The Kentucky School Boards Association says it has some questions about an executive order by Governor Matt Bevin. The order creates a Charter Schools Advisory Council that will help implement charters for the first time in the commonwealth.
Charter school legislation signed into law by Governor Bevin says local school boards and the mayors of Louisville and Lexington would be the primary authorizers of charter schools. But the governor’s executive order issued late Friday afternoon says the advisory council will review charter applications and make recommendations to the Kentucky Board of Education for final approval. Brad Hughes is a spokesman for the Kentucky School Boards Association.
"We're just trying to make certain that this doesn't in any way take away from what the law sets out as being the responsibility of the local school boards, at least as the starting point for charter school applications," Hughes said.
The law states the Kentucky Board of Education will only handle appeals when a local board denies a charter school application. The wide-ranging executive order also changes the makeup of the state Board of Education to include non-voting, non-members appointed by the governor. The order also abolishes the Education Professional Standards Board and sets up a new 15-member board chosen by the governor.
