001Are you ready? Right in the back. Is everyone ready up here? >> Uh, yeah. >> Okay. Are you ready, Deal? Good evening, everybody. I will now call this regular meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education to order. Ms. Jackson, good evening to you. Will you please take roll? >> Good evening. Amanda Ferguson. >> Present. >> Amy Green. >> Present. >> Tyler Murphy. >> Present. >> Penny Christian. >> Present. >> Monica Mundy. >> Present. >> Thank you, Ms. Jackson. I'd like to welcome everyone joining us for tonight's meeting both in person or on our broadcast. The first item on our agenda, board member Amanda Ferguson will lead us through our observation of a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a reading of the district mission statement. Board member Ferguson. >> Thank
002you. Good evening. Tonight, we would like to acknowledge the tragic death of Audrey LT Turner, a full-time bus monitor who had been a faithful member of the transportation staff and team FCPS 2007. Our hearts remain with his family, friends, and all those touched by his passing. Please join me in a moment of silence. And now, please join me for the pledge. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. The mission of the county public schools is to create a collaborative community that ensures all students achieve at high levels and graduate prepared to excel in a global society. >> Thank you, board member Ferguson. First order of business is
003approval of the agenda. Uh prior to this evening, I did ask the superintendent uh if we could remove the agenda item on the consent agenda that was discussed at the planning meeting regarding an increase in meal prices. Given the information that we learned last week, uh I felt it was important for both the board and community to first hear the full picture of our district's financial status before the board considered uh student meal prices. And please note that this item will return at a later meeting when it can be considered within the broad context of the overall budget. So, this time I'll accept a motion to adopt the agenda for tonight's meeting with that change indicated. >> So moved. >> A motion by board member Christiansen. Is there a second? >> Second by board member
004Green. Any discussion? All in favor, say aye. >> Aye. >> Motion carries 5-0. Uh we like to open our school board meeting celebrating our talented students, and tonight is no exception. I'd like to ask FCPS Fine Arts Director Katherine Louther to come forward and introduce our spotlight for the month of April. >> Good evening, board chair Murphy, vice chair Green, members of the board, Dr. Liggins, and guests. I'm very excited to introduce the 2026 Elementary Honors Chorus uh event that we had on March 31st. You can see there a picture from the performance. The video that we're going to share is from um the rehearsal of this very same song and you can see that there are quite a few excited students from throughout the district. I wanted to first thank David Fonda, instructional specialist
005in fine arts, who worked tirelessly to put all of this together with getting sponsorships, communicating with the teachers, working on a committee, finding our guest conductor, and running the show that day. He put a lot of hours into it and I really do appreciate that support. We did have over 300 students from 32 schools and we can't list every student who participated, but I will say the list of the schools. Here we go. Arlington, [snorts] Ashland, Breckenridge, Brenda Cowan, Cardinal Valley, Cassidy, Clays Mill, Coventry Oak, Deep Springs, Dixie Magnet, Garden Springs, Garrett Morgan, Glendover, Harrison, James Lane Allen, Julius Marks, Lansdowne, Liberty, Maxwell, Meadowthorpe, Northern, Rosa Parks, Russell Cave, Sandersville, Scapa Bluegrass, Squires, Southern, Stonewall, Tate's Creek, Veterans Park, Wellington, Yates, and the Henry Clay High School Jazz Ensemble. So, I'd like to really thank
006the teachers and the students from from all of those schools who really poured into it, not just on this day, but overall throughout the second semester to learn our music. >> Good evening. The elementary honors course is an opportunity for students from every elementary school in Fayette County to come together through music. This year was the 35th year Fayette County has held this event. We had wonderful engagement from 32 of our elementary music teachers this year and at this time I would like to introduce one of the teachers that served on the committee, Ms. Sabrina Bohmer. I'd also like to recognize the other two members of the committee that cannot be here this evening, Chris McDowell and Joseph Ragland. Sabrina. >> Hello. My name is Sabrina Bohmer. I'm the music teacher at Cassidy Elementary School
007and one of the committee members who organized our annual elementary honors chorus event this year. >> I am Via Baker, a fifth grader at Cassidy Elementary and I had the privilege of participating in the honors chorus this year. I like being in in choirs because it is fun to sing with everyone and participate in the fun activities we get to do like warm-ups and stretching. Thank you so much for highlighting us at your meeting tonight. >> Of the 40 elementary schools in Fayette County, 32 schools selected their most talented fourth and fifth grade singers to represent their music programs. A total of 311 excited fourth and fifth grade singers participated in this event this year. Students rehearsed each piece of music with their music teachers at their home schools from January through March. Then they
008came together for an intense day of rehearsals at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts on Tuesday, March 31st. The experience ended with a concert for family and friends that evening. >> We got to rehearse with some of our very talented music teachers in the district and the nationally renowned children's choir director, Dr. Michael Chandler. Dr. Chandler is a music professor at Austin Peay University and a children's choral director. I learned a lot from Dr. Chandler including that to make a performance really good, we have to work together as a whole. My favorite thing about the day was eating lunch together with my classmates and teacher. It was great to just chill and have fun together while we ate. >> Tonight, we're sharing the piece Cantar that the group performed at their concert. Cantar, which
009means sing in Spanish, is a stylistically authentic salsa work for choir. The text is a combination of English phrases and simple repetitive Spanish phrases set to a rhythmically infectious melody. This piece was one of the students' favorites and features fourth and fifth grade instrumentalists from Clay's Mill and James Lane Allen Elementary Schools and some high school instrumentalists from Henry Clay High School. >> We know it will amaze and astonish you as you enjoy this energetic performance. >> [music] [music] >> Hallelujah. >> [music] >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> [music] >> Hallelujah. >> [music and singing] [music] >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [music] Hallelujah. >> [music] [singing] [music] >> Hallelujah. >> [music] >> Hallelujah. >> [singing] >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> [music] [music] [singing] [music] [singing] [music] [singing] [music] [singing] [music] [music and singing] [music] >> The best part I was
010going between watching the screen and watching you be in seeing you get into it. Again, the second time around. So, uh what's been your favorite piece to perform? >> Probably that one to be honest, Contar. It's really fun to sing. Lots of different parts, lots of cues, all that. >> Very good. Well, we certainly appreciate you sharing it with us and sharing your talents and I'm sure you're you have a bright future ahead of you. I know that. Is that choir something that you hope to continue through uh throughout high school as it stands now? >> Yes, definitely. >> Very good. Very good. Well, any other questions or comments, board members? Excellent. Well, thank you so much for being here to share this with us. One more round of applause for this talented young woman
011and her crew. >> [applause] >> And at this time I'll turn the agenda over to Superintendent Liggins for the Superintendent's Report. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy. Before introducing our first uh presentation this evening, I would like to add my own welcome to all of you joining us today um both in person and online. First under the Superintendent's Report uh is the recognition of our April Kids Champion Award recipient. At this time I'd like to ask Tracy Bruno to come lead in that celebration. >> Good evening, Dr. Liggins. Good evening, board members. As we wrap up this year's series of monthly Kids Champion recognitions, I want to take a moment to thank our Creative Media Team, Robert Lewis, Linda Dahlher, Carrington Walker, and Brandon Bentley for capturing and sharing the incredible work happening across our district.
012I would also like to thank Erica Beatty for her work coordinating this effort with the Creative Media Team, the Superintendent's Office, and all of our schools. We are also proud to continue our partnership with Fort Bend, the official sponsor of the FCPS Kids Champion Awards. Through their generous support, each uh monthly honoree receives a monetary award in recognition of their impact on the on our students and schools. We are equally grateful for the 16 Ways Foundation for their support of of initiative. This month we are proud to recognize Eddie Mefford, lead custodian at Scapa Scapa Bluegrass as our April Kids Champion. Mr. Mefford's commitment, compassion, and willingness to go above and beyond make him an invaluable part of the FCPS family. The nominator shared the following: Eddie brings great creativity and care to our school
013in a way that goes far beyond his role as lead custodian. A former Scapa Scapa student and artist, he transforms every everyday spaces into interactive learning experiences. Using sequin art to engage and teach kids students while making the school feel like they a living gallery. He advocates for students by ensuring their environment reflects their value, paying attention to both the big picture and the small details that impact impact how they feel each day. Eddie builds meaningful connections with students offering encouragement, understanding, and a steady presence that makes them a trusted and safe space. With a deep understanding of how the environment impacts student well-being, he helps create a school culture that is welcoming, supportive, and inspiring. Eddie leads with heart, models resilience, and reminds us all that even the simplest moments can make a lasting
014impact. He is more than a custodian, he is a mentor, an artist, and a true kids champion. Please join me in celebrating Mr. Mefford's impact while we invite you to watch this special video from the FCPS creative media team highlighting his story and the difference he makes every day. >> I was like I asked Miss Morton in the front office what was going on. She said I don't know. So I came in and then the kids they were just cheering me. Like holy moly. >> You are this month's Kids Champion. >> Oh. >> [laughter] >> Are you familiar with the Kids Champion award? >> A little bit. >> All right, the Kids Champion we give this once a month to nine times a year to one employee [music] district-wide. >> Okay. >> Which >> and
015we have over 8,000 full and part-time employees. So, to get [music] one for the year is a pretty big deal. And this month's for April 2026 [music] is you. So, congratulations. Yeah, that's just Captain Kirk well. >> [music] >> He's our head custodian >> [music] >> and we're thrilled to have him. But, he really plays so many other roles. He was a Scappoose [music] student. He was in the second class that went through here. >> One of the ways that he really shows his connection [music] is through his artwork. >> In our hallway, we have this sequin board. He puts artwork every once in a while up there. It's amazing to me how he just >> shares his gift [music] with others and it also inspires others. >> I know how sometimes doing your art
016comes with a little bit of uncertainty as to whether it's going to be good enough. I [music] just try to reassure the kids, you know, hey, do it. >> He really understands who these children [music] are because he's experienced what it's like to be an artistic child. >> When we're like feeling bad, he's always like cheers [music] us up. Whenever I'm like walking down the hall, he'll always like greet me and say hi. >> Any encouragement I can give them is what they need and what's what they deserve. [music] >> For our assemblies, they're set in the multi-purpose room usually and we always walk in there and it's as if it's like a different space each [music] time. Like he makes it come to life pretty much. >> He's always looking to make this place
017better. >> He is just genuinely a good human. >> You know, you just want to make sure that the environment is as comfortable as it can be for everybody. >> He comes to me [music] every morning and he'll say, "I'm sorry to bother you, >> [music] >> but um I just want to be sure there's nothing I can do to help you today." >> Eddie [music] is genuine. >> Unique. Talented. >> The kids here are just great. They're super nice. I love going around and seeing their stuff. I stop and stare at their art and their projects on the wall. >> He truly is a kids champion. >> I'm Eddie Mefford and I am a kids champion. >> Mr. Eddie Mefford, please come forward. Let's give him a well-deserved round of applause for his dedication
018and service to our students and community. Congratulations. >> [applause] >> Thank you, board, and congratulations, champ. Um what a well-deserved award. Um our next item up on the superintendent's report is our assessment accountability uh report by Dr. Bill >> Good evening. I have the pleasure of providing with an update tonight on the state assessment and accountability system both current and in moving forward. This is very aligned with our portrait of graduate specific to the promise of lifelong learner as we require our students to develop goals and create a plan to achieve them. That true will be our reality as we embrace the essence of the legislative update that we've had most recently and execute a plan to certainly ensure that we are well equipped and well prepared for the future of assessment accountability in Kentucky.
