Senate panel approves bill prompted by Fayette superintendent search
A state House bill prompted by Fayette County Public Schools’ recent superintendent search was unanimously approved Thursday by the Senate Education Committee.
The legislation would allow a member of a school district’s equity council to serve on a screening committee for a superintendent search. Rep. Kelly Flood, D-Lexington, said she decided to file House Bill 29 after receiving a resolution from Fayette school board members with a request to add a member of the equity council to the superintendent screening committee.
Currently, screening committees include two teachers, elected by the teachers in the district; one board of education member, appointed by the board chairman; one principal, elected by the principals in the district; one parent, elected by the presidents of the parent-teacher organizations of the schools in the district; and one classified employee, elected by the classified employees in the district.
Fayette County school board members went through the superintendent selection process in 2015 when they hired Manny Caulk.
Flood said the members contacted her when they realized that state law did not allow them to put an equity council member on the screening committee
In Fayette County, the Equity Council monitors and analyzes equity issues, advises the school board, and advocates for achievement for all students.
House Bill 29 would also affect Jefferson and Warren counties, two other Kentucky districts that have equity councils, Flood said in an interview.
Having an equity council member on a superintendent screening committee matters, said Flood, because “it’s one clear commitment in our superintendent searches that we have a devoted body of people represented at the table who want to do what it takes to close achievement gaps” between minority, low-income and disabled students and others.
Valarie Honeycutt Spears: 859-231-3409, @vhspears
This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Senate panel approves bill prompted by Fayette superintendent search."