FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 15, 2017) – In the final ticks of the 2017 Regular Session, the Kentucky Legislature gave approval to a dynamic measure that dramatically reforms education in the Commonwealth.
Charter schools will now come to the Commonwealth, and the thousands of Kentucky students stuck in consistently low-performing schools will be given the opportunity to flourish just like their peers.
House Bill 520 establishes public charter schools in Kentucky, which are innovative schools free from many state curriculum mandates. Charter schools allow instructors to teach directly to the needs of individual students, with a preference for admission given to students on free or reduced lunch or in low-achieving school districts. However, public charters will be required to follow the same requirements as traditional public schools as far as state testing, transparency, safety, and finance.
Further, local input is a critical part of this legislation, as the authorizing authority for the establishment of public charter schools rest with local school boards, as well as the mayors of Louisville and Lexington.
House Education Chairman Bam Carney worked tirelessly on the bill, bringing every single interested party to the table to craft this forward thinking, progressive bill to improve Kentucky’s education system for every single student. HB 520 will now be sent to Governor Bevin, who is expected to sign it into law.