019This is very aligned with our first strategic priority within our strategic plan and that is of course student achievement. Very specifically there's a tight congruence between the expectation that we will develop interim assessments for students and verify that through their performance trends via data that we are improving instruction and support for them along the way. You will recognize the content on this slide for a few reasons. First, we've discussed multiple multiple pieces of content at depth. But this is the current school accountability system in Kentucky. It identifies the current indicators that we are familiar with the current federal classifications and that continues to be active through the entirety of this current academic school year. So 2026. I'm going to draw your attention to a couple indicators that are currently listed on the screen that are
020changing. You see right now the quality of school climate and safety. You also see the state assessment results in the multi-content areas science, social studies and writing and I'm going to provide you with a few updates specifically to those areas tonight. House Bill 257 is the outcome of the most recent legislative session. It is an act relating to the assessment and accountability system in Kentucky. It is currently um, prepared for full execution in the 2026-2027 school year. The content that I presented to you at the planning meeting this month transitions very seamlessly into the content I have to share with you tonight. And the first is the provision of a local accountability model, of which you're well aware we're making significant progress in its co-creation. The locally developed indicators of quality are highlighted in the
021law, in House Bill 257. And that is, locally we will develop indicators of quality that align to Kentucky academic standards, that allow our students to both demonstrate their knowledge as well as, uh, demonstrate their learning in meaningful ways, and that they will include local priorities, that of the city of Lexington and Fayette County at large. As we develop our locally developed indicators of quality, there are two baseline expectations. Number one, when an indicator involves student data, that we will include that student performance data for others to view. And that when that data is available for disaggregation by individual subgroups, that we will provide that information as well. In addition, the expectation is that we will develop a publicly available online display, very similar to a dashboard, um, that clearly communicates what our local, uh, locally
022developed indicators of quality are, what our goals are related to those individually, and what our current status is in terms of the our rate of success. Vibrant learning is captured in House Bill 257 at large. Um, it's emphasizing student agency in the real world application of of skills and concepts that our students are learning in our classrooms. Uh, it is requiring that we have a tight collaboration between families, community, and workforce partners. And that we're really determining how to leverage our academic standards in ways that students are being exposed to personalized projects and experiences that are tied to their interests. So, in summary, our district's implementation of a local accountability model at this time is a may. This is not a shall, but we are This is a permissive law that is allowing us to
023make forward progress with vibrant learning, locally developed performance indicators, student performance data, and a public online display of that information. The Kentucky Department of Education has pledged a significant amount of support. Um of note would be their technical assistance, and of most interesting note would be the possibility of a one-time payment upwards of $15,000 to offset the cost of the development of our local accountability model. So, in terms of the concrete information that is an update for you this evening, these are some overall concepts that are embedded within House Bill 57 that are going to be both the same for our state assessment accountability system as as well as what we can expect to change over time. So, we're going to start with the current academic year. You know, this is a very significant season
024for us. Next month in particular, May, we will move forward into our state assessment timeline in terms of implementation. And so, very on brand with that would be a reference to the Kentucky summative assessment. We reference that quite notably as KSA. And the following components that you see on the screen will remain entirely the same for spring 2026 testing. And these are in for grades 3 through 5, uh 3 through 8 actually, grades 10 and 11. And each of the content areas, reading, math, science, social studies, editing mechanics, and on-demand writing, as well as the quality of school climate and safety survey, will continue to be implemented, and we will continue to provide to students as per normal. Our students, some of which take the alternative Kentucky summative assessment, that's the AKSA. This is an
025assessment that students uh with our most severe exceptionalities um complete in the same grade level bands 3 through 8, 10, and 11, and they will continue to complete their AKSA assessments in the same manner by which they become accustomed to in the remainder of this academic school year. And each of the content areas that has been involved previously is continuing to be evaluated and assessed on the newest on the assessment this year. In the fall, when we receive our data based on performance uh as a district, Fayette County Public Schools, as well as at the individual school and program level, we will see no change in the way that the data is being reported. We will continue to receive state calculations that do have status and change cut scores, and there will continue to be
026a school color rating scale that is consistent with the rating scale that was applied in this current academic school year. We will also follow suit with the federal classifications for student subgroups that are performing uh below the level of expectation. Uh those include, of course, comprehensive school and improvement, CSI, targeted school and improvement, TSI, and additional targeted school and improvement, ATSI. As we look ahead to beyond this academic school year, here are the new and notable changes. So, in the 2026-2027 school year, next year, and in consideration of the state uh implementation of assessment timeline that would be about 13 months from now, the following have been removed from the Kentucky Summative State Assessments. We will not be administering in grades 5, 8, and 11 the editing and mechanics test, nor the on-demand writing test.
027We will also not be administering as a part of the Kentucky Summative Assessment, the quality of school climate and safety survey. Furthermore, when you consider the alternate Kentucky summative assessment, again, this is for our students with their most severe exceptionalities, um they also have two components that have been removed from their state assessments. The first would be writing and the second consistently would be the quality of school climate and safety survey. There are new accountability changes as they relate to the metrics. So, when you think about how all of our school's and district scores are calculated to determine overall performance, we have new indicators to pay attention to in the next cycle in 2026-2027. The first is chronic absenteeism. This is captured most notably through student engagement and it's defined as a student that is
028missing 10% or more of school time each year and that would be whether it be excused or unexcused as an absence reason. Another new indicator in the revised assessment accountability system is that of individual student growth. Now, you'll recognize that we've had individual student growth in multiple other state assessment accountability models in years past. It is not currently incorporated into our current structure and it will be as we move forward. And this will measure individual student growth in reading and mathematics from one year to the next. So, student in fourth grade completing the English language arts assessment at the end of their fourth grade year, how they perform in fifth grade at the end of fifth grade in English language arts will be the measurement by which those students um are tailored for growth. The
029other piece that is different is that change is being removed. You'll recognize in our current accountability system, we have status and we have change. Status is a annual performance of a school or program. Change is the average change in performance of a school or program within three particular years. I would actually like to claim that this is a great opportunity for Fayette County Public Schools to replace change with individual student growth as our teachers and administrators fully embrace the notion of how to promote individual student growth across all of our classrooms. There are some new targeted quality measures that we also will be publicly reporting in 2026-27 and beyond. These are expected to be reported on the Kentucky School Report Card through at minimum June of 2030. And the first would be um concerning our
030educators. This will be the percentage of certified teachers who have either achieved rank two status or higher, that is a master's degree or higher, or national board certification. Another publicly reported data point will be related to our grade eight students and the percentage of students that by the end of eighth grade have earned at least one high school credits. The the last piece here, the last update would be for students in grades in grade 12 and we will be public reporting on the percentage of students that have completed the FAFSA by graduation or parents submitting an approved opt-out form. There are two components of House Bill that our team has already extrapolated and and established a district priority for continuous improvement right now and in moving forward immediately into the next year. And the first
031of those two is a writing program. Not that we are absent of one, but our charge is to ensure that we are developing an effective writing program uh across all content areas that is aligned to the Kentucky summative uh the Kentucky academic standards. Furthermore, there is an expectation that we are providing professional learning to all of our teachers and leaders to support that authentic and disciplinary specific writing across the curriculum. And by proxy that we have a board policy that determines what our writing program is and what the components of that writing program are. The other piece that we've taken immediate um concern with in terms of wanting to be proactive in our approach is curriculum embedded assessments. Unfortunately, this was already a part of our balanced assessment system this year. Um our charge is
032to create uh a curriculum embedded assessment system that reflects developmentally appropriate grade level performance and allows us to measure student performance aligned to the standards on those assessments. You'll recognize one investment that you have made on our behalf, which is for the PEAR assessment platform, as well as our high-quality instructional resources, where we've taken both of those resources, combined them together, and that is a a significant piece of our balanced assessment system this year uh and is very much supporting us in addressing grade level standards and intervening upon students who need additional support. So, as compared to the very first slide I showed you, which captured the current school accountability system in Kentucky, this captures the future accountability system in Kentucky. There continues to be um six standard indicators um because there are a couple
033that are high school only, transition readiness and graduation rate, combined together as a high school consideration, and then the other indicators listed here will be for all students in those tested grades, three through eight, 10, and 11. And those will include state assessment results in reading and mathematics, unchanged. Student assessment results in science and social studies, that is again unchanged. And if you were tracking the law throughout this last session, you saw science kind of go in and out of consideration, and it certainly has maintained its value and merit in the future accountability system at this time. You do see writing though in editing mechanics not listed. Student growth has been included as I mentioned, and this will be for both reading and math. It will measure students individual growth from year to year. English
034learner progress has been historically a part of our accountability system, and it will maintain in terms of its value. And then student engagement, as measured by chronic absenteeism, once again being 10% of of missed school or more, whether that be both excused or unexcused. And as I mentioned, our indicator ratings will remain the same, as will our color coding system, and the federal classifications will also be similarly calculated as they have been in years past. So with this information in mind, I'd be more than happy to address any questions or provide you with more information. >> Thank you, Dr. Bradford. Any questions, board members? >> Chair Murphy, I have one. >> Board member Green. >> Thank you. Um so you had mentioned Well, first of all, thank you for this very um thorough overview of
035the changes. I really can take a law and now see it in front of me and the changes and how it's going to affect our students. Um the one thing that I had a question about is the quality of school climate and safety survey. Are there plans within the district to internalize capturing that data, and if so, what does that look like? >> Sure. I certainly cannot speak to exactly how we will actualize that, but my intel thus far through collecting input from our local accountability model would be that there is a desire and an interest to be able to continue to ascertain perspective data from our students as to their well-being, their safety, their inclusion, their belongingness, and the quality of school climate and safety survey, in my opinion, serves as a great framework
036to capture that data. So, I would foresee that we will replicate that survey in a way that meets our interests and be able to offer that as an alternative in a locally developed way, um as we move forward in 2027 and beyond. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions, board members? Board member Christian. >> Uh Dr. Bradford, can we talk about um the new indicator for chronic absenteeism? Um I don't know you didn't help write the law, but 10%. So, my question is is it excused and unexcused, right? Chronic absenteeism Chronic absenteeism has been a really a buzz term since COVID, right? So, my concern is what are we literally measuring here because I'll tell you my youngest would have She would have met that requirement for a medical reason, right? So, we have other
037situations there. So, how are we going to determine and how are we How does KDE or how does Frankfort perceive this is going to impact and does it really impact what's going on in the schools? >> You know, oftentimes in our professional landscape, there are a lot of perceived deficits. And in this particular case, we really have the opportunity to convert chronic absenteeism and student engagement into an asset. You know, we have a significant amount of student support structures available and active within Fayette County Public Schools. And while this is measuring a deficit data point, the students that are missing more than 10% what it does allow us to do is use internal controls to be able to monitor students as they either reach or exceed that 10% threshold at any point in the year
