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Oldham County Schools report pay increases, new programs and multi-year facilities plans
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Jason Radford updated the Fiscal Court on district staffing, pay raises, a virtual academy and multi-year renovation plans that include a new Butler facility, major renovations at South Oldham and Oldham County High.
Dr. Jason Radford, superintendent of Oldham County Schools, gave the fiscal court an annual district update on staffing, pay, student programs and facility projects on Tuesday.
Radford said district leaders have prioritized staff pay and retention: the district has delivered roughly a 12% increase in base pay over the last three years and distributed about $8 million in one-time stipends to employees during that period.
"We've worked really hard to try to take care of them so that they can take care of our kiddos," Radford said, summarizing the district's emphasis on recruitment and retention.
Key items Radford reported
- Salaries: The board approved a 5% raise for all employees and an additional $2-an-hour increase for classified (hourly) staff. Radford said first-year teacher pay has been raised from about $37,295 to just under $49,000 for newly hired teachers under the current schedule.
- One-time and recurring supports: The district gave $8 million in one-time stipends over three years and plans to continue targeted recurring stipends for hard-to-fill roles. For students in need, the board approved $100 per pupil for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and $100 per pupil for technology funding to be distributed to schools.
- Programs: Liberty Academy, the district27s virtual school created last year, enrolled about 100 students and will hold its fifth graduation this spring.
- Staffing and student fees: The board approved an additional staff member at each middle school (four positions total, about $260,000) and voted to reduce the student fees schedule by $40 per student, to be funded from carry-forward funds.
- Special education and high-need roles: Radford said the district will add targeted stipends for the most intensive special-education positions: $7,000 for teachers in those classrooms and $3,500 for support staff, intended to reduce reliance on contracted services.
Facilities and capital projects
Radford announced several multi-year facility priorities and status updates:
- Butler (currently listed as an 22alternative22 campus in district materials) is slated for a new facility intended to remove the "alternative" label; Radford said the project will take about two years once started.
- South Oldham High School will undergo a major renovation beginning this summer, a two- to three-year project that includes a planned addition of 24 classrooms.
- Oldham County High School will receive a core renovation and upgrades to HVAC and plumbing in a later phase after work at South Oldham stabilizes.
- The district is seeking a new LaGrange Elementary location and says it has made progress, but officials declined to provide a final site at the meeting.
Finances and enrollment
Radford said the district's general fund is healthy: revenues for fiscal 2025 closed above budget and expenses were below projections, allowing the board to provide employee stipends rather than deposit those funds into savings. He estimated the general-fund operating budget "about $100 to $120 million," not counting restricted grants and food-service operations.
Enrollment is roughly 12,000 students K-12, Radford said, and the district27s enrollment dipped during 2020-22 but has stabilized and started to grow again. Radford also noted that state-recommended classroom staffing ratios remain unchanged; Oldham County currently allocates roughly 23.2 students per classroom teacher on average.
Public questions and next steps
Magistrates asked about fiber and broadband gains across the county and the potential fiscal impact of large economic development projects, including a proposed data center. Radford said he had not been contacted by data-center developers about tax abatements but has discussed general economic-development scenarios with court leadership.
Dr. Radford also announced his retirement; the school board is scheduling interviews and expects to name a successor in May.
Ending
Radford told the court the district will continue to use carry-forward funds to support student programs and those targeted pay and stipend initiatives as the district prepares for anticipated growth in enrollment and capital demands.
