size limits for K-1.
J. Petrie
We support HB 8’s effort to streamline access to quality instructional materials, provided districts making progress remain free to select what works best for their students without having to seek a waiver.
HB 190
AN ACT relating to advanced educational opportunities.
Defines “advanced coursework” and requires local boards of education to adopt an accelerated learning plan for qualifying students. Automatically enrolls students meeting criteria into advanced classes, barring withdrawal without parental consent. Requires the Kentucky Department of Education to collect and report data on advanced course offerings and enrollment demographics.
R. Duvall
Automatically enrolling qualified students inadvanced coursework raises expectations and closes gaps, echoing our commitmentto expand rigorous opportunities for all learners.
EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PRIMARY EDUCATION
RESOURCES
Bills to Watch
HB 221
AN ACT relating to licensed child-care centers.
Amends the requirement for 35 square feet of indoor space per child to include exclusive areas such as bathrooms and hallways.
D. Johnson
HB 266
AN ACT relating to the Child Care Assistance Program.
Expands eligibility for childcare subsidy for working families and boost workforce participation.
A. Camuel
HB 272
AN ACT relating to reading and writing in schools.
Expands KDE support and requires local districts to address reading and writing difficulties like dyslexia and dysgraphia in K-3.
S. Heavrin
HB 300
AN ACT relating to preschool and kindergarten education.
Provides quality early childhood education to income-eligible and special education for three- and four-year-olds.
B. Chester-Burton
HB 417
AN ACT relating to the Health Access Nurturing Development Services Program.
Enhances services for maternal mental health through the HANDS home visiting program.
L. Burke
HB 460
AN ACT relating to preschool and kindergarten education.
Provides quality early childhood education to income-eligible and special education for three- and four-year-olds.
A. Donworth
HB 508
AN ACT relating to the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership Program.
Allows ECCAP applicants to submit mail-in applications.
J. Decker
HB 528
AN ACT relating to reading and language arts instruction.
Prohibits the use of the three-cueing system in K-3 instruction and teacher preparation programs.
J. Tipton
HB 530
AN ACT relating to full-day kindergarten.
Codifies full-day kindergarten programming.
V. Grossl
HB 557
AN ACT relating to elementary literacy and making an appropriation therefor.
Establishes the "Kids Love to Read Program," providing free weekly books to students in kindergarten through grade five and requires funding from General Fund for the fiscal year 2025-2026.
P. Stevenson
HB 651
AN ACT relating to the Child Care Assistance Program.
Establishes an income eligibility threshold of at or below 85% of the state median income for the Child Care Assistance Program.
A. Tackett Laferty
HB 679
AN ACT relating to instructional programs for school-age children.
Exempts instructional programs for school-age children from child-care licensure regulations.
W. Williams
HB 749
AN ACT relating to the family child care homes.
Allows certified family child-care home providers to apply for CCAP funding for their own children.
V. Grossl
MEANINGFUL DIPLOMA
RESOURCES
- The Case for a Meaningful High School Diploma
- Meaningful Diploma Leading Indicators
- Meaningful Diploma Kentucky Employer & Industry Survey (December 2024)
- Access to Advanced Coursework: Expanding Opportunities for Kentucky Students
- Meaningful Advising
- Making Kentucky High School Diplomas Matter: What the Business Community is Telling Us
- Integration of Durable Skills and Core Academics
- Partnerships for Pathways
- Work-Based Learning: Internships, Cooperative Education and Apprenticeships
- Aligned and Coherent Pathways
- Effective Implementation of Individual Learning Plans
Bills to Watch
HB 193
AN ACT relating to dual credit scholarships.
Expands dual credit scholarships to freshmen and sophomores, limits eligible courses, and awards scholarships by application date.
J. Payne
HB 302
AN ACT establishing the Adult Workforce Diploma Pilot Program.
Establishes a temporary Adult Workforce Diploma Pilot Program with milestone payments to participating providers, ending July 1, 2028.
S. Bratcher
HB 303
AN ACT relating to military healthcare personnel.
Directs KCTCS to create academic bridge programs and career pathways transitioning military healthcare personnel into licensed civilian roles.
S. Bratcher
HB 342
AN ACT relating to financial literacy.
Requires a one-credit financial literacy course for high school juniors or seniors beginning with the 2026–2027 cohort.
M. Meredith
HB 427
AN ACT relating to postsecondary education.
Mandates statewide transfer pathways for high-demand bachelor’s programs and ensures transferred credits fulfill general or program requirements.
V. Grossl
HB 451
AN ACT relating to postsecondary education.
Creates the prospective educator scholarship program with loan repayment for those who complete specified teaching service.
D. Grossberg
HB 54
AN ACT relating to building trade professions.
Allows on-the-job training hours in certain internships and co-op placements to count toward electrician, plumber, and HVAC licensure.
