The Kentucky Board of Education took action that will have an impact this year on the timing of school council allocations in some school districts. The information below will assist you as you communicate this decision to the affected individuals and what it means for school districts and councils.
During its February meeting, the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) approved a waiver of the March 1 deadline outlined in 702 KAR 3:246 for districts to provide information to school councils regarding allocations. The KBE extended the deadline for allocations to May 1 for 2008 only. (Of course, districts can continue to use the March 1 date or any other date prior to May 1 to provide their councils with allocations per their board policies.)
This extension allows districts to review their staffing policies and allocation formulas in order to control costs and ensure that councils continue moving toward proficiency while putting student achievement first. The extension applies to Section 2 (deadline for all allocations including Section 6), Section 4 (allocations for certified staff) and Section 5 (allocations for classified staff) of the regulation.
No applications or forms are required if school boards determine that it is in the best interest of their districts to issue council allocations after March 1. However, they should take appropriate actions to adjust their board policies and allocation procedures and formulas prior to issuing the council allocations. If changes are made, the revised board policy procedures and/or formulas for school council allocations should be submitted to the KDE Council Development and Planning Branch.
We encourage district staff and school council members to stay in close communication during this time to ensure that the best decisions possible occur for students. If you have questions, please contact the KDE Council Development and Planning Branch at (502) 564-4201 or the Kentucky Association of School Councils (KASC) at (859) 238-2188.