[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6660366,"mediaKeyId","2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764","parentId",2435693,"title","Committee advances bill to protect full‑time virtual programs; Cloverport’s program addressed in committee substitute","audioSeconds",639,"startMs",4344000,"endMs",4983000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764&start=4344&end=4983","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764/thumbnail_4344000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6660366/Kentucky/Committee-advances-bill-to-protect-fulltime-virtual-programs-Cloverports-program-addressed-in-committee-substitute","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6660366-8ccc985e280e6aea10af970d1c7887e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771128037&Signature=SBPpc9mBWm1g9~SpJOVzMIT6irwZMd7AbfVyH7QOApZlZ0OvZkFffcQMT9XF-JLF3YznJMaduyuMJuBaeRi1OcL3KCCofcYh8al~eYwjnv2p9KTghOqjMSKU0W6dm73YTlMrwUNcKD2qPEGUs2VG9Skt0bzWR41yWLvYVO3QmqUivy421jhdCxnzNuEkOieKrso0FmCgItRBkJNn30kQ2USgqO86C-By9Z2FORtIkVk3D0V-PvKM6grsRSvmPJR0bSrqNUtESv442Le2lnOiHjqoYtpKW7tXQf43-5WKpesheyMqvo8FKdpyM-coBPqV~Y35ZWxN3pVhvnn1ZZ2UEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kentucky Legislature","date","2025-02-27T16:56:15.53Z","article","Senate Bill 268, which updates statutes governing full‑time virtual education programs and establishes oversight and reporting provisions, advanced from the Senate Standing Committee on Education after testimony from rural Cloverport officials, parents and district representatives.

Senator Aaron Reid, co-presenting the bill with Senator West, said SB 268 “ensures that students aren't left behind by allowing full-time virtual programs to continue operating with the structure and stability families deserve.” He said the bill makes updates to reflect how virtual programs operate and adds guardrails to ensure accountability and quality.

Cloverport speakers described the local virtual program as new and rapidly scaled: Keith Haynes, Superintendent of Cloverport Independent, and Sally Johnson, Principal of KYVA (Cloverport’s virtual program), said the program serves thousands of students and that families rely on its continuity. A parent and other supporters attended the hearing; senators noted Cloverport had roughly 2,800 students enrolled and a sizable waiting list when the issue was previously discussed.

Committee members and the Kentucky Department of Education raised compliance concerns earlier; during the hearing Cloverport representatives said they were working to come into compliance with the KDE requirements cited by the department (for example, student‑teacher ratios and program oversight) and committed to improvements. The bill includes a built-in sunset provision (date in the bill: 06/30/2028) allowing the General Assembly to review performance and close the program if benchmarks are not met.

The committee adopted a substitute and advanced the bill. Members discussed the experimental nature of the program, the need to protect students already enrolled from sudden program closures, and the need to evaluate performance measurements for elementary-level virtual students. Senator Reid and others emphasized the bill does not create new programs but aims to provide continuity for existing full-time virtual programs while setting timelines and metrics for review.

Action: Senate Bill 268 passed the committee by roll call with recorded ayes and no recorded nays in the transcript. Sponsors and Cloverport representatives said the bill includes reporting and a sunset so the legislature can reassess outcomes and compliance before a longer-term authorization.

Sources: Committee testimony by Senator Aaron Reid and Senator West; testimony by Keith Haynes, Superintendent, Cloverport Independent; testimony by Sally Johnson, Principal of KYVA; committee discussion and roll call recorded in the committee transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Standing Committee on Education (2-27-25)","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 268 to clarify and protect full‑time virtual education programs moved forward in committee after testimony from Cloverport officials and parents. The bill includes a sunset and reporting provisions to monitor outcomes for the Cloverport virtual program through mid‑2028.","taxTitle","Education, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Kentucky","taxId",29200,"location","Kentucky","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6660370,"Committee approves one‑year relief allowing districts extra calamity days and calendar flexibility",303,3139000,3442000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764&start=3139&end=3442","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764/thumbnail_3139000.jpg","/articles/6660370/Kentucky/Committee-approves-oneyear-relief-allowing-districts-extra-calamity-days-and-calendar-flexibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6660370-105c5080d04a50d6564c1e43f1a9b1d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771128037&Signature=mRTmg5SBLH-E5VzYWMbNWPzD9Nm0BD2TenCeJuaS9eE8TgKynSSyTID3~mLqVVPlcrVZynD79SfeJPuiuSEX7VIfNuLApDezJ9C3qQqobX2NZ5Ln4g~1ixyuA6GUxEHDuR5Bxxc8mcAimRIqrK5N9~eN6yrLNvPumaZu2f4u1JA0~T4Qk60NCn-Hu7GFAGUptCoTelevH6P~SvExceJDQDnBqyRgNe6mvmsuo0LaKfl~fgYE~A6tGQsUv2LjgP9sWrQqC5731grbu2Ofn5jScpGTnMNQgl9fFQbGglPkAoJe1yKCgO3Au-LSnoKgG-34WIhOvJ77VWCp7DapYtJmkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 241, a one-year emergency measure to give school districts extra flexibility after extensive flooding and severe weather, advanced from the Senate Standing Committee on Education with a committee substitute.

