Fayette superintendent to give ‘budget update’ at KY legislative hearing
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Superintendent Liggins will give a budget update to KY lawmakers Sept. 16.
- Liggins faces bipartisan criticism over Fayette County school budget issues.
- Legislators and Liggins declined to explain the purpose of the scheduled update.
Embattled Superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools Demetrus Liggins is scheduled to give a “budget update” to the Kentucky General Assembly’s Interim Joint Committee on Education.
An agenda shows that Liggins is scheduled to speak to the committee at 11 a.m. September 16 in Room 154 of the Capitol Annex Building in Frankfort.
Sen. Steve West, R-Paris, said he has summoned Liggins to Frankfort at 11 a.m. Sept. 16 to appear before the Interim Joint Committee on Education that he co-chairs. The superintendent is also ordered to bring 10 years of previous budgets.
West said he was troubled because FCPS’ attempt at tackling a $16 million shortfall was “to immediately call for a tax increase on all the citizens of Fayette County, with a lack of transparency.”
“I just thought that was the wrong way to handle it,” said West, who represents part of Fayette County. “It’s just one thing that’s built upon another.”
Jefferson County Public Schools officials have appeared before the Joint Committee on Education several times, West said. He said lawmakers have scrutinized JCPS because as Jefferson County goes, so does the state of Kentucky as it pertains to scores and student outcomes.
“The same thing kind of applies to Fayette County” Schools, said West. “They deserve scrutiny as well. We want them to do well.”
“The main thing for me is transparency. We will have the information. We will have the opportunity to ask (tough) questions on behalf of our constituents.”
West added: “The main thing right now is just fact-finding, trying to get to the bottom of what has happened, what they intend to do going forward,” West said.
Liggins said he had no comment on the Sept. 16 legislative meeting.
Liggins has received heavy criticism of late from the community and from Democrat and Republican lawmakers for a series of budget missteps over the summer.
This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 11:33 AM.