038and respond to those needs in a uniform way to provide individual targeted support to either that individual child or their family to ensure that we can at least reduce that 10% and or provide the right wraparound supports that would have that child be most successful in school. The law is certainly targeting students that are not in class, aren't able to learn. And so what we can do is capture the spirit of the law and determine how can we help students to be at school more rather than to focus solely on what is going to be a a deficit reporting mechanism. Thank you. Any other questions? I I noted I made a note about the shift from change individual growth and if you can speak for just a moment cuz we talked at the last meeting
039or meeting before about MAP and and {slash} I ready. So speak how the notion of growth is is language that's already used in the elementary level. And so how there's an expectation I'm assuming that that will just be a natural carry forward throughout middle and high school. Absolutely. I I I feel strongly that all of our educators across the system will embrace individual student growth as an indicator. We all firmly believe that all students can grow regardless of where a student is currently performing on the trajectory of their grade level performance expectations, all students can grow. And this is a great opportunity for us to leverage the resources that A, you provide to us and B, we activate in meaningful ways to address student needs to really promote this particular indicator within our system. You're
040right, there are a there are a multiple a multitude, excuse me, of assessments that we provide to students in Fayette County Public Schools that measure growth. While we certainly are measuring performance and projected proficiency, we're also verifying that our instructional prowess, as well as a student's ability, increases over time. And so, for us, student growth has been a a natural part of our vernacular at elementary, middle, high, as well as pre-K. And so, really for us, this is a wonderful change in the system, um because it does allow for us to focus on both how we're performing in real time, as well as how we're performing from one place in time to the next, rather than holding a school accountable or a district accountable for when grade levels change from year to year, and it
041it varies the data and allows for there to be distractors from the overall uh picture of how the district is performing in those core content areas. Very good. Thank you so much. Any other questions? Thank you, Dr. Bradford. >> Thank you, board members, and thank you, Bill. Um in our community partnership update this um month, I'm excited that we will hear from a long-standing um collaboration with Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass. It's my pleasure to introduce uh Miranda Scully, who will introduce our guests. >> Ms. Scully, be sure to turn your out. >> Test. >> There you go. >> Okay. Sorry. Good evening, board members, Superintendent Leggins, and our community. Tonight, [snorts] I'm honored to spotlight a recent Golden Apple Award recip- recipient who has a dynamic long-standing partnership with Fayette County Public Schools. Junior
042Achievement of the Bluegrass, also known as JA, remains a powerful partnership within our district, driving our portrait of a graduate promise of ensuring students are future and life-ready. For years, JA has been an essential bridge between our classroom and the local business community. It is now my pleasure to invite or to welcome Dr. Laura Martin, president of JA of the Bluegrass, to share more information about our work together. And she is joined by Isaac Playko, a junior at STEAM Academy. Thank you. >> Thank you all. It is such a pleasure to be here. I am delighted to share uh the stage, as it were, with Isaac Angeles uh Playko, and just to share a little bit about our work. Um I feel like we have a front row seat to see all of the amazing
043things that educators, administrators, uh students, and family and community partners are doing in uh in Fayette County Public Schools. For those of you that are not familiar with JA, we are an international uh non-profit organization that is dedicated to preparing young people uh to reach their goals and to be successful in whatever they choose to do. And part of our work is really to expose them to what is possible because it may not exist at their family table, in their in their neighborhoods. So, really part of our work is to expose them to what's possible through these hands-on experiential learning programs. We want to inspire and prepare young people to be successful uh by giving them the skill set and the mindset that they need to be successful. We Our curriculum focuses on three core
044areas: financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship. Uh certainly things that the school system is focused on, and you really start to see playing out in that portrait of a graduate. Um but that work is incredibly important. The way it works is that we, as she mentioned, we bring that families, community leaders, business leaders, we bring them into the schools, we provide them with curriculum, we provide them with training, we connect them with educators, and they are the ones that deliver this curriculum that students need. That volunteer-led piece is very important. And then, we've already heard people discussing tonight this idea of demonstration of learning, and JA has always been a very hands-on, applied, experiential sort of educational process. And so, it is really an exciting time with all the work that the school
045district, the state, the country is do is doing around those ideas right now, because it is a place that we've been a long time, and it's exciting to partner around that. Um one of the things that sets us apart from other curriculum partners is this idea of a caring adult from the community who is delivering curriculum. Uh this is one of my favorite pictures um from the past few years, and I think it just captures um the way that our young people connect with these community leaders one-on-one in schools um over our curriculum. Our office is responsible for all of Central Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, and into West Virginia. But, the jewel in our crown really is the partnership right here in Fayette County. We serve more than 20,000 students each year, uh but in Fayette
046County, more than half more of the than half of those students um are going to school. In 2024-25, we served almost 14,000 Fayette County Public Schools students with JA programming. And um that included more than 88,000 instructional hours. So, our students average 6.6 hours of JA programming when they have a JA experience. And that depth of learning, that time involved, um we think that more time they've spent in those curriculum areas, the more the more sticky that learning will be. So, um those of those 282 classes captured in those numbers, 251 were in elementary schools, six were in middle schools, and 25 were in high schools. This slide deck has a lot of links, so if you all wanted to learn more, I'm always happy to have you come see. I'm happy to learn. Um
047we our national organization does impact research because we know that what's really important is the outcomes that our students reach. And so, um our December 2026 alumni report is a hot link in this report and you can start to see uh some of the research that we're doing and I think it aligns very closely with some of the work um that Dr. Bradford just mentioned that's being done in there. So, we have K through 12 programming um available. That K through 8 is really those foundational concepts where we're introducing young people to financial literacy and really just exposing them to career opportunities. Um as we move into each grade level, there are classes assigned to them. Again, all hot links if you want to go in and see the learning overview. Each of those links
048will show you the curriculum. It will also show you how it aligns with state standards because each one of these courses is not extra. It is what educators need to provide and so, we want to make sure um that you all are aware of that. Um we do a lot of JA in a Days and we take over entire schools. When your schools allow us to do that, it is always a treat and I wanted to make sure that I mentioned um this year we have had JA in a Days where we have taken over Northern Elementary, Mary Todd Elementary, Dixie Elementary, Sandersville Elementary, Ace Elementary, Tate's Creek Elementary, and we've even gotten to do that over the course of a week at Booker T. Washington. So, it is always a treat when we are
049able to say we have served every student in each of your um in each of those schools. That demonstration of learning is something that we are all talking about. It's so important and so, these links will show you a little bit about some of those middle and high school programs. Um JA BizTown is probably one of the ones that you may be most familiar with, um but that is an opportunity for students to have 12 hours of instruction in school led by teachers. Again, we're providing all the materials and the training and then they get to come to work at JA BizTown. So, if you've ever thought about fifth graders running a community, um it is the most exciting and fun and we hope you all will consider joining us to watch it. Um but
050really, it is learning but it's fun. It is learning that they remember. It really is vibrant learning as the Department of Education has defined it and again, Dr. Bradford referenced earlier. It's that simulating real-world decision-making in immersive environments. We always tell our students and our volunteers, it's like the first day of work. It's a little bit nervous, but at the end you're always proud of what you've accomplished and what you've just done. So, a little bit more Oh, I have to go back. This is one of my other favorite photos uh that we had to take when Dr. Liggett came to visit. So, we love this. Uh he was he was uh one of the uh folks doing work with our students who were working in in Chick-fil-A that day. So, that was fun and
051we appreciate him coming to visit us when he came. Uh JA Finance Park utilizes that same space for personal finance education and we know that's an important thing. We have a middle and high school program um but that allows students to have 12 hours of instruction, learn about financial literacy and personal budgeting, and then they come to the space, they get an iPad and a persona, and they are able to work with volunteers to build a budget for their persona, operationalize it by moving through that community. Uh and then we have printouts at the end. So, we start to see immediately who are our spenders, who are our savers. And it's opportunities for educators to then go back and have one more lesson where they talk about what's learned, how we apply it. Um We
052added several years ago a new program in that financial literacy space called the JA Stock Market Challenge. This is a high school program where young people learn about how um the market works, how world events impact it, and then as a simulation experience, we we them to come and we recreate the stock market floor. So, we have had this program now for 3 years. It's incredibly exciting. Um last year the two two of our top three teams went to Atlanta. Uh these were teams from Carter G. Woodson. They represented themselves, their school, and the the district very well and competed very well at a national competition with other students. They did a fabulous job. Um so, they were at the Future Bound competition and we have another team this year that has applied to go
053and we hope they are selected and we can have another group of students. Once there, it's all paid. It's a leadership opportunity and a competition. So, we're excited about that. High School Heroes is another program. This is a high school program that teaches young people and uh about teachers as leaders. So, it's a leadership development program, but it allows them as an experiential piece to go into elementary schools and teach. They teach the elementary JA kits. Um they team teach. That is a very active partnership between their educators as well as the educators whose classrooms they're going into. For as someone who really grew up wanting to be a teacher, it is so fun to see young people who think they want to be educators get in there and do it. It's also exciting for
054young people who are interested in a leadership opportunity come back out and say, "I never really thought about teaching, but I really enjoyed it and I got really great feedback about the way I did it." So, we're trying to help with that teacher shortage with this program and we think it's we think it's a really great one. Again, programs that are really focused on work and career readiness. We know that is what you all are really looking for and so, we are very excited to be working with leadership right now to think about we'll always have a strong elementary school pro presence, but how do we really grow the partnership around middle and high school and support the the really innovative and dynamic work that's being done within the district um to support this new
055local accountability model. >> Okay. So, really our work is reimagining education and expanding opportunities for our young people. JA is doing a lot of work strategically at the national level to reassess who we are and how we partner for the next 100 years. And so, this is really a framework we're looking at. How do we catalyze and really serve as that bridge to bring together all of those groups that are trying to partner across corporate and school, um, organizations. Um, how how can we help support innovation in the work that's being done in the school districts? How can we continue to bring those experiential learning opportunities to our students? And how can we ensure that students have the durable skills and competencies that they need to be successful as they move forward? Um, the final
056program I will tell you about because you get to meet one of our students is our Leadership Lexington Youth Program. Um, we are able to do local content, and so we have a program that was initially started by Commerce Lexington and then migrated to us seven or eight years ago. But, this is an opportunity for us to work that work with some of the best and brightest uh, junior students from across uh, the community. And so, it is my pleasure to introduce you all to Isaac Angeles Playkosh. He was a member of Leadership Lexington uh, Youth Program this past year. Um, we have graduated, so he is now an alum of our program. Um, but he is an example of one of those students who has an entrepreneurial mindset. He is going to school. He
057is working jobs. He has started his own company. He is a very very great example of what's possible in Fayette County Public Schools, and I am delighted to have him where with us here tonight. >> Thank you all for having me today. It's great to be here. Um, I know I'm I'm a couple of faces I've already talked to this before. Um but with um Leadership Lexington, I've been able to not just know what I want to do already, but also talk to those people in these careers. We've had entrepreneurial days. I've met engineers where places where I didn't even think about engineers cuz we we took a trip down to Lex 18. Had a great time and I got to meet some of the engineers doing their work for the radio station and see
