Oldham County Schools boost pay, facilities spending; superintendent outlines upgrades and enrollment trends

Dr. Jason Radford, superintendent of Oldham County Schools, told the county fiscal court on Thursday that the district has invested heavily in employee pay and buildings and described plans for construction and program expansion.

Radford said the district has increased salaries by 12% over the last three years and provided about $8 million in one-time stipends during that period. For the coming year, the board approved a 5% raise for all teachers and an additional $2 per hour for classified staff; the district also raised starting pay for first-year teachers to just under $49,000, Radford said.

Nut graf: The superintendent framed the increases as part of recruitment and retention efforts and described capital plans for multiple campuses — a new facility for Buckner High School, a major renovation at South Oldham High School, a core renovation at Oldham County High School, playground improvements and campus beautification. He also outlined program investments including a virtual school and increased career and technical education staffing.

Key details: Radford told the court the district now serves about 12,000 students (K–12 plus preschool) and that staffing ratios the district uses for classroom teachers remain more favorable than the state-recommended ratios: Oldham County allocates roughly 23.2 students per classroom position for grades K–12 where the state ratios range from 24 to 31.

Program and budget highlights: Radford said the district used carry-forward (one-time) funds to provide $100 per student to schools for technology and $100 per student for students who receive free and reduced-price lunch, to be decided annually. The board also allocated funds to reduce student fees by $40 per student next year. The district plans to add an allocated staff member at each middle school (four positions, roughly $260,000) to support career-pathway curriculum and to increase stipends for extracurricular coaches and to add stipends targeted to staff who work with students with the most severe disabilities (teachers +$7,000; support staff +$3,500), Radford said.

Facilities: Radford described the Buckner project as a roughly two-year effort that will add a gym seating about 4,000 and new classrooms, plus a new Little Colonels preschool facility and career-technical space. South Oldham will receive a multi-year renovation that Radford estimated will add 24 classrooms; Oldham County High School needs HVAC and plumbing upgrades and other core renovations. He said the district is working to identify a site for a new LaGrange Elementary School and emphasized that community feedback favored retaining LaGrange Elementary in the town.

Data center and revenue impacts: Radford told the court the district had not been contacted directly by data-center developers. He also presented an analysis he previously shared with the board estimating that a hypothetical $1 billion local investment would generate about $8 million annually for the district under current local tax rates, but would reduce SEEK state aid by an estimated $4 million — a net projected gain of roughly $4 million before any state or local incentives or abatements are negotiated.

Quotes: “We want to engage, empower and elevate the experiences of our families and our community,” Radford said. “Every student deserves the very best opportunity.”

Ending: Radford answered questions about facilities, school traffic and enrollment trends; he said enrollment has leveled after a dip in 2022 and the district is monitoring growth that could require additional school capacity in the coming years.