Fayette County school officials still can’t say how much layoffs will save

Fayette County Public Schools officials said Thursday they still do not have the amount the elimination of more than 100 positions will generate for the cash-strapped school district.

“We don’t have that number right now,” said Jessica Williams, acting director of Budget and Financial Planning for the school district.

However, the district’s proposed tentative $711 million general fund budget is based on those cuts, Williams said.

Williams’ comments came during a Fayette County Public School budget question and answer session to respond to the public’s questions and concerns about the district’s financial operations.

The event was held in partnership with the Board Finance and Accountability Committee, a standing committee of the Fayette County Board of Education that has met only a few times since it was created in January.

“We recognize the conversations we are having are difficult and the realities our district is facing is heavy,” district spokesperson Miranda Scully said as the question and answer session closed.

FCPS released details Tuesday on the 120 jobs it cut, consisting of 49 hourly and 71 salaried roles. Of the 71 salaried positions, 16 positions are administrators, district officials have said. In addition, various staff have had the number of days worked reduced. FCPS officials have previously said the reduction in work days will result in a $1.9 million savings.

The district released its proposed tentative general fund budget of $711 million on May 11.

During Thursday’s session, where people were permitted to submit written questions, FCPS also confirmed other cuts including a $250 classroom allowance for supplies typically given to teachers.

Interim Chief Financial Officer Kyna Koch said they hoped a community partner would be able to provide that funding for next school year but unfortunately a funder for those $250 classroom allowances. But a donor organization has not been found. The general fund does not have money for those annual allowances.

Koch said there is additional money in the preliminary budget for auditing and legal fees. The budget for legal fees increased by more than $1 million, she said.

However, there were two different contracts for investigations by law firms, one for $75,000 and a second for $52,000. Neither of those contracts were approved by the five-member board of education.

Shelley Chatfield, chief legal officer for FCPS, said the costs for legal contracts can be difficult to predict. However, the school district has released a request for proposals, a type of bid, for legal services to avoid those type of costly contracts.

It’s not clear why the board did sign off on the prior contracts.

Changes to food budgets

Another area that will get the axe is food and catering for staff. In 2025, the Lexington Herald-Leader found 135 administrators had racked up more than $2.5 million in credit card expenses in six months. Some of that money was spent on pricey dinners and lunches.

“General funds will not be used for food for staff,” Koch said. “However, there are alternative sources that schools and the district in fact can use.”

Koch said an independent auditor hired by the district should have results by late June or early July. That audit will help the district identify and make changes to budget processes to make sure the district’s finances are in order.

District officials say finances have been misstated for decades. FCPS officials have said they plan to take out a short-term $110 million loan, which the district needs to make payroll come July 1. The district’s contingency fund balance is just 2%, the bare minimum under state law.

Koch said how much the district will have to pay to take out that loan is still being negotiated.

Koch also said it was likely the district will have to take out a similar one-time loan to help it with cash flow come the summer of 2027.

In addition, the district is mulling the sale of various school properties including the former central administration building on Main Street and two elementary school campuses. Budget officials have previously said the district will need at least $3 million from the sale of those properties to balance its books for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.