058and degree um engineers in places that I didn't they didn't think about. And it's amazing the work that Leadership Lexington's doing and I'm so happy I was part of it this year. >> Thank you so much and and you alluded to um Isaac said that you have a lot going on. So how um tell me how this fits in uh to your extracurriculars and your you know, you we were talking about your dual credit work and all of that. So is this one more thing or does it sync up well with everything you have going on? >> I think it syncs up really well with everything I'm doing. So with me over at um BCTC for doing dual credit over at STEM Academy, I'm able to experience different stuff while also doing like internships and
059Leadership Lexington taking that day to experience outside of the school place seeing all the different jobs, all the different career paths, the different people doing all these amazing work and how we could be a part of that. And I think even it fits with so much what I'm doing right now about trying to get out into the workforce, get out into see what people are doing in that work and this is just another step about me connecting with people. >> Very good. Very good. Any other questions, board members? >> Chair Murphy, I have one. >> Board member Green. >> Um sticking on the theme of the Leadership Lexington, congratulations for being a part of that. What was your experience? You talked about your experience working with community members and seeing um professionals in spaces that
060you may not have anticipated. But, what was your experience working with your peers? Maybe not from your building or that didn't have the same life experience as you. >> It was really great to talk to different kids, talk to um make new friends, make new relationships, talk to all these different people, and uh see what their path is, and being able to connect with them to see, "Oh, could our paths um connect and like we can work together?" Meet different people with the same mindset as me and be able to work together. >> Thank you. >> Warmer, do you have anything? Okay. Thank you all very much for your time and for your partnership. I appreciate it. >> Thank you all. >> [applause] >> Um the final item under this evening's superintendent's report is a
061financial update from our interim Chief Financial Officer Keena Co. As she gets settled in comfort, I would like to publicly thank the board and the community for um continuing to demand answers, and she will be giving a report this evening on some of her um findings so far. >> Thank you, Dr. Liggins, and thank you to the board for bearing with me this evening. Um my goal this evening is to provide an overview of the work that um we've done so far, outline some of the issues we've identified, and share next steps. I want to begin by clarifying a few points. As all of you know, um this is my third time to work for FCPS um on budget and finance issues. The charge Dr. Liggins has given me, however, is different than I had
062had before. This is the first time I've been empowered to dig deeply. Last week we announced some of the problems we found to date that go back to 2008 and that's because our electronic financial system only goes back to 2008. The point in sharing that was to emphasize that the if issues we're talking about are not readily apparent. These are granular processes that add up to big dollars, but these would not surface to the board or the superintendent because they don't appear on the summary information that you were given. I want to commend Dr. Legions for the leadership that has brought us to this point. Over the past 9 months he's continued to ask difficult questions every day by the way. Um, and press for deeper answers even while understanding that doing so placed him
063squarely in the line of of criticism from multiple directions. He's endured scrutiny from those who believed he should have known more sooner. Criticism from those who felt concerns were being overstated. And the intense pressure that comes with leading through uncertainty in a highly public environment. Through it all he has remained steadfast in his pursuit of the truth. Behind the scenes he's continued pushing deeper, challenging assumptions, demanding clarity, and refusing to accept incomplete answers. That persistence and willingness to withstand criticism while continuing to work to seek facts is a significant reason we're now in a position to better understand the scope of the issues before us. The issues that we've uncovered so far are much more complex than when I piece than has previously been raised publicly. I've had access to information I didn't have in
064previous times here. I've been specifically asked to go deeper than I have in my previous times here. And that's why I assure you we've gotten closer in 9 months to discovering, addressing, and correcting long-standing problems than we've ever been before. Since I arrived, the focus has been strictly on the financial accounting process. In the simplest of terms, we've been looking at four areas of responsibility. How our district takes money in through taxes and other revenues. How our district sends money out to pay bills. How our district keeps a record of those transactions. How our district reports that information to the board and the public. There are issues in all four of those processes that we need to correct. The big picture is that F- FCPS has often operated outside of a state, federal, and accounting
065practices. And I believe that financial records have been fundamentally misstated for years. I helped develop and enact those processes when I worked for the Kentucky Department of Education. And I'm disappointed to tell you there are multiple instances instances where FCPS has simply not been compliant. To ensure accuracy and prevent fraud, there should be internal checks and balances. We found instances where those internal controls and oversight were bypassed. As an internal control, all transactions should have at least two people involved. One that enters and one that approves. We found multiple transactions where one person enters and the same person approves and posts the transaction. Another concern is a six-figure contract for the financial services department that never went to the board or the superintendent. It was being paid out of an instructional account, although it was
066not providing instructional services and was not properly accounted for budgetarily or through the accounts payable and purchasing processes. >> Ms. Cole. >> Ms. >> Yes. >> You got this? >> Yes. >> Ms. Cole is here to provide information. Information that we all want and that we all need in order to move forward. I ask out of respect to Ms. Cole and respect to the governance process of this Board of Education that we listen respectfully. If you have any conversations that need to happen, I ask that you have those outside of this room. But we're here to hear information that this Board needs to hear that our community needs to hear in order to move forward. That's the purpose of this presentation right now. Ms. Cole, please proceed. >> Thank you. We've seen a pattern of
067money being moved from one account to another to cover expenses. The money's not missing, but it's not being spent on the things it was intended to, and it may not be coded in the correct accounts. That's a problem because a lot of the money that comes into the district is dedicated revenue streams that are supposed to be spent on specific things. There's also been a loss of revenue due to missed deadlines. As you know, most of our federal grants are on a reimbursement basis where the district spends the money and then we ask the federal government to um cover that expense. There were instances where a significant amount of dollars were not recouped because of missing the deadline for the reimbursement request. Overall, I do not have confidence in the monthly financial reports given to
068the superintendent and the board. Tonight in your board packets are the reports for February and March. They reflect the numbers that are in the system. But I will not be going over them with you tonight because I believe they are inaccurate. Um these reports, however, must be shared with the board due to board policy. Later in the meeting, the board will be asked to vote to acknowledge that they have received the financial reports. This should not be considered an endorsement or an or an approval of them, only a receipt. My goal is that next month I'll be able to bring you an updated financial report for April. We We won't be completely finished with drilling into the numbers, but the bulk of the adjustments will have been made. The fund balance and contingency fund have
069been have received a lot of attention publicly, and I'm sorry to say that the problem is more significant than the Dr. Liggins and the board have been led to believe. Things that should not be counted in fund balance were included in the numbers Dr. Liggins and the board were given. We've spoken with the firm that conducted our annual external audit, and based on our findings, they agreed that we need to restate tw- fiscal year '24-'25 financials. We're continuing to work with them, um and what this but what this looks like in end and how it will be done is still to be determined. We're also working with the board's financial advisor and bond counsel as we look to grow the contingency fund and improve our bond rating. Um the request we will bring forward next
070month is something called a TRAN, a tax revenue anticipation note. These are short-term bank loans that school districts use to address a cash flow problem created when expenditures must be incurred before tax receipts are received in the fall. This is a common practice for school districts in Kentucky due to the timing of when the revenue comes in. It's not something FCPS has done in the past, but if we'd been following for proper procedures, we should have. Many of the things that we found are issues not included in the scope of the routine external audit. And since the deep dive portion of that audit is conducted on a sampling of documents, they may not have reviewed documents that would have shown the problems. One of the charges Dr. Liggins has given me is to establish structures
071that not only move us into compliance, but also include safeguards to keep us in compliance. That could include changes in procedures, reporting lines, department structures, and board policies. We'll bring all of that to the board and ask you to take appropriate action as we move forward. Next month, we'll bring you the tentative budget. There were also issues in our past budgeting practices and processes that I'm also working to correct. When we present the budget, I'll be fully open and specific with you about the changes we have made and the decisions we need you to make. We're just not there yet. I can say with certainty that our financial picture is not as positive as Dr. Liggins and the board were led to believe. As a result, reductions must be made. Dr. Liggins has directed leadership
072to protect funding for schools and classrooms, and that's our goal. As such, we will implement a reduction in days for the following work calendars. 12-month salaried, 12-month hourly, 10 and 1/2 month salary, 10 and 1/2 month hourly, child nutrition managers, child nutrition workers, 100 and day 190-day hourly employees, law enforcement and media librarians. No reductions will be made to teacher or paraeducator calendars, and those impacted will receive an electronic notification. Additionally, we've identified reductions in contract days, reductions in force, and the elimination of positions at the district level. This is an ongoing process that will be finalized by May 15th. The number of teacher and paraeducator positions at the school level are not impacted as part of this reduction decision. I want to draw a distinction between positions and people. When positions are cut at
073the district level, the people in them sometimes have job rights that have to be respected. So, when a position is eliminated, in some cases it creates something called an involuntary transfer, which means someone at a school may be bumped by someone who has more years of experience. Due to notification requirements in state law, employees must be told about these reductions before the deadline for the board to approve the budget. It's also important that we recognize the district level exists to support the schools. So, eliminating positions at the district level means reducing the services those employees provided to the schools. I recognize that hearing all of this is troubling. It's difficult saying, and as leaders you want to take immediate action. Please know that the actions you have already taken to commission independent independent reviews and
074direct Dr. Leggett to keep digging are the ones that got us here. I know this analogy is overused, but we are truly peeling back the layers of the onion. Until we have a full picture of the entire problem, it's hard to state for certain what action we will need the board to take. But I do know that Dr. Leggett is committed to sharing information openly and regularly with the board and the general public. No leader, superintendent, or board member can make sound decisions if the information presented to them is inaccurate, incomplete, or deceptive. While our immediate financial picture is sobering, uncovering the truth is the mandatory first step. With the support of the board and the community, we have the tools, the external partners, and the leadership mandate to once and for all address these
075issues, and once and for all level-set our financial procedures. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ms. Coe. Are there any questions, board members? >> Chair Murphy. >> Board member Green. >> Thank you. I will note that I've been taking I had significant amount of questions and you've answered them embedded in your presentation, so I appreciate that. I appreciate recognizing how hard this is both to to see the information and to deliver it and I appreciate your strength in this position and your dedication to the truth so that we can continue to serve our students the best of our ability. So, thank you for that. >> Well, thank you. >> Um so, I have a few my one and I think you alluded to this. This is a um a grouping of many types of mistakes both
076systematic and one-time. Is that correct? >> Um both. >> Both, okay. >> Yes. >> Um so do you feel confident Well, are we going to be able to create a budget uh, a tentative budget for next month? >> Um, we're in the process of of putting that information together. We, um, I we we do believe the significant reductions that we've made will allow us to bring a budget to you in May, but please keep in mind it's a tentative budget. >> Mhm. >> We still have to close the fiscal year. Everything that we're working on for the last two months of the fiscal year, all of those are still estimates. Um, so by the time you get the final working budget in September, um, we will we should have a much clearer picture of where
077we are and things could shift a little bit, um, from the tentative budget to the working. >> So, by the year end, June 30th, you feel like we'll have a uh, a clear picture of where we stand on a solid footing? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. And then as this >> will have a clearer picture of where you stand. That it's not very solid footing, though. >> Okay, but a clear picture >> Yes. >> of what we stand on. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, so to that point, um, at that point, once we are clear with the numbers and those things, will there be an opportunity to have a a meeting, maybe we might need more meetings potentially going through the season, um, with uh, both your team, our financial advisors to look at the
