Teachers union, Fayette schools trade barbs over $16M budget shortfall

A union that represents Fayette schools employees criticized the district Wednesday amid a projected $16 million shortfall in the district’s 2026 budget and a 20% reduction in spending across all departments.

“We know we are not the only school district in the nation facing cuts,” KY 120 United AFT officials said in a statement Tuesday night. “While we understand the reality of external factors such as inflation and a rapidly changing political landscape, we must ask, in the words of FCPS board member Amanda Ferguson, ‘How did we get here?’”

Fayette school district officials responded Wednesday: “This circumstance is not the result of incompetence.”

“The claim that FCPS ‘revealed a $16 million shortfall at the last minute is patently false. Budget planning has been thorough, responsible, and transparent, with every step documented in public meetings and board discussions,” said district spokesperson Dia Davidson-Smith.

The back-and-forth comes after Fayette school officials announced the cuts on Monday, compounding an earlier $8 million reduction in the budget and a planned 20% cut for each department in the district.

Raising new revenue and reducing expenditures are necessary for the proposed $848 million budget for fiscal year 2026, officials said at Monday night’s school board meeting planning meeting.

Additional scrutiny will be applied to all professional development and staff travel — an area where the district’s spending has been criticized — to ensure alignment with the district’s Strategic Plan and current student and district needs, school district officials said.

Resources must be directed where they will have the greatest impact — in schools and for students, Davidson-Smith said Wednesday.

KY 120 United AFT statement

Union officials accused the district of sending a press release late last year announcing an “amazing audit” while dismissing concerns from some school board members, as well as community members, as the rhetoric of “naysayers” that intended to “harm” the district.

“Many were then vilified in the public for asking questions,” the union said.

FCPS had an opportunity to address more budget concerns in late November when word spread that departments not directly related to instruction were told to cut their budget by 10% immediately, the statement said.

“When questioned, the district again dismissed the concern and instead said this was essentially standard operating practice. All the while, promoting a ‘property tax cut’ in time for political elections, a statement said.

On Monday, the district blamed the shortfall on the “historic raises” given to staff, the union said.

“This sort of rhetoric only further demoralizes teachers and staff. These are the same teachers who always have to do more with less. Blaming educators and staff for any potential reductions that take money from kids is unconscionable and places them in the middle of an issue they didn’t create. Last night also showed that we need change.

“These are dangerous times for public education, not just in Fayette, but across the nation. This is the time to come together and protect our kids, not further create division and frustration,” the union said.

The union also urged the district to collectively bargain with FCPS staff to help protect public education.

“This is not about teacher raises. This is about making sure funds are allocated to best meet the needs of our community.”

Fayette County Public Schools’ rebuttal

Fayette County Public Schools officials countered Wednesday that they are focused on one thing: Doing what’s right for kids.

They say that means facing financial realities with transparency, long-term thinking, and a commitment to protect student learning above all else

“It also means standing up when falsehoods, fear tactics, and political posturing attempt to derail the serious work of public education,” Davidson-Smith said in her statement

Just as families across the nation have had to adjust their household budgets in response to inflation, rising costs, and global uncertainty, school districts across the nation are also facing financial challenges, and FCPS is no different, Davidson-Smith said.

The shortfall, Davidson-Smith said, is the result of more than a decade of flat state funding, the expiration of temporary federal relief, inflationary pressures that have significantly increased operating costs, and historic compensation increases for staff.

No one is blaming teachers or staff for that reality, Davidson-Smith said.

“On the contrary, we fully recognize that these raises were long overdue and deeply deserved. They have paid off in meaningful ways, including historic gains in student achievement and strengthened staff retention and recruitment. But just as with any major investment, there are long-term fiscal impacts that must be accounted for in future budgets. Acknowledging this is not blame. It’s responsible financial stewardship,” Davidson-Smith said..

In 2010, the Fayette County Board of Education adopted a compensating rate on property taxes instead of a 4% increase. While politically expedient at the time, the decision has cost the district more than $100 million in cumulative, unrecoverable revenue, Davidson-Smith said.

“That’s, also in part, how we got here. Not from secrecy. Not from mismanagement. From political pressure and shortsighted decisions that have real, lasting consequences,” said Davidson-Smith.

She said a small but vocal group has attempted to erode public trust in school administrators through false claims, intimidation, and fearmongering, and the school district will not be swayed by these tactics. The tactics are divisive and do a disservice to the educators and rank-and-file employees they claim to support. They undermine the collective efforts of thousands of staff who work every day to support students and keep district schools strong, Davidson-Smith said.

Even in the face of a $16 million gap, FCPS has prioritized schools and classrooms, said Davidson-Smith.

“We’ve protected the instructional core, shielded schools from direct reductions, and focused instead on central departments and administrative functions. Every dollar is being aligned to support classrooms and student learning,” she said. “Our commitment to equity, student safety, and opportunity for all, especially our unhoused and historically underserved students, remains unchanged. Anyone who says otherwise is not telling the truth.”

As for collective bargaining, Davidson-Smith said, “We welcome open and honest dialogue with employees and community members. However, it’s important to recognize that collective bargaining in Kentucky is governed by state law, not local policy. Calls to introduce it at the board level are backwards and show a lack of understanding of the process. We are open to continued dialogue with staff and community leaders, but real collaboration requires facts and proper protocol, not theatrics or grandstanding on social media.

“To the critics who offer accusations instead of solutions, we say: We are here to serve students, not to perform for headlines. And we will not be distracted from that mission,” she said.

More response

Union officials responded to the school district’s statement Wednesday afternoon: “It’s unfortunate that the district has chosen to respond in such a manner. But sadly, we are not surprised. As our statement said yesterday, anyone who speaks out and questions this district is met with aggression.

“In the spirit of correcting misinformation, collective bargaining falls within the purview of the local Board of Education and only them,” the KY 120 United AFT officials said. “Research, families and common sense consistently inform us that teachers have the greatest impact on child success in the school building, so we proudly work to amplify their voice as they call for resources and support to remain focused on our children.

“We question any data or detractors that suggest limiting their voices would support success for our students. Regardless, we will continue to seek an independent voice for our educators and rank-and-file staff and will continue to stand up for our kids and communities. Always.”

In response to the KY 120 United AFT Tuesday night statement, the leader of the school district’s longtime local union, Fayette County Education Association President Jessica Hiler, said financial uncertainty is a sad reality for public schools across the country, with questions circling around federal funding and the economy.

“FCEA will continue to work with the school district to ensure that every student and staff member has all the resources they need to be successful,” Hiler told the Herald-Leader.

This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 4:28 PM.