Representative Tim Truitt presented the bill and described its purpose as temporary relief for districts that have exhausted regular calamity and non-traditional instruction (NTI) days. “What this bill does is it allows districts to add time to their day to get the kids in the seat. It will also allow five natural disaster days, severe weather days, in case there's something that happens between the time that this bill is signed into law and the end of the school year,” Truitt said. He noted that adding minutes to the school day can help districts avoid pushing testing and instruction into late June.

Key provisions: the bill permits districts to switch to or use a variable calendar (measured in minutes/hours rather than days) to make up lost instructional time, allows districts to request up to five additional severe-weather calamity days that must be approved by the Kentucky Commissioner of Education, and includes a committee-substitute provision adjusting average daily attendance calculations for districts that used limited NTI days.

Concerns and committee discussion: Several senators raised broader issues about NTI days and academic accountability. Senator Tishner said she opposed the bill in concept because of concerns NTI has been used inconsistently and urged review of NTI’s effectiveness and participation measurement. Other members said they supported one-year relief for districts hit hard by flooding and described the bill as a reasonable emergency response.

Committee action: The committee adopted the committee substitute and voted to advance the bill; a roll call recorded multiple aye votes and some members explaining their votes on the record. The bill passed the committee with favorable expression.

What it does not do: The bill is expressly for the current school year and does not create permanent changes to NTI policy; committee members said they want to revisit NTI standards and accountability in future work.

Sources: Testimony by Representative Tim Truitt and committee discussion including Senators Tishner, Higdon, Williams and others recorded in the committee transcript.","House Bill 241, designed to give school districts temporary flexibility after widespread flooding and weather-related closures, passed the committee with a committee substitute. The bill allows additional calamity days, use of variable calendars, and a commissioner waiver process for up to five severe-weather days for 2025 only.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6660375,"Committee adopts substitute to count fringe benefits in SEEK calculations",152,1966000,2118000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764&start=1966&end=2118","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764/thumbnail_1966000.jpg","/articles/6660375/Kentucky/Committee-adopts-substitute-to-count-fringe-benefits-in-SEEK-calculations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6660375-bab6ab0a930f2072bc500e230d0e8c80/orig.mp4?Expires=1771128037&Signature=RZwA2QKTcNP1vJX0VbbpepHgtqtFFG72iBQ58PP3N-T7ovjPe9zRwcttDJYxcsNVyLHwNS0Axc8b72OybKprt1udXIfKYhjTtHFl7wr9B23hfg~XjBZCy5Q2e6iDapDpYIxdmOZEpvG1vxmN2LAXBK-OcFX2oD3llJfdOTWCrmHkVHjpuFgXY0G03do7tYpFWnjQoUaupnGMma2jGN~jkFoD91PEiyeaJvEYrvedoVoPQY4eMJKLbq43yq~DTdgNzXf4ET62ina9gCAtibGF1Si-y7V1GWPDrICN-sGGS1Ob90nJqJfEAWMDZivWJ6LKi-uRgdAfexcQsNL~-Gu~0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Standing Committee on Education adopted a committee substitute and advanced Senate Bill 6, which clarifies how the state counts certain fringe benefit expenditures when calculating state funding under the SEEK program (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky).

Sponsor State Senator Givens told the committee the bill aims to clarify what the Commonwealth considers education-related costs — specifically, that state-funded fringe benefits paid on behalf of districts (including pension and insurance contributions funded by the state) should be counted in the SEEK calculation. “This language basically says, we’re going to count the entirety of what the taxpayers fund as education-related expenses in Kentucky,” Givens said.

Why it matters: testimony and committee discussion focused on whether pension and health-care contributions should be considered part of per-pupil education costs. Senator Higdon noted actuarial employer contributions to teachers’ retirement are growing and projected to exceed $2,000,000,000 per year in the near term; committee proponents said recognizing those state-funded fringe costs in SEEK clarifies funding reporting rather than changing who pays the cost.

Opponents and cautious members urged further study. Senator Thomas and others said the change affects a formula that has guided Kentucky funding for decades and argued any comprehensive rewrite should be vetted through an interim study; one senator described the change as more than a minor tweak and asked for broader deliberation over the SEEK formula’s scope.

Committee action: The committee adopted the PSS (committee substitute) to SB 6 and approved the bill as amended. Several members explained their votes on the record: some voted aye while one member recorded a no vote in committee; overall the bill advanced with a favorable committee report.

Clarifying details noted at the hearing included that the bill defines fringe benefit costs as expenditures from state sources made by the state on behalf of school districts; witnesses and committee members emphasized the difference between counting an item for reporting and actually redirecting funds to districts.