078long-term implications with our bonding and our capital planning and that outlook? >> Uh, I'm sure our, um, financial advisor and bond folks will be happy to meet with you. Um, we're in constant contact. In fact, we met today right before the board meeting, um, to try to work on the short-term loan and some other issues, but I'm sure they would be happy to join you in a meeting. >> Fantastic. And you had mentioned it several times, but, um, I know our role as governance is to make sure and sure that going forward once the truth is uncovered that we do all the necessary steps so that we do get on that strong financial footing so that for 20 years and farther into the future we can continue to serve our students the best of our
079ability. So I'll be looking forward to knowing you noting those practices and policies that we need to change. I'm sure our entire board will be committed to that. And to that point when you bring it back, one specific one I would like to hear is the plan for the contingency fund to return to that 6%. So that we have that laid out, whatever that truth looks like so that everybody understands what that plan is moving forward to get into a healthy space. >> I'll be happy to do that. >> Thank you. >> Following up on something that board member Green mentioned about your conversations with the finance advisor and our bond counsel, you mentioned the TRAN. Can you just for a layman's perspective because I know there's has been confusion at our budget workshop and
080our planning session, we discussed the refinancing the general construction bonds and the bonds for Paul Laurence Dunbar renovations. So can you underscore that that is a separate conversation from >> Yes, we're talking about short-term borrowing with the TRAN, less than a year. And the the bond issue for Dunbar and the refinancing was the refunding was for 15 years. So we're talking long-term versus short-term. They would be very different interest rates. Who we sell them to could be different. It is just they really are two different, totally different things. However, they both are affected by our financial position. So we're we're working very closely on that issue and and looking at the timing of when to sell and those kinds of things. >> And do we still anticipate the that refunding to inner to our benefit
081at the tune of $2 million? Or is that a figure that's still uncertain? >> actually no, we're we're not there now, but it part of it and and Michael George is Michael George is in the audience. I think if if I get this wrong, he can correct me. But um the difference in interest rate has significantly affected that number over the last couple weeks. So again, we're going to be watching the market and and what the interest rate does. So we we might be bringing some things back to you, but right now um we're just trying to get through the end of the year. We will continue to watch the market and and make the best decisions that we can going forward. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Board member Christian. >> I may be
082asking something that you can't necessarily answer, but I'm thinking about um school level versus district level SBDM >> specifically. Yes, ma'am. >> And how that a lot of this I'm hearing I'm extrapolating we're talking about not just communication issues, right? You mentioned missed deadlines and grants and that sort of thing. How much of this or can you tell has specifically impacted uh the school level SBDM and the decisions that they made? >> I I I really um I think the school level accounting has has been most of that accounting or is taken care of at the school level. They they prepare their own budgets. We give them a set amount of money. Our budget staff has always done a great job of working with the schools ahead of time on staffing and um now some
083of the grants that are at the school level um may have been misreported. We're still working through all that, but um for the most part, I think the schools have um have been >> Great. >> taken care of. >> Can I ask a follow-up? I'm sorry. You mentioned you were talking about our annual audit and the need to restate our fiscal year 25 figures. Um and I know that our annual auditors are beginning the work for the upcoming fiscal year 26 audit soon. >> Yes, actually we have a meeting May 18th on that. Yes. >> So, are will what we've uncovered thus far impact our conversations with them as far as kind of assessing what was missed, what was overlooked, what types of documents were pulled for the sampling, etc. >> Absolutely. Um When we
084when we talk about restating FY25 and and they if I they've already approved we intend to make. Um and the reason some of some of the issues that we found in the grant programs might have even gone back into FY23, FY24, but our system doesn't allow us to make adjustments other than in the the one past fiscal year. So, FY25 is the only place we can make those adjustments. And those would have been multi-year grants that affected where we are now. So, um they're fully aware of of what we're doing um and I spoke with them again today. We continue to share information with them and um I suspect they will conduct their audit a little differently this year than they have in the past. Um but we have some we have at least one
085CPA on our team [clears throat] right now that has been through a number of audits and um can help with the right reporting and and how to get through this. Now that's not to say there might not there could be findings in this audit. Um I don't know how they're going to handle the information that that we've given them. Um but the only choice we have right now is is to just plow through it and and accept whatever they say as guidance for the future. >> And and we've approved the external um audit with Weaver Tidwell. And so if you can speak and my understanding you have been in conversation with them as well. >> That's correct. >> Yes, as Dr. Liggins, yes. >> Um how how does that their analysis compare to the regular
086annual audit and and how is it augmenting your the work that you're doing to to use your analogy pulling back the onion? >> Right. Um I think the scope of work for Weaver Tidwell focused heavily on the budget. Uh whereas the annual audit really only focuses more on the accounting side. While it it compares the budget to to actuals, it really focuses more on accounting. I see Weaver Tidwell uh focusing on the budget but they also are bleeding over into accounting. So there's is a completely different scope of work than the than the annual auditor would have. Um that was something that was provided by the board, the scope of work was, and um they are aware that we're getting ready to reinstate FY25, and um we'll just have to wait for the report, which
087we expect to get the end of May or 1st of June. >> What more do you need, and your team need, from the Board of Education, as you continue, again, I know that we belabor this analogy, but peeling back the onion, and as we move forward? >> I just need your patience. Um, this this didn't happen overnight, it's not going to get fixed overnight. We're working hard on the entries, we're also working diligently with accounting staff on changes in procedures and process. Um, we're going to make some missteps. I mean, that's I have human beings working for me, but we're we're working hard to just try to get things as organized as they can be, and as ready for the audit, um, that will be coming up here shortly. Um, just just trying to be
088ready. >> Thank you. Any other questions, board members? >> Chair Murphy. >> Board member Monday. >> Um, thank you for all the detail that you've provided and just digging in and and getting those answers for us. I appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> I'm going to ask one question a little differently, and if any of my questions you do not have an answer, I understand this is preliminary, please let me know. Um, no pressure to get one now. Should the annual audit should have caught any of what you have found up until this point? >> I I've really, um, I mean, there are some there are some things that I was surprised that they didn't happen. Yes. >> If you can pause just a second. Again, please allow Miss Cole answer without commentary. Please. She's
089sharing information with the board. I ask that you respect her and her work. If you need to have a conversation with someone, you may step out in the hallway and do that. Ms. Coe, please proceed. >> Thank you. Every auditor does their has a has a different way that they do. They all have their own like checklist. Um and there were there I can't say that there are questions I wish they had asked, but clearly it wasn't it just wasn't part of the way they conduct the audit. A different auditor might have, but but maybe not. There's just absolutely no way to know. Um I I will be working I will be recommending to the board that after this audit this year, which we we really have to stay with the same auditor. It was
090a 5-year contract that you approved, but I will be recommending to the board that you um change auditors after this year. Um >> Councilwoman Monday. >> Thank you for that. I have a few. Um I'll just keep rolling on. >> Um and this one you probably definitely don't have an answer to, but I would like to know if it if we're able to know, how far back should we have taken those short-term loans um even though we haven't done that. Um if that's something that will come out as you look back at FY25 or or as you're rolling in digging in a little more. I don't know if you know that or >> Um actually we're we're just focused on the current year and getting through it and end to the next fiscal year. Um
091>> Understandable. Right. You're you're biting off a lot right now, right? You found a lot and so I completely um understand that. As far as the reductions that we've heard that's going to take place as of now, is this what we anticipate to be the the only reductions that we will need to take at this moment, or after we get through that tentative budget and everything levels out, might that have to change? >> Well, um, by law, we really pretty much can't change after May 15th. So, the reductions that are in place right now, um, or the those that are contemplated to happen by May 15th, um, that will probably be uh all the reductions that will be made. Uh, if >> [clears throat] >> if we find ourselves in a position of maybe still
092not being able to balance the budget, which we we do not anticipate, um, we would have to make reductions in operations and not in people. >> And just to clarify, if I can jump in, you you said you do not anticipate that you won't be able. >> I'm sorry. >> Why did you say you did not anticipate? Do do you anticipate being able to balance the budget? >> I'll be I I anticipate being able to balance the budget >> Okay. >> given the cuts that the reductions that we're, um, looking at. >> Okay, very good. Thank you. Boram Um, thank you. >> And this one you may not have an answer for. It's part comment, part, um, question. And it's I I appreciate you letting us know what level what the board superintendent may not
093have known, may have known. Um, I will say just for myself, I've heard individuals bring things to me. I've seen things that have raised red flags. And so, my question is, as you're looking through the procedures, policies, the way that we operate, will there be an opportunity if someone needed be a community member, a, um, it could be a, uh, member of FCPS staff, um, administrator that sees something, will there be a way or is there currently a way that they can report those things? Um do you know with either anonymously or without fear of retaliation? I know in some spaces there's things like ombuds and that but there's uh procedures and protections in there so that people feel freely to share the things that they're learning. I don't know if that um is something
094that's been thought about. May >> We do have an employee hotline um that that employees may use to um report inaccuracies or or red flags and that kind of thing. I quite frankly I'm not really familiar with the process of once something is received. I'd be happy to get that for you um of how what happens when someone does report something on the on the hotline. >> I think Dr. Legans may be able to >> Yes, that that currently does exist and it's utilized frequently actually uh for a variety of um issues and they are given to the different areas that are responsible for um overseeing that. Um the issue becomes when the department that's overseeing it uh doesn't necessarily um take care of it and potentially um dismisses it. So. But that does exist
095currently. >> And I think you probably get what I'm getting at is that because of just the time frame that this has happened and been allowed to happen, whatever it may be. We don't have all the audits and your reports and things that um back but like ensuring that we're setting up some sort of um way procedure so that this doesn't happen again. Um as you're you know diving into all the all the things at the moment. Um the other piece that I just feel that I need to say in this is me sharing is the accountability piece. Um, because I do think that though we may not have known the extent of what we're seeing, um, we have definitely heard questions about certain pieces. And I do think, and this is me speaking for
096myself and my tenure on this board about taking accountability for what's happened. In thinking about, and I appreciate looking at the policies and procedures and bringing those suggestions so that we can make sure even if it's not something that's needed to stay long-term, even if it's short-term, to make sure that the the ship gets righted and it stays on the right course, and that those, um, guardrails and things are placed so that this doesn't happen again, um, take happens. Because one of the worries that I have is that, um, if will history repeat itself again, right? And how do we truly make sure that that doesn't necessarily happen. Um, and so even [clears throat] if those recommendations may be temporary recommendations or things that we need to do for a short period of time, I
097think making sure that we know what all those options possibly could be to make sure that that happens is important. I don't know if that makes sense. >> It it does. And and and one recommendation that I've already spoken with Chairman Murphy about is I I really believe you need to change auditors every four years. Um, it it cost more to do that, um, because every four years then a new audit firm has to build the background and um, so that it's probably not going to be your low-bid law uh, accounting firm. I said law firm, accounting firm. Um, so I but I believe the extra money that you would pay by having new eyes and new procedures look at your books every four to six maybe six years at the very most but most
098school districts change auditors every four years or let me let me clarify that I haven't worked for the Department of Education for a long time in the past most school districts that I worked with changed auditors every four years that may not be the case now but it's good practice. >> And I'm sure you will bring us every option but no matter the cost making sure that we have every every option available to us because what has happened is costing us far more than money and it's costing our staff our students our families far more than just cash so >> You're absolutely right and I'm I will bring to you some recommendations. >> Thank you any other questions? We appreciate the information and um really as you have said you know we did not expect
099you to come here tonight saying this is everything that's happened this is what we're going to do about it cuz as you said this is going to take time and I think that it's important that we're united in accountability transparency and correcting course because we have to fact find and we're in that process it's the work that you and your team are doing it's the work that the external auditors doing it's the work that been done in the investigations that we've gone to at this point and then once we have found the facts we've got to fix the challenges and the problems and course correct and then at two board member Monday's point we have to ensure as a team that no Board of Education no district leadership is sitting here 15 20 years from
