Here’s a snapshot of new education laws in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — Is summer over already? As families get back into their school routines there are some new laws to know.

Including a crackdown on school skippers. According to the Kentucky Department of Education, 29.8% of the state’s entire student population was considered “chronically absent” in the 2022-23 school year. Under the law created by House Bill 611 parents could face tougher penalties.

“This is not, ‘I was out sick with the doctor’s note’ or ‘I was on an educational field trip,’ anything like that. 15 days with no excuse for missing would allow these cases to be referred to the county attorney for formal court action,” Rep. Jared Bauman (R-Louisville), the bill’s primary sponsor, said during a committee hearing on the bill.

Lawmakers also want to see test scores improve. This year’s Kids Count report showed Kentucky’s reading and math proficiency down significantly among Kentucky students, based on 2022 scores. That same year lawmakers passed Senate Bill 9 or the “Read to Succeed” Act to focus on improving literacy scores. This year a similar bill was passed to target math.

“House Bill 162, its intent is to build on that and transition, include mathematics, numeracy, building those foundational skills, doing that with high-quality professional learning, professional development,” bill sponsor Rep. James Tipton (R-Taylorsville) said during the session.

School safety is another frequent area of focus, not just in the hallways but going to and from school. Families now must sign a transportation agreement with districts if their student rides a bus that clearly outlines consequences for misbehavior under the law created by House Bill 446.

“We want to make sure that our environment is safe. And what we’re hearing is it’s currently not,” Rep. Emily Callaway (R-Louisville) testified to lawmakers in February.

Schools must also now adopt tougher discipline policies on vaping. House Bill 142 outright made it illegal to smoke e-cigarettes on school property and gave schools more teeth in their punishment against students, including confiscation.

This is only a snapshot of some of the biggest policies passed this year. A bill creating a school “guardian” program to improve security and another requiring cursive writing instruction are now laws too, but won’t be implemented until the 2025-26 school year.

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