Will lawmakers disband the KY Board of Education during coronavirus school shutdown?

Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday asked that lawmakers not disband his Kentucky Board of Education trying to lead during the unprecedented coronavirus school shutdown.

The state Senate has to confirm appointees to the state education board, which oversees K-12 public education, before the General Assembly adjourns April 15.

Under state law, any person not confirmed by the Senate can’t be reappointed by the Governor for two years.

When he took office in December, Beshear, a Democrat, made good on a campaign promise to reappoint all new members of the state board of education with people who were advocates of public school teachers and education.

Former members of the board, appointed by former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and viewed as charter school friendly, have filed lawsuits to regain their seats but have so far been unsuccessful in court.

Republican leaders also filed Senate Bill 10 that would prevent the board reorganization, but it hasn’t moved in the General Assembly.

Senate leaders did not immediately say Friday whether they would confirm Beshear’s appointments.

Beshear said that if lawmakers do not confirm his reorganization of the Kentucky Board of Education that he will reappoint new members.

He said his hope is that they will confirm the current board that he appointed as they face important work during the school shutdown.

“Let’s preserve the continuity,” he said. “I don’t think anybody can argue that they are very excellent educators.”

He said his current appointees include award winning superintendents and teachers and a former president of the University of Kentucky who are in the midst of a search for a new commissioner of education.

Beshear said his appointees should be able to serve out at least a year.

“We’ll argue about it once this coronavirus is over,” he said.

Former board member Rich Gimmel, who is fighting Beshear’s board reorganization, said it will be difficult to attract best-of-class candidates for the position of Commissioner if they know their job will be subject to the “whims” of an incoming governor.

“This is a violation of both the spirit and letter of the Kentucky Education Reform Act which specifically sought to de-politicize the Department of Education, providing for a gradual turnover of board members,” Gimmel said.