100now and carrying the same challenge and the same problem and so, it's it's a multi-fold issue and um we appreciate your work and your leadership and we stand ready to support you in that work and then finding the truth and the facts wherever they may lead and then making recommendations based on that that that those facts. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Keena. Thank you, board. One thing I would like to say is um Keena's coming in done a phenomenal job. We've done um and again, we have heard from many constituents. We've heard from many um uh people for some time and that is something that although you can't publicly sit up and I mean, we've been digging for a long time to figure out exactly where we are and to get where
101we're where we need to be. And I'm >> [sighs and gasps] >> the the silver lining to all of this is I am committed to ensuring that we have a solid foundation moving forward and that is something that we can build upon that will be stable. Um I'm not sure if that's ever existed and if it did, how far back it has, but getting us to a point to where it is a solid foundation and building upon that is certainly something that will be necessary uh that will not bring us back to this point again. And so, um Keena and to all the staff members, I I hate that we find ourselves in this situation, but again, I I I'm extremely committed to ensuring that it is fixed for once and for all and we
102do not um revisit it um ever again for that matter. Uh that does conclude the superintendent's report this evening. I will turn the meeting back over to you now, Chairman Murphy. >> Thank you, Dr. Leggins. Next on our agenda is the time for the public uh comment. Fayette County Board of Education Policy 01.45 states members of the public may address the board during the period set aside by the board without submitting an item for the agenda. No action shall be taken during this portion of the meeting on issues raised by employees or the public unless deemed an emergency by the board. At the beginning of the meeting now, members of the public who have [clears throat] signed up prior to the meeting are invited to speak on items that are on the agenda. If guest
103or public speakers wish to share documents with the board, there is a basket located near the public speaker sign up area to do so. Props will not be permitted on the dais. Speakers will not be allowed to make any disparaging or critical remarks about individuals or employees of the district. Those issues are processed through the district's complaint procedures, which afford the individuals to whom comments or complaints are directed the opportunity for response and due process. Furthermore, members of the public are encouraged to model civil and respectful discourse and conduct. This is not intended to be a time for debate or direct engagement. However, the board will take the public's input into consideration when making final decisions this evening. The total time for public comment at action meetings on matters appearing on the agenda is limited
104to 30 minutes. The time allotted to individual speakers depends on the total number of speakers and the lateness of the hour. However, in consideration of others' opportunity to speak, individual speakers will be limited to limited to a total time of 9 minutes, including any time yielded to them by other speakers. Speakers addressing the board may receive yielded time from no more than two individuals who have signed up to speak in accordance with established procedures. An individuals yielding time must be present when their time is yielded. Uh at this time, we have 16 individuals who have signed up to speak, and that includes individuals who have been given yielded time, and I'll indicate that when I call them up to the podium. We ask that they come to this podium to speak and keep their remarks
105to 90 seconds or less in consideration of the number of speakers and the time allotted to public comment for this portion of the meeting. Our first speaker is Jabez Caraballo, who has had time yielded from Sharissa Bentley Corvo. Is Sharissa Bentley Corvo in the room? And so that'll be a total of 3 minutes. Our next speaker will be Lindsey Deppenbrock. That's the podium there. Yes. You You can. >> Hi. Because I am a librarian, I first want to clear up some misinformation. One, we are 10-month employees with a 7-day pay cut on the line. This is a 3.45% pay cut, which is larger than any other personnel pay cut being considered at the moment. Two, as highly qualified educators, we teach lessons and collaborate with teachers every day. I have three degrees, and I'm nationally
106board certified. Three, librarians already took a work day cut in 2014-2015 when the district had $20 million deficit. We should not have to bear this responsibility again. Regarding our work days, I explained last month that these cuts will deepen the gap between the haves and the have-nots. I hear that this decision for this cut is imminent. However, you have the power to ask meaningful questions that dive deeply into how our financial woes are to be rectified. You have the power to ask specifically about librarians' pay cuts. And you have the power to vote no on a budget that does not fully value our library system, our library staff, and how it will impact our students. A comment was made that these cuts do not directly impact student instruction. Whoever made this comment did not speak
107with a librarian before making it. These These cuts will impact student instruction. A cut in these work days means clerical services must take place during the school year when instruction is to take place. A cut in these work days takes highly qualified educators away from working directly with students and teachers. Research continually proves that fully functioning libraries with full-time staff help to increase test scores. This is no secret. Tonight, I brought a small stack of books about real librarians to that illustrate just a modicum of the impact that librarians have on our community. Librarians make a significant impact on our communities and as we go forward, I ask you to I implore you that you ask the important questions regarding our work calendars, advocate for fully functioning library programs, and vote no for a budget
108that includes cuts to our work calendars when we've already borne the burden for covering the financial deficit in 2014-2015. Lastly, and this is my mistake, when I say our libraries are for everyone, I neglected to include you. And I would like to invite you to the Maxwell Library to see how we are the hub of the school. I invite you to our exhibition of learning on May 1st to view my students' independent study projects inspired by our reading list. I'll send you an email with details. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ms. Carabello. Our next speaker is uh Lindsey Deppenbrock. Chair Murphy, uh Chair Murphy, our first speaker is our first speaker is actually here. He's ready to come up now. >> And it will be a total of 3 minutes. >> Thank you. >> Good
109evening, members of the board, Mr. Superintendent. My name is Jabez Caraballo, and I'm a theater student at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, but I'm also in the business pathway. In theater, we often talk about the concept of suspension of disbelief. We ask an audience to look at a wooden plank and imagine a castle. We ask them to transport themselves outside of the high school auditorium and believe that they are somewhere else. But at Dunbar, we are also being asked to do a different type type of suspension of disbelief. We're being asked to look at crumbling walls, falling ceiling tiles, and literal rain inside our classrooms, and believe that we are in a school that has been ranked number two by this district. We are being asked to believe that we are a priority, even though
110the physical evidence surrounding us says otherwise. Let me be clear. The spirit of Dunbar is thriving. Our teachers are working overtime to provide a world-class education, and my peers and I are performing at exemplary levels in academics, the arts, and athletics. We are succeeding because of the people in that building, not because of the building itself. And it's unfair to ask staff and students to carry the weight of an elite education while the ceiling literally crumbles them. Today, I rise to speak about couple issues, but I want to speak first about the most basic expectation of any parent sending their child to school, which safety. On February 23rd, and again and again, smoke filled our theater and our gym foyer. Not a single fire alarm went off, not one smoke detector, not one safety mechanism
111designed to protect the lives of 2,000 students and 100 of staff members functioned. We're told the building is monitored, but we know the truth. Dunbar would not pass a basic code enforcement inspection today. Students are being forced to learn in a ticking bomb, waiting for the tragedy, for waiting for a tragedy to force the hand of this board. For those of us in the arts, this building is a health hazard. In January, our lead actress had to perform with a 103° fever due to the mold that had formed on the carpet. >> [sighs] >> Now, I know this board recently voted to approve a new roof, but let's be clear, that was a not a proactive investment on our students. That was a reactive move to protect the warranty. Unfortunately, this board has been forced
112to act only when a legal warranty was at stake. The same pattern of prioritizing money over safety is appearing in the plan to cut our school resource officers. Moving them to elementary schools is just because they recouped 120k for every school that gains an 20k for every school that gains an SRO. This is not about a shift in safety needs, this is a budget line item. Business pathway students are supposed to be learning about commerce and management. We haven't been able to do it all year because our classrooms are shut down because of the rain and because of the mold. The decay has reached a point where basic human needs, it takes me 20 minutes to find a bathroom. That's 20 minutes of lost math, 20 minutes of lost chemistry. Overall, this school is not
113acceptable and it needs to be fixed. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Carballo. >> [applause] >> Our next speaker is Amanda Hurley with time yielded from Carla O'Brien. Is Carla O'Brien here? Okay, you'll have to hold it 3 minutes, Ms. Hurley. >> Thank you. Today, um on my way here, we got an email from um the superintendent for team FCPS. And after I read it, I didn't feel like I was really part of the team. Um I'm a school librarian, I'm national board certified. I know I brought my concerns um last month as well, but we are librarians and we are teachers. My perspective from my perspective, your calendar reduction committee did not actually conduct a true analysis, wasn't part of a team, didn't ask for feedback. If you look at their spreadsheets, they have
114certain categories that have pros for their recommendations and not one con listed for any of the reductions. Librarians, like Lindsey said, we've faced a 3-day deficit reduction since 2014. 3 days for 14 years. That much pay has already been taken out of school librarians. The reason why we have a standalone calendar is because in 2014, we were already taken out of the 209-day calendar. I just don't feel like it was much of a team effort. There were only pros, not cons. It was incomplete. It's unfortunate that employees who come to work, do the right thing, are the ones who are going to face the biggest financial burden to get Fayette County out of the mess that they've created. So, I have a few recommendations. As school librarians, we're problem solvers. Based on the information I
115have, and I know it's not complete, but based on the information I have, I have a few recommendations for your consideration. Number one, maybe we could sell JDP and house required district personnel in our schools. What this would do would help us in the schools with supervision. We always need more people in our buildings to help with supervision. They would be interacting with students daily and they would be a part of our school communities. Number two, I would consider a reduction in the superintendent's salary. Are the cuts the district admin are forcing on employees comparable to what the superintendent is either doing by choice or at the discretion of the board. Number three, implement zero-based budgeting. In 2006-2007, Fayette County came to the schools and said, "We need you all to implement zero-based budgeting." And
116under the leadership of John Nauta, he created a budget committee at Henry Clay High School that is still in effect today. It is one of the largest committees at Henry Clay High School. It is a group initiative. It takes time. It is not easy, but every to the extent that we are able, department budgets are zero-based budgeted, and I am happy to share any of the processes and procedures that we have. I'm sure a committee would love to help you with that. Number three four, I would reduce I would restore the guardrails in MUNIS for specific accounts. Um I would instead of having expensive outside consultants to lead PD, allow school librarians and your office of instructional technology staff to provide relevant and practical PD. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> [applause] >> Our next
117speaker is uh Matthew Weed. Uh with time yielded from uh Alan Vetnick. Uh are you here, Alan? And then Phil Morgan. Okay, that'll be 4 minutes and 30 seconds. >> [clears throat] >> What do you What do you guys expect me to What do you guys expect me to say? What do you expect me to say? I I am I am I am so so frustrated right now. I can't I can't even think straight. We We got to dispense with a few ideas. The first idea is that that we can blame something that happened almost two decades ago. That this problem started in 2008, and that's why we're here. That we can blame 19 board members and six board chairs and seven superintendents. No, ma'am. No, sir. That is not how this is going to
118go. Because here's here's the reality. This district, the first budget that Liggins made that he was completely responsible for, we had $103 million in cash. $103 million in cash. And now we have none. We have blown it all. First budget you had that you built, $103 million in cash over five funds. And you blew it. So, I don't I don't care if the district was counting their pennies with an abacus in 2008. The reality is is that they didn't lead us here to where we're at. We had $103 million in your in your first budget. And now we have none. W- To to act like you guys to act like you're shocked that this is happening is is a level of gaslighting that I can't even describe to you. And what you guys are putting
119me in a you you're putting me in an impossible position. Because my mama didn't raise me to to have to come up here and gloat. I mean, seriously. But the the to act like you you don't know how we got here and you're glad that you and you're glad that you commissioned an audit and you're glad that you commissioned an investigation to to to try to take responsibility for finding out where we're at is just I mean, it is just egregious. You you guys are completely responsible for where we're at. And Samson Grimes sent Mr. Liggins Dr. Liggins an email on April the 17th of 2025 and she said, "You need to cut $55 from the budget." You received that email on April the 17th, 2025. $55 million of money. After the press conference last
