Ex-Fayette County schools finance head, retired amid criticism, calls news conference

Longtime Fayette County Public Schools executive director of financial accounting, Rodney Jackson, who retired amid criticism about the district’s finances, has hired a lawyer and called a news conference for Monday.

Jackson’s attorney, Christopher Miller, did not immediately respond to questions from the Herald-Leader about the nature of the news conference.

“Our firm represents Mr. Rodney Jackson, the former Executive Director of Financial Accounting, Budget, and Benefits Services at Fayette County Public Schools. Mr. Jackson, accompanied by his attorney Christopher Miller, will be holding a press conference on Monday,” a 6 p.m. Friday statement from Arnold Miller Law Firm.

The news conference will be held at Lexington Public Library’s Marksbury Branch on Versailles Road.

Jackson retired earlier this month, district spokesperson Miranda Scully told the Herald-Leader.

In June, district officials confirmed that Jackson was on medical leave after not commenting on his employment for months. Jackson held leadership positions in the finance department for more than a decade, according to his personnel file. Jackson, who has been employed with the district since 1999, has not attended or spoken at Fayette County Board of Education meetings since March, according to board documents.

The school board and Fayette County Superintendent Demetrus Liggins, now on administrative paid leave pending a review of his employment, hired Kyna Koch, who previously worked for the Kentucky Department of Education, earlier this year to examine its finances.

Koch and Liggins announced in April that a review showed district finances had been misstated for years. This was after the district already had acknowledged it was dealing with a significant budget deficit.

An independent investigation commissioned by the school board and released in March by a Missouri law firm found that Jackson failed to meet expectations by not doing enough analysis and communicating the implications. Jackson also didn’t engage in intentional misconduct, but didn’t fulfill “responsibilities as the head of FCPS’ Financial Accounting and Benefits department,” the investigation said.

The district is now trying to get its financial house in order, which has led to the elimination of 120 positions, cuts to staff work days and a $95 million short-term loan to help the district’s cash flow. Koch has said the district will have to re-state its finances for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal year.

Acting Director of Finance Amy Smith told the board in May that in 2025, the district overstated or overestimated its local tax collections by more than $8.5 million. There were several instances where money was deposited in the wrong accounts, Smith said. Koch has also said there were times when the district missed deadlines for grants.

In one case, a $200,000 contract for a software program was never approved by the board, which is required. Jackson signed that contract, according to records the Herald-Leader received through a Kentucky Open Records Act request.