K. Banta
HB 568
AN ACT relating to postsecondary education students.
Requires each public postsecondary institution to appoint a liaison to support homeless or foster-care students.
J. Watkins
HB 590
AN ACT relating to an apprenticeship tax credit.
Establishes a tax credit for employers who maintain apprenticeship programs and hire apprentices.
N. Kulkarni
HB 655
AN ACT relating to teachers.
Creates a future Kentucky teacher scholarship program with student loan repayment awards for qualified teaching service.
B. Chester-Burton
SB 253
AN ACT relating to scholarships.
Eliminates teacher scholarship repayments, expands dual credit scholarships to underclassmen, and redirects funds after repealing a teacher loan forgiveness pilot.
J. Higdon
SB 45
AN ACT relating to Kentucky educational excellence scholarships.
Increases base and supplemental Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) awards, including for standardized exam scores, effective July 1, 2025.
C. Armstrong
SB 68
AN ACT relating to education.
Revises certain public school “learning capacities,” lifts some reporting mandates, and updates financial publishing rules for school boards.
S. Rawlings
Other Bills of Interest
Restricts boards from disqualifying license applicants solely for lacking "good character" and requires consideration of age, context, and rehabilitation.
Requires middle and high schools to include African and Native American history within specified world and U.S. history courses.
Allows home‐hospital instructional services to begin the day a student is admitted to an inpatient facility.
Reestablishes the State Textbook Commission as the State Instructional Materials Commission and mandates detailed guides for approved materials.
Lays out a process for creating new independent school districts in qualifying cities, with rules on asset division and board transitions.
Lets substitute teaching count toward the required residency/paraprofessional experience in Option 9 alternative teacher certification.
Abolishes the Council on Postsecondary Education, transferring its duties and resources to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority.
Removes EPSB’s authority to require passing exam scores for teacher certification and makes related conforming changes.
Requires KDE to create a professional development schedule and permits adding a school‐calendar day if that training cannot fit into one day.
Allows adding instructional time to existing days to make up closures, permits up to five waiver days if hour requirements can’t be met, and declares an emergency.
Directs the Legislative Research Commission to provide a family impact statement for every bill, resolution, or amendment.
Defines an equivalent GPA for KEES eligibility for certain private or parochial school graduates based on AP exams, dual‐credit GPAs, or both.
Tasks the EPSB, not CPE, with ensuring teacher‐prep programs produce effective educators and requires triennial legislative reports.
Grants 20 days of maternity leave for district employees, to be included in existing local policies.
Expands Student Teacher Stipend Program eligibility to certain nonpublic school placements and clarifies payment procedures.
Allocates funds for local school districts to provide a 5% salary raise to eligible employees in FY 2025–2026.
Requires middle and high schools to teach the “Success Sequence” in grades 7 and 10 and directs KDE to set standards and guidelines.
Establishes a statutory procedure for merging contiguous school districts and final authority with the Kentucky Board of Education.
Eliminates the mandatory turnaround vendor requirement for CSI schools and directs the superintendent to adopt evidence‐based curriculum.
Lets local boards set minimum test scores for certain certified positions, ending mandatory exam passage for teacher certification.
Bars nondisclosure agreements for misconduct involving minors, expands reference and background checks, and imposes stricter rules on reporting.
Requires compensation for teachers who must supervise or instruct students during noninstructional planning time.
Mandates payment for professional development held outside the official school calendar or regular work hours.
Extends time between tenured staff evaluations, consolidates required trainings, and removes several state‐mandated improvement plan and reporting requirements.
Creates an enhanced English‐learner support program for students with limited formal education, requiring KDE to contract a qualified provider.
Restricts Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship eligibility to students whose adjusted gross income is below 250% of the state median household income.
Appropriates $26 million from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund to SEEK for FY 2024–25 and includes an emergency clause.
Ends CPE's power to delay new program approvals over unmet equal opportunity goals in public higher education.
Limits the EPSB’s authority to public‐school educators and excludes “learning pods” from certain child‐care regulations.
Strips postsecondary institutions' immunity provision from the 2024–2026 state budget and declares an emergency.
Allows a simple majority vote to remove superintendents, adjusts board sizes by enrollment, and mandates investigations disclosure to local boards.
Adds a 0.24 factor for English learners in SEEK starting in 2026–27 and revises references to state accountability.
Prohibits DEI activities funded by public schools, terminates certain DEI positions, and provides legal remedies for violations.
Allows local boards to request waivers for certain education statutes or regulations and repeals some existing “innovation” statutes.
Requires students to be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents to qualify for in‐state residency in higher education.
Bars the KDE from capping virtual‐program enrollment or penalizing funding for districts offering virtual education until June 30, 2026.
Removes certain candidacy restrictions for local school boards, prohibits employees from serving, and requires each board to adopt a local code of ethics.