120week, um Vice Chair Amy Green and Chair Tyler Murphy expressed their shock and dismay and they and they Here's Here's the quote. "We need to be unified, aligned, and committed to working together as one team alongside the super." The only unity that we need out of you guys is a 5-0 vote to remove the superintendent for cause. That That is the only unity that we need. And It is an It is It is an insult I mean, it is an insult. It is an insult to the community that Houston Barber is still sitting in this room. It is an insult to the community. Don't m- Um You You got You have said for months and months and months that everything is okay. Everything is fine. Everything is okay. And that has been transparently false the
121whole time. It has been transparently false the whole time. To To act like you To act like you couldn't see this in the data provided to you. I mean, it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing to act like you couldn't see this in the data provided to you. I was able to see it from budget documents provided to me on PDFs. Limited views, and I got to go through them, but I but you it's it's it's not impossible to see it. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Mr. Vede. Our next speaker this evening is Larry Moore. Mr. Moore, you'll have 90 seconds. >> Okay, so just to be clear, the board's I don't know if you've read your job description lately, but you have a fiduciary responsibility you to direct and supervise, not follow. Now, you know, the finance
122financial position of this district is under question. And we've already said fund balance is going to be reconstructed, may have [snorts] to have we will have to restate last fiscal year, and probably should restate the prior fiscal years. Now, the budget transfer report that's included in your packet, I think it's worthy to note that over a half a million dollars of funds are coming out of instructional support to cover plan operations, including mowing, snow removal, maintenance overruns, instructional support includes district-wide instructional materials, technology license, and curriculum resources. And issuance of bonds, you know, you pulled the refunding, which was a good move, but you still shouldn't vote on that action until the CFO gives you a certified verification of financial capacity. Otherwise, you're not doing your fiduciary duty. And as Matthew said, I mean, we've
123had years of that. You don't ask any questions. You just a bobblehead. That's all you do is just approve. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Moore. >> Where's my speaker list? You want a second? Here it is. Our next speaker this evening is uh Liz Tingle-Crovo. You'll have 90 seconds. >> Hi, I'm a Dunbar parent. Um so, hearing all the information about the bond uh is very concerning, especially uh with everything else um that has come forward. And so, I guess my request is that when looking at this, um we have outstanding, amazing teachers both at Dunbar and all the schools. And they're dedicated, it's not only the teachers, the admin staff, but they can't possibly be expected to deal with the deterioration of the board building and deliver outstanding education. And we have to
124support them. They know that they have the support of the parents and we are asking that they receive your support as well. Um there it's literally raining in the buildings. My daughter is concerned to go to school on the days that it is raining outside. And um it's a safety concern. I am an insurance uh I always consider liability and um how to mitigate that. And people have come up here every single time to let you all know. And so if I were in your position, I would make sure it happens even if uh and make sure the bond delivered correctly so we can take care of all these situations. [music] >> Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Herbert Lynn. You'll have 90 seconds. >> [clears throat] >> Good evening. My name
125is Herbert Lynn. I'm here tonight as a private citizen and taxpayer. Um I grew up learning that it is not only important to avoid the appearance of corruption, but also, excuse me, to avoid corruption, but also the appearance of corruption. And so far you all have not done very well on the appearance front. And now it sounds like you all aren't doing well on the actual corruption front because I've heard words like misstated and inaccuracies tonight. But I also heard operating outside of state and federal guidelines. That is a crime. That is illegal. To operate outside of state and federal guidelines because those are established by law. I am not saying for the record that anyone in this room did something like that. But I'm saying that this matter should be investigated as a criminal
126matter as well as an accounting matter. Uh if you all want to hold people to account, that needs to be on the books and it needs to be established by law that someone did something either right, wrong, negligible, accidental, or however it went down. And I'm also here tonight to say that there were lots of people asking questions uh long before this meeting, especially the um the American Federations of Teachers. Um they've been asking questions, they've been demanding answers for over a year, and they've gotten nothing. And I would like you all to consider allowing them to establish a collective bargaining agreement because when it comes to holding people accountable, you need an organization that is big enough to hold people accountable. >> Thank you, Mr. Lynn. Our next uh speaker is Barbara Priest. Barbara
127Priest, Ms. Priest will have 90 seconds. >> Good evening, board members and Dr. Leggins. My name is Barbara Priest, and I'm the president of the Fayette County Education Support Professional Association, and I'm also a Fayette County taxpayer. I'm deeply disappointed to hear about the financial crisis uh with Fayette County Public Schools. The employees and taxpayers are owed a huge apology. I'm truly troubled by the impact these financial shortfalls will have on our employees and our community. When the budget is mismanaged, it is our employees who pay the ultimate price through position cuts, reduced resources, and increased workloads. All often, this heavy burden will fall directly on the shoulders of our classified staff, the very individuals who are already giving everything we have to support our students and our schools. This is a defining moment for
128this district. What happens next will determine not only our future, but the future of everyone that believes in this school system. So, I urge you not to forget the classified staff, those who work with students and those who work indirectly with students, because we are essential to the success of Fayette County Public Schools. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ms. Priest. Our next speaker is Isaac Looney with time yielded from Hudson Chamberlain. Is Hudson Chamberlain here? Okay. You'll have 3 minutes. >> [clears throat] >> Good evening. It's an honor to speak in front of the entirety of Fayette County. When you're at a Fayette County School Board meeting, that's always a good one. Uh so, a few months ago I came to one of these meetings to speak against some proposed budget cuts to some special
129programs. I specifically stated that those cuts would do more damage to the community than they would fix our budget deficit, to which I was fact-checked. Quote, "There is no missing money. The board passed a balanced budget. All dollars have been accounted for. There is no deficit because we have a balanced budget as a district." So, tonight I'm uh I'm wearing my I got fact-checked at the Fayette County Public School Board Meeting button. So, I'm proud of this community for standing together against what is obviously corrupt. And no matter how many times we've been ignored or told to face the facts, we've continued to show up and ask the tough questions. And that was brought up earlier. The people who ask the tough questions about the budget in here are not Dr. Liggins. They're all sitting
130over there. Uh the monthly budgets provided to the superintendent and board have been inaccurate. That's interesting. This board approves them every month with a three-to-two vote with a smile and a pat on the back by Dr. Liggins acting like this is nobody's fault is just not true. Uh so, now that these finance numbers are seeing the light of day, it's because of us. It's because we've been pushing for this for a year, at least. Uh I've been I've personally been asking for a full forensic audit for over a year. So, we've been here month after month asking about financial issues, asking about lack of transparency, asking about union busting, and the general corruption that we're seeing from Dr. Liggins and this board. And it's important to recognize that right now this is a pivotal moment,
131and we're going to see consequences for what's going on. People are going to lose their jobs. Students are going to have to pay more for their food because you guys are just ignoring us when we say that, "Hey, we think there's problems." Uh so, you're going to hear a lot of valid and justified opinions of what the future of FCPS leadership should look like. A lot of them sound like resignations. I could get behind that. Uh kind of short. I think um I definitely think I agree finally that Dr. Liggins' uh salary should be one of the first things that we look at reducing in order to keep this thing afloat. I looked it up today. I don't know how perfect the numbers are, but it seems like the average teacher for this district makes
132about $60,000 a year. I think we can do that. I think that sounds pretty good until we get this all sorted out. You should listen to your librarians and your community that pays your bills. >> Thank you, Mr. Looney. Our next speaker is Jane Smith. Miss Smith. Miss Smith. Our next speaker then is Amanda Preston. Is Don Perkins here? >> I'm here. >> Okay, you'll have 3 minutes. I'm sorry. I'm Yes, that's great. 3 minutes. >> Okay, so I was going to talk about something else, but then I sat through that and it just really blew my mind um because I just can't buy it. Like the lies that you guys sit up here and tell, we just can't take them anymore. I have been attending board meetings for 14 months. And for 14 months,
133there has been a community member, a totally external person to your organization, to which everyone says, "Oh, like our budget is so complex, people can't figure it out." Well, he figured it out. He stood up here and he said, "You're going to run out of money. You can't keep going on like this." Every single time. So, if we're going to commend people for what they figured out, then let's commend Matt Veed cuz he did it. He seems to be the only person who really knows what's going on and for the next kids champion I will nominate him. Haven't asked him but I'm sure he'll let you keep your $100. I'm just really astounded at the continued lack of accountability. It is so disappointing. Because I don't disregard that these issues might go back further than
134anyone who up here was present. But to act like you're surprised, you're angry now that you didn't contribute to it, that you haven't had investigations that showed people can't do their job cuz they're incompetent and they're negligent and y'all sat up here and did nothing. I mean it is a literal insanity. And the fact that for 14 months you have had the time to do a dog and pony show and now act like you're coming in and saving the day is continued craziness. You must think we are dumb. The private sector could never because they are not funded on taxpayer dollars. You have private sector taste on a public sector budget but you do have plenty of public sector accountability. And y'all sit up here and you talk about transparency. When does that start? Cuz
135again I've been here for 14 months and I have yet to see any transparency. Y'all should learn how to do your jobs. >> Thank you Ms. Preston. Our next speaker is Jessica Cleveland. Ms. Cleveland you'll have 90 seconds. >> So I'm not as well prepared as all these other people but um I just want to say first thanks to the Dunbar student that showed up. My son goes to Dunbar. I'm a graduate of Dunbar. The school is in terrible condition and now I find out tonight that the smoke detectors didn't work. I knew about that event but didn't realize that the smoke detectors didn't work. So, I'm actually really way more upset than I was when I arrived tonight. Um because that's continued to be ignored. I want to make sure I heard something right.
136I believe um that the person who shared the financial update said, "This was money that wouldn't have shown up on board summaries or other accounting reports." So, is that just like magic money out in space? Hopefully, we'll get an answer to that. Um I started paying attention in 2014-2015, the last time we found ourselves here when our lowest-paid employees bore the brunt of our financial woes. And Amanda Ferguson, thank you, was one of the few board members who said, "That's not right and we shouldn't do that." So, thank you for that. Um Dr. Mundy is the only one tonight who has said, "Yes, we do actually own accountability as this board and the superintendent." So, thank you for that, Dr. Mundy. You're my rep and I appreciate that. Um I just want to finally say
137if leadership can't be questioned or held to the same standards everyone else, it isn't leadership, it's entitlement. Leadership isn't a shield, it's a responsibility to serve. >> Thank you, Ms. Cleveland. Our next speaker is Sarah Flood Bowman. You'll have 90 seconds. >> Hi. Uh my name is Sarah and I'm a parent of a second-grader and a kindergartner. And every time I've stood up at this podium, I've come to you all with data and facts and solutions and options and every single time I was ignored. So now tonight I have no solutions to this whole debacle. I come to you with just sadness. Sadness that our classrooms will be gutted. Sadness that our beloved teachers and librarians and staff and faculty will lose their ability to pay for their livelihoods in a bone-deep sadness that our
138kids will have to bear the weight of your financial mismanagement. And I have to say that the lack of accountability and the lack of transparency is simultaneously very disrespectful and outright astounding. So as you all spend the next few weeks managing up-ticks, saving face, I want you all to remember the sadness that's in our schools. The sadness of our faculty and staff, librarians, and teachers. Remember the sadness of our kids. This is your doing. So [snorts] when you go home tonight, please sit in that sadness and shame and silence. Feel its weight because our community sure does feel that sadness. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Rachel Buser. Ms. Buser, you have 90 seconds. >> First of all, I would like to give a thank you to some of our state elected representatives that
139are here this evening. We appreciate you paying attention. We appreciate you being here. And we appreciate your effort in trying to find some kind of resolution to the mess that we have found ourselves in. Um and we need to keep talking about accountability. Thank you, Dr. Mundy, for bringing that up. Um because this is quite the situation we found ourselves in. Uh we've received this week a startling update about the dire financial situation. We're told that this has been happening since 2008. So, we're supposed to believe that five superintendents, nearly 20 board members, board chairs have all come and gone without any of this being brought to light. Really? Are we expected to actually believe that? Because that is embarrassing. I would like to read an email, an excerpt from an email between um Dr.
