Oldham County board approves FY26 salaries, fee reductions and KSBA policy updates; hears curriculum pilots and tax‑revenue scenarios

The Oldham County Board of Education on Tuesday approved fiscal year 2026 salary schedules, a revised student fee schedule that includes a $40 reduction, and updates to Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA) policy language on leave and per diems.

The approvals were part of a broader meeting in which district staff briefed the board on recommended curriculum adoptions for middle and high schools, a teacher‑leadership pipeline program called the Flock, monthly financial reports and an analysis showing how hypothetical large economic investments in the county would change local receipts and state SEEK funding.

Board action and votes were routine. The board approved the March 19 and March 24 minutes (each 5-0), accepted the treasurer’s report (5-0) and approved the KSBA policy updates (5-0) and the FY26 salary schedules (5-0). The board approved consent items by a 4-1 vote. The FY26 fee schedules were approved 5-0.

Why it matters: the salary and fee changes take effect as recruiting and budget planning ramp up ahead of FY26, and the curriculum recommendations will shape instructional materials used across the district next school year.

District finance and personnel approvals

Miss Alexander, the district treasurer, told the board the March cash‑account summary shows total funds across accounts of about $129,000,000, with approximately $56,000,000 in the building/construction account and about $16,400,000 in district investments. Alexander said receipts typically slow late in the school year while expenditures rise, and that the district is “on track” with revenue and salary positions ahead of final budget work for FY26.

The board voted to approve the treasurer’s report and the minutes. Consent items passed on a 4-1 vote; the transcript does not name which board member cast the lone dissenting vote.

KSBA policy updates and per‑diem change

Superintendent Dr. Radford introduced KSBA policy updates the board had reviewed earlier in the meeting. The changes include aligning classified and certified leave language so that employees use paid leave before moving to unpaid leave and replacing meal‑by‑receipt reimbursements with a per‑diem structure for overnight travel, with two per‑diem tiers for higher‑ and lower‑expense areas. The board approved the KSBA policy updates 5-0.

Curriculum pilots: StudySync, Open SciEd and math options

Dr. Smith, a district instructional staff member, briefed the board on the district’s Highly Quality Instructional Resources (HQIR) process and results from middle‑ and high‑school pilots. He said all four middle schools recommended StudySync for English language arts after screening resources, piloting them with teachers and students, and collecting parent input.

"They landed on StudySync as the resource that they felt was the best," Dr. Smith said, describing teacher and student feedback and a recommendation forwarded to the superintendent.

For science, district staff recommended adopting Open SciEd units across all four middle schools. At the high school level, staff reported South Oldham High School piloting a math curriculum developed by Upper Midwest teachers and Oldham County High School weighing HMH against Reveal Math; two high schools are also planning Open SciEd adoption to support continuity from middle to high school.

Salary schedules and fee schedule changes

District staff presented FY26 salary schedules earlier than usual to support recruiting; the revised schedules reflect previously approved increases (including a 5% raise and other step adjustments) and extend longevity steps to 33 years. The board approved the FY26 salary schedules 5-0.

The board also approved fee schedule changes intended to reduce costs for families. District staff said elementary and middle school fees were lowered or held steady, with maximum out‑of‑pocket costs reduced by a $40 discount; some high school fees rose to cover new course offerings or external organization costs. Staff noted one change that formalizes a practice of purchasing season passes for recurring daycare trips to save families money.

Business development and tax revenue scenarios

Dr. Radford presented three illustrative scenarios estimating how hypothetical large investments in Oldham County would affect the district’s local receipts and state SEEK funding. Using the district’s current tax rate and the SEEK formula, Radford said a $1 billion investment would generate about $8,000,000 in local property tax revenue but would reduce state SEEK receipts by roughly $4,000,000, for a net local increase of approximately $4,000,000. He gave proportional estimates for $500,000,000 and $250,000,000 examples.

Radford emphasized these were approximate illustrations and noted that state or county incentives, industrial revenue bonds or negotiated in‑lieu‑of‑tax arrangements could change net outcomes. He also quoted state law as framing the board’s authority: "State law says currently that every school district every school board shall collect property taxes. That's what the state law says," Radford told the board.

Leadership pipeline and public comment

Miss Stant, a district staff member overseeing the Future Leaders of Oldham County program (the "Flock"), described a yearlong cohort for aspiring school leaders that includes observations, mentor support and panel sessions. She said the first cohort placed about half of participants into new positions and that the program runs across two school years with cohort meetings and classroom observations.

In public comment, Michael Dinger, representing Oldham County Community Scholarships, invited board members to the organization’s awards ceremony at the Oldham County Arts Center on Tuesday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m. He said the nonprofit has distributed more than $2,000,000 in scholarships since its founding and that this year’s awards total more than $160,000, including $10,000 and recurring $3,000 scholarships.

Executive session motion

At the end of the meeting the board moved to go into executive session under cited state statutes to discuss litigation preparation and potential real‑property acquisition; a motion to enter executive session passed unanimously.

What’s next

Board packets and materials accompanying the meeting include the detailed treasurer reports, historical actual comparisons, salary charts, and the curriculum screening timeline and recommendations. The district will present the tentative FY26 budget and final adjustments next month.

Ending note: the board approved the key FY26 administrative and financial items needed to proceed with recruiting and budget planning, and staff advanced curriculum recommendations that will require implementation work and teacher support if adopted districtwide.