A bill has been introduced by the House Education Committee chair calling for a state audit to determine whether the Kentucky Department of Education is complying with state mandates.
House Bill 825, sponsored by state Rep. James Tipton (R-Taylorsville), would also audit the Kentucky School for the Deaf, the Kentucky School for the Blind overseen by the department, and the regional technology centers operated by the department.
The test would identify any areas of work that “exceed a significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness,” the bill states.
The bill would require the audit report to be submitted to the General Assembly's Interim Joint Committee by July 1, 2025. The bill states that the report “shall include recommendations as to how the financial management and operations of the Kentucky Department of Education can be improved.” ”
Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) said Tuesday morning that he had not fully considered the bill but was not surprised by its introduction.
“Everyone needs to be seen sometimes,” Stivers said.
Under the Republican bill, voters, not the governor, would decide who sits on the Kentucky Board of Education.
The bill is the latest bill proposed by Republicans to increase oversight of the state Department of Education and school boards.
The 2023 legislative session passed legislation for the first time that would require the Kentucky Senate, currently led by Republicans, to approve the appointment of a state education commissioner.
The performance of school commissioners would also be investigated under House Bill 825.
The Board of Education is the state's chief executive officer of schools, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Kentucky Department of Education, and overseeing the Kentucky School for the Blind, the Kentucky School for the Deaf, and 50 regional technology centers.
The state is currently accepting applications for the position.
15 candidates apply to be Kentucky's next education commissioner
The secretary would need Senate confirmation, but Stivers could suspend the bill for Senate approval this session, potentially moving it to next year's session depending on the timing of its adoption. said.
In 2023, former Commissioner Jason Glass was criticized for his stance on Senate Bill 150, a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, leading to an outcry from LGBTQ rights groups. He cited the bill's passage as a reason for leaving the state to become vice president of Western Michigan University.
Tipton and Kentucky Department of Education officials did not immediately comment on the bill Tuesday morning.