Next step: SB 6 will proceed to the Senate floor for further debate. Committee members asked for continued follow-up and discussion about whether the SEEK formula should be revisited more comprehensively in an interim study.

Sources: Testimony and presentation by State Senator Givens; committee discussion and roll call recorded in the committee transcript.","Senate Bill 6, which revises what state-funded education costs are counted in the SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky) formula, advanced from committee after adoption of a committee substitute clarifying that fringe benefit costs funded by the state are education-related expenses.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6660380,"Senate committee advances bill allowing Kentucky universities to participate in federal NIL settlement",1476,325000,1801000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764&start=325&end=1801","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2435693-2ef2a41e7824d47b7a3138dc936a6764/thumbnail_325000.jpg","/articles/6660380/Kentucky/Senate-committee-advances-bill-allowing-Kentucky-universities-to-participate-in-federal-NIL-settlement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6660380-bf70268e38763d6228481c7c8acd4b02/orig.mp4?Expires=1771128037&Signature=Q2rAuwTQKqnsbSrNfxXe2Wqu-x-UkNH9NVlpIERrJKeHpCVUQMyA5YxJ5HKakOZmyJ4SgF5LzjPrnJzpc4b1i7~LcS-Ex7MJ3ggceYcoiQZgBeiCx-tK1jjo1btFkZyvxJelO4durYZtHtgDMKlHbfEvwfxw9G7GS3SldCdL7ikms8aS-jPRNjUaRwsc3MLR5Olug7BsYPIxhGYxsC2VibpbO1LjSffejWExkGgarS6WMHPRDNuRF7C99R57iEC2shQUV~gGawbB~jWBeI57g7G92v-1Rbc7nj3KBt9L2VgMQpga06T~Xt2jiQ1sQwaTIov2nmcYyZcow1W0g1yHGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 3, legislation to update Kentucky law on student-athlete compensation and university participation in emerging revenue-sharing models, passed the Senate Standing Committee on Education after testimony from athletic directors and university officials.

The bill’s sponsor, State Senator Max Wise, introduced the measure on behalf of the bill’s supporters, saying SB 3 would align Kentucky law with anticipated national standards and allow institutions to sublicense athletes’ name, image and likeness (NIL) and enter contracts that directly compensate student athletes. “At its core, Senate Bill 3 is about empowering student athletes, maintaining universities’ competitiveness, and reaffirming Kentucky’s leadership in college athletics,” Wise said.

Why it matters: proponents told the committee the legal landscape for college athletics is changing rapidly because of a pending federal settlement and litigation. The committee heard that a proposed federal settlement stemming from litigation against the NCAA could permit universities to directly compensate athletes; bill proponents said Kentucky must update state law now so its institutions can implement any national system without delay.

Mitch Barnhart, Director of Athletics at the University of Kentucky, said the bill would give athletic departments flexibility to navigate the settlement and future federal guidance while protecting student-athlete opportunities. “We’ll still have, with roster changes and all of those things, well over 500 student athletes that we’re representing and that are counting on us to give them the best opportunity they can,” Barnhart said. Josh Hurd, Athletic Director at the University of Louisville, echoed that institutions need clear legal guardrails as the landscape evolves.

SB 3’s stated provisions include permitting institutional sublicensing of NIL, expanding earning opportunities for student-athletes, and establishing reporting thresholds for deals (the bill would require student-athletes to report deals that exceed $600). Sponsors told the committee the measure contains an emergency clause so it would take effect immediately upon passage.

Committee members questioned how the bill might affect transfer portal activity and whether contractual institutional agreements could reduce “portal hopping.” Barnhart and Hurd said the settlement and the bill could help create tighter transfer windows and guardrails, but that many details — including whether contracts will be national or institution-specific — remain under national negotiation.

Action: The committee moved and seconded the bill and conducted a roll call vote. Senators present during the vote included Carroll, Givens, Higdon, Meredith, Neal, Rawlings, Reid, Thomas, Tishner, Williams, Wilson, Wise and Chair West; the committee recorded unanimous approval. The committee report states the bill passed with favorable (federal) expression.

What’s next: SB 3 will move to the full Senate for further consideration. Sponsors said the committee-level endorsement is timed to allow athletic departments and university staffs to prepare for expected developments at the national level.

Sources: Committee testimony by State Senator Max Wise; testimony by Mitch Barnhart, Director of Athletics, University of Kentucky; testimony by Josh Hurd, Athletic Director, University of Louisville.","The Senate Standing Committee on Education voted to advance Senate Bill 3, which would update Kentucky law on name, image and likeness (NIL) to allow institutions to enter new compensation and sublicensing arrangements for student-athletes and includes an emergency clause to take effect immediately on enactment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances bill to protect full‑time virtual programs; Cloverport’s program addressed in committee substitute

Committee approves one‑year relief allowing districts extra calamity days and calendar flexibility

Committee adopts substitute to count fringe benefits in SEEK calculations

Senate committee advances bill allowing Kentucky universities to participate in federal NIL settlement