Carroll County schools outline facility realignment and plan for universal preschool, propose tax increase to pay for work

Kasey, superintendent of Carroll County Schools, told the Carroll County Fiscal Court on Jan. 14 that the district is pursuing a facilities realignment intended to allow universal preschool and expanded middle- and high-school programming.

The presentation laid out why the district is proposing physical changes, a rough timeline and how the district would pay for renovations. Kasey said the county’s early-childhood metrics and statewide assessment results show many students are not entering kindergarten ready, and the district wants to offer universal preschool to address that gap earlier.

The proposal would move first grade out of one elementary building to free six to eight classrooms, move Cartwell Elementary into the current middle school after a cafeteria expansion, shift grades 6–8 onto the high-school campus and convert the vacated middle-school building for expanded elementary and preschool use. The district’s timeline anticipates the swap and necessary construction could be finished in about 18 months if approvals proceed; Kasey said the district’s target for offering universal preschool community-wide is December 2026 if everything is approved and funded.

Kasey told the court the district is exploring how to pay for universal preschool and building work. He said the state does not currently provide enough funding to cover preschool for all children, so the district is considering options that could include charging modest tuition (he referenced an illustrative figure of about $100 per week per student) or pursuing local tax increases and bonding. Specifically, the presentation proposed adding a dedicated property tax levy normally described in local terms as “nickels” (5¢ per $100 valuation). Kasey described proposing a 10¢ increase (two nickels, often called a dime) dedicated to renovation and building costs and modeled a separate 4% annual increase for operating needs. He said adding a second nickel would boost the district’s bonding capacity from about $6 million to roughly $21 million, and adding a third nickel would raise it further (the presentation gave a model increasing capacity to about $37 million with three nickels).

Kasey also described additional capital needs beyond the classroom swap: a new bus garage, repairs to central-office and transportation facilities, parking and stadium facilities repairs, and upgrades to HVAC at the high school. He said the cafeteria at the current middle school must be expanded to serve multiple elementary grades; he reported an ongoing review with the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) on that project.

Kasey framed the proposal as conditional on community support. He said the district plans four community forums in January and February to solicit feedback and would not bring a tax increase to the school board if voters and the community did not back it. "If the community does not wanna raise taxes to get all these things, I will not put this motion before the board," he told the court.

The presentation also listed ancillary benefits the district expects from the realignment: broader band, theater and vocal-music offerings across K–12; easier access for middle-school students to high-school advanced coursework and CTE pathways; reduced busing for some activities; and potential community uses of a consolidated auditorium space.

Court members asked about enrollment trends and related capacity concerns. Kasey said district enrollment had risen from about 1,700 to about 1,800 since he started and noted the county’s Head Start and county child-development center programs serve many high-need children; he reported those preschool programs show good kindergarten-readiness outcomes.

Next steps Kasey described include finalizing design details with the architect, resolving KDE approvals for the cafeteria expansion, holding community forums, and, if supported, asking the board to place a tax levy before voters or otherwise approve the dedicated levy mechanism. He emphasized the plan is informational at this stage and contingent on community feedback and formal approvals.