Fayette school board training angst escalates. Postpone it, members say

Fayette school board members Amanda Ferguson and Monica Mundy said in Facebook posts that they have asked Superintendent Demetrus Liggins to postpone a team building retreat for the board.

In a Sunday Facebook post, Ferguson said despite recent statements from the district, the district does not have a signed contract with the Council of the Great City Schools to provide governance training to the board of education.

Mundy confirmed to the Herald-Leader Monday morning that in a Facebook post she said the district and the school board had made an oversight by not having a signed contract. Mundy said she had also asked Liggins to postpone the retreat.

The Fayette school board is paying at least $90,000 to a consultant hired to help the district become more of a team over the next two years, but Ferguson previously said it’s likely she’ll skip the introductory retreat scheduled for this week.

That could mean that the school district would have to pay $100,000, district spokesperson Miranda Scully said Monday. (On Monday, school district officials corrected an earlier inaccurate statement that the district would have to pay $200,000 if all five school board members and the superintendent don’t participate.)

“This (no approved contract) is particularly concerning because without a contract the district lacks critical information — including the total cost of services over the next two years and any terms that might affect or increase those costs,” Ferguson said in the Sunday post.

Ferguson did not immediately respond on Monday to questions about Ferguson’s Sunday post.

“An initial training session with a CGCS coach is scheduled for this week. However, since the board has never voted to approve a contract for these services, I have requested the superintendent postpone the training until all terms are clearly defined and formally approved,” Ferguson said in the post.

“Given the district’s current financial challenges, every expense must be carefully evaluated for its impact on students. A commitment of this scale requires full transparency and board approval.”

District officials have said that FCPS has a $16 million budget shortfall.

Not having a signed contract was an oversight on the part of both the district and the school board, Mundy said in her Facebook post on Monday.

“Mistakes can happen—but how we respond to them matters.” Mundy said in the post.

“ Given the lack of a contract and ongoing confusion about the training cost, I have also requested that we postpone the training,” Mundy said.

Scully on Monday did not directly address the matter of the school board not having a contract. But she said in response to Ferguson and Mundy’s comments:

“The Fayette County Public Schools Board of Education remains steadfast in its dedication to serving the best interests of our students and community. While there may be varying perspectives on particular issues, the Board is a deliberative body that addresses challenges as part of its official duties. This matter will be discussed and worked through during our public board meetings, and we invite the community to follow the process there.”

Mundy said postponing the training will enable the district to follow proper protocols, including placing the contract on the board agenda, allowing time for review and discussion, and holding a formal vote. Taking these steps promotes transparency and helps maintain public trust, said Mundy.

“ I’ve shared with Dr. (Demetrus) Liggins that I don’t think this is a good use of my time,” Ferguson said at a July 13 school board planning meeting explaining why she might not attend. “To call this a team of six training to me is just laughable when, I mean, I have no relationship with the superintendent.”

She said she had no relationship with any board members and no one speaks to her.

On July 18, district spokesperson Miranda Scully said as part of the district’s commitment to continuous improvement and the Board of Education’s commitment to effective governance, the board and Superintendent Liggins unanimously agreed to participate in the Council’s nationally recognized board governance training series.

Scully said the two-year professional learning experience shifts the focus of board discussions and actions toward academic results for students, rather than matters unrelated to student success.

The training is designed to help teams clarify roles and responsibilities between the board and superintendent, build trust within the team, and adopt a data-driven approach to monitoring progress. The goal is to focus on measurable outcomes rather than opinions, feelings or external pressures.

It also ensures board policies and practices remain aligned with the district’s strategic goals and the needs of all students, Scully said.

The initial two-day training session is scheduled for July 31 and Aug. 1, which all five board members and the superintendent previously committed to participating, Scully said.

If all five elected board members and the superintendent participate in the full training series, the cost to the district is $45,000 per year over two years, for a total investment of $90,000. If the entire group does not participate, the cost increases to $100,000 per year, totaling $200,000.

Ferguson did say at the July 13 meeting that she would talk with A.J. Crabill, the director of governance at the Council of the Great City Schools, who would carry out the training. The Council represents the country’s largest urban public school systems.

The board is to meet Monday night.

This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 12:10 PM.