Bill
Bill > HB257
summary
Introduced
01/08/2026
01/08/2026
In Committee
02/18/2026
02/18/2026
Crossed Over
02/18/2026
02/18/2026
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to define terms; permit local school districts to develop and implement a local accountability system; require data publication on the local accountability system; require the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to provide technical assistance in the development of local accountability; permit KDE to incentivize local accountability; set the time frame for requiring local accountability in all local school districts; authorize the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate necessary administrative regulations; amend KRS 158.6453 to update terminology regarding academic standards; remove specific writing and editing and mechanics as required summative assessments; require KDE to incorporate a writing program into academic standards and professional development; require school-based decision making councils to adopt a writing program policy and publish it on the school's website; remove requirement for KDE to establish recommendations on using preliminary assessment data to identify students for advanced coursework; amend KRS 158.6455 to add individual student growth metric and student engagement as state indicators in the accountability system, remove quality of school climate and safety as state indicator, remove "status" and "change" metrics from state accountability system; amend KRS 158.6459, 164.7874, and 157.069 to conform.
AI Summary
This bill aims to reform Kentucky's education assessment and accountability system by allowing local school districts to develop their own accountability measures, known as "locally developed indicators of quality," which must align with state academic standards and can include local priorities like student well-being or school safety. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will provide technical assistance and potential financial incentives for districts to create these systems, with a mandate for all districts to adopt them by a certain timeframe. The bill also updates academic standards terminology, removes specific writing and editing assessments as required summative tests, and mandates that KDE incorporate a writing program into academic standards and professional development, with school councils responsible for adopting and publishing writing program policies. Furthermore, it modifies the state's accountability system by adding individual student growth and student engagement as key indicators, while removing school climate and safety as a state indicator and eliminating "status" and "change" metrics from the overall accountability framework. Conforming amendments are also made to other related statutes.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (10)
J.T. Payne (R)*,
Tina Bojanowski (D),
George Brown (D),
Beverly Chester-Burton (D),
Daniel Grossberg (D),
Kevin Jackson (R),
Scott Lewis (R),
Steve Riley (R),
James Tipton (R),
Timmy Truett (R),
Last Action
to Committee on Committees (S) (on 02/18/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb257.html |
| BillText | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb257/bill.pdf |
| Vote History for HB257 | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb257/vote_history.pdf |
| House Floor Amendment 2 | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/HB257/HFA2.pdf |
| House Floor Amendment 1 | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/HB257/HFA1.pdf |
| House Committee Substitute 1 | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/HB257/HCS1.pdf |
| BillText | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb257/orig_bill.pdf |
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