140Liggins and a board member that was from December 2024 when this board member raised concerns about the budget. Dr. Liggins said, "It's important to note that we currently have a very healthy budget and are in a strong financial position. While the board approves the budget and oversees and oversees spending, it is my responsibility as superintendent to manage the day-to-day budget operations and provide the board with well-informed options and considerations." I would like to know if that still applies because that is not part of the messaging we're getting now. >> Thank you, Ms. Beazer. Our next speaker is Katherine Blair. Ms. Blair, you will have 90 seconds. Is Katherine Blair here? >> She's in the overflow. >> Okay. >> She's coming. Sorry. She's in the overflow. >> I was working. >> I jumped for five minutes.
141I'm sorry. I know. >> Sorry guys, it was a hike from over there. I'm old. Um Okay, I got my breath. I'm ready. Thank you. Um So, I just want to talk to you about the staff at the school level. Um You know, you guys are like, "Oh, this is something we just figured out a week ago." Um I believe Dr. Mundy in September of 2025 asked for a forensic audit. And I believe Amanda Ferguson also was asking. But I don't know what happened. I think a lot of people from AFT have been up and talking and asking about what's going on with the money. I mean, I remember one particular month, $40,000 in travel expenses. That's a salary. So, here's the thing. I'm really appreciate the teachers and paras are on the cutting block,
142but we can't do it without our maintenance staff, our lunchroom staff, our um groundskeepers, our lunchroom people. We can't do it alone. And I know it's a different world up here cuz maybe you're a little out of touch about what we need to run a school. But if you cut from the little people who are actually doing the work, it's not going to make up your deficit or whatever we're calling it this week. Okay? But if we cut maybe from the higher-ups who are making over 200,000, maybe just a furlough in the summer. That's going to give you more money than when you are taking from our custodians. >> Thank you, Ms. Blair. Our last speaker is um Sarcee Eldridge. You have 90 seconds, Ms. Aldridge. >> Good evening. My name is Sarci Aldridge and
143I am a graduate of this district. I am the mother of a graduate and a parent to a child who is still in this district. I know what our schools can mean to a child. Two years ago when Fayette County Public Schools cut elementary foreign language and other special area positions, I stood here and urged this community to follow the money. Because when programs serving children are cut while leadership assures the public everything is under control, that should concern all of us. And now, here we are. The proposed solution is once again to cut the very teachers and staff who directly start serve students. As a nursing student soon entering the practice in a nationally registered EMT, I understand what happens when systems fail and communities absorb the consequences. In health care, when harm occurs
144under your watch, accountability is expected. Errors are investigated, corrective action follows. So, I ask this board plainly, where is the accountability here? Who is responsible for failures of this scale and why do consequences not fall currently squarely on our leadership? But on our children, educators, and families. Fayette County Public Schools serves roughly 1,000 students experiencing homelessness or housing instability. That is the equivalent of an entire elementary school filled with children living in chronic instability. Children arriving at school already carrying burdens no child should bear. It is a health risk. It impairs learning and shapes lifelong outcomes. For many students, school is the safest and most stable place they have. And yet, the proposed response is to remove the adults who create that stability. >> Thank you, Ms. Aldridge. >> not strategic budget budgeting. That is
145beginning the cycle of mutual failure. >> Thank [music] you, Ms. Alrich. Ms. Alrich, your time has expired. Ms. Alrich, your time has expired. If you have additional comments, you can share them with us. You can share them with us if you have additional comments, you can send them to us. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Alrich. >> [applause] >> That concludes this portion of public comment. Our next item on our agenda is approval of routine matters. A motion is in order at this time to approve the minutes of the April 16th, 2026 planning meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education. Is there a motion? >> I move we approve the minutes from the April 16th, 2026 meeting. >> Motion by Board Member Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Board Member Christian. Questions on
146approval of the April 16th minutes. Any discussion? All in favor, say aye. >> Aye. >> Motion carries 5-0. I'll entertain a motion to approve our consent items as listed. Is there a motion? >> I motion to approve the consent items. >> Motion by Board Member Mundy. Is there a second? >> Second. >> A second by Board Member Christian. Questions on approval of the consent items. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say aye. >> Aye. >> [clears throat] >> Motion carries 5-0. I'll turn the meeting back over to Dr. Ligons to take us through the remainder of the agenda. >> Thank you, uh Chair Murphy. Our next action item this evening is a monthly financial report. As Keena stated earlier in her presentation, we're simply asking, as always, for the board to vote to acknowledge
147receipt of this report. >> Thank you. As Are there any questions for staff? I'll entertain a motion to acknowledge receipt of the monthly treasurer's report of revenue and expenses. Is there a motion? >> Chair Murphy. >> Board Member Mundy. >> I motion that the board has received an inaccurate monthly treasurer's report of revenue expenses for February and March 2026. >> I can you repeat that motion? >> I motion that the board has received an inaccurate monthly treasurer's report of revenue and expenses for February and March 2026. >> There's a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay, Ms. Coe, did you hear the motion? I just want to make sure it's it's accurate. And Shelley, you may want to chime in as well. Okay, it was a motion saying that the board has received
148an inaccurate uh treasurer's report for February and March. Okay. Okay, very good. And is that is that accurate? >> That is an accurate statement. >> Okay. Okay, and are there any further discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 5-0. Our next item uh this evening, Dr. Liggins. >> I would like the board to elect interim chief officer Kena Coe as the district finance officer and treasurer. This gives her the authority necessary to take the steps needed um in the finance in her financial role. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to elect interim chief financial officer Kena Coe as district finance officer and treasurer? >> So moved. >> Motion by board member Green. Is there a second? >> Second by board member Money. Question is on electing interim chief
149financial officer Kena Coe as district finance officer and treasurer. Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 5-0. Dr. Liggins. >> Thank you, board. Our final action item is is a legal matter related to Kena's service as district finance officer, which requires a security bond. >> I'll entertain a motion if there are no questions to approve a surety bond in the amount of $1.5 million for the board treasurer Keena Co. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Motion by board member Ferguson. Is there a second? >> Second by board member Christian. Question is on approving the surety bond for Ms. Co. Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Motion carries 5-0. Dr. Liggins. >> Thank you. Um that concludes our action items under
150the informational this evening. The agenda includes five written reports for your review including the budget transfer report, the personnel changes for April, the school activity funds report, the monthly construction report, and a running list of board approved contracts. At this time I'll turn the meeting back over to Chairman Murphy. We do not have a need to go into closed session this evening. >> Thank you, Dr. Liggins. Next on our agenda is the portion of the meeting set aside for public comment on matters that are not on the agenda. Um it's because these topics are not included on the agenda, this is not intended to be a time for debate or direct engagement. Members of the public again are encouraged to model civil and respectful discourse. We have two individuals who have signed up to speak
151during this portion of the meeting. Um I'll ask them to keep their remarks to 90 seconds or less unless they have been yielded time. Our first speaker this evening is Matthew Weed. Alan Vetnick, is Are you here? And Don Perkins, are you here? You have yielded time, that'll be a total of 4 minutes and 30 seconds. >> [clears throat] >> So I You guys realize that our problems that we're facing today can't be explained by accounting practices. Like like this is This is clear to everyone, right? I mean, only of you are actually looking at me at the moment, but you you just be we we want to be we need to be really, really clear that the problems that we're in are not explained by accounting problems. They are explained by strategic blunders. You
152understand this, right? You just just a few just a few examples of strategic errors. Um let's you know, paying $10 million for a property on Versailles Road for a school that is not a neighborhood school, that is not serve neighborhood students. It's a strategic blunder. We're going to spend $70 million on a school that is not a neighborhood school. Or what about um turning Harrison Elementary into a magnet program? Harrison Elementary should be redistricted. It was at 52% capacity, but you don't do hard things around here. You just turn it into a magnet program. So you have to pay for the building year after year after year after year. A strategic error, strategic blunders. You don't blow through $103 million in dollars in cash with accounting misstatements and accounting errors. It if you do, if
153you blow through $103 million with accounting statements, someone stole it. And we got to find out who did. But I don't think somebody stole $100 million. You just blew it with strategic blunders. Do you do you remember when I was here and I think it was in probably June when the explanation at that point was inflation? The explanation at that point for our our woes was inflation. And I came up here and I explained about 15 different ways how that was false. How there were there were hundreds of line items in the budget that I had all exceeded and all exceeded inflation. They had exceeded inflation by multiple points. You look back at the the compound annual growth rate of inflation for the last 5 years and there were hundreds of lines that exceeded it.
154One of them was it was I think it was special revenue fund, district admin, support services. And it was a it was a line item that was in 2020 we had spent $0 on, right? And then in 2023 the geniuses in this room spent 10 million dollars on district admin support services for special revenue. It's a strategic error. It's a strategic blunder. You don't blow 103 million dollars on accounting practices. You don't do it. For the three budgets that uh Dr. Liggins has been responsible for the fiscal year 23, fiscal year 24, fiscal year 25 budgets that we have full information for. You exceeded your working budget in 2023. Which means you you wrote a number down on a piece of paper and said we're going to spend this much money. You you presented it
155to this board we're going to spend this much money. That year you spent 44 million dollars more than this board approved you to spend. In 2024 you wrote down a number and then you over spent it by 64 million dollars. You over spent your budget. The budget that you had this district approved this board approve. In 2025 you wrote down a budget number and then you over spent it by 94 million dollars. All of this all of these numbers are in your are in your documents. Are in your working budget documents. They're all there. I'm I got 600,000 dollars with a fact checker sitting at this table here. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me I'm wrong. I'm not wrong. You don't spend below a hundred and three million dollars in cash with accounting with accounting
156errors. So, it pisses me off that you guys are trying to blame it on accounting errors going back to 2018. This community deserves better than that. We deserve better. >> Thank you, Mr. Veed. Our next speaker is Larry Moore. Mr. Moore, you will have 90 seconds. >> [applause] >> Is Mr. Moore still here? Yeah, there is. Mr. Moore, you will have 90 seconds. >> So, we Let's talk about governance. Well, your first opportunity you had was last summer when Moody's downgraded you with a negative outlook. So, what have you done since then to improve your position because what they cited was weak governance and poor budget management. And then, LBMC stood before you and said, "Well, we have a material weak weakness and significant deficiency." Did you ask any questions like "What risk is associated
157with the misclassification? Does this expose us to statutory non-compliance? What corrective actions should we recommend? Should we contact KDE? Well, what internal controls are needed?" None of those questions were asked. KDE requires a corrective action plan. This board did not review, approve, or even see a corrective action plan that was submitted. Then, we we look at outside legal counsel you hired to investigate the whistleblower claims, and they had two findings that the that the superintendent violated two board governance policies. You didn't discuss those in the public, no corrective action plan. Then, internal audit committee RFP that you prepared said it's a first step to a forensic audit. So, what's your role? Are you overseeing it? Are is it engagement explicitly review review decisions made by senior leadership, including the superintendent and the board? Answer this
158question. The answer [music] is no. >> Thank you, Mr. Moore. That concludes our this portion of public comment. I'll entertain a motion to make the agenda dated April 27th, 2026, on which action has been taken at this meeting a part of the minutes as if copied in the minutes verbatim. Is there motion to that effect? >> So moved. >> Motion by Board Member Green. Is there a second? >> Sec- second. >> Second by Board Member Christian. Questions on making the agenda part of the minutes. Any discussion? All in favor, say aye. >> Aye. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 5-0. That concludes this action meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by Board Member Christian, second by Board Member Green. All in
159favor, say aye. >> Aye. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 5-0. We stand adjourned. Thank you all.