BY JOE RAGUSA KENTUCKY

FRANKFORT, Ky. — For the last three decades, Kentucky has used a school funding formula based on a district’s average daily attendance, but that could change soon to a system based on a district’s enrollment.

What You Need To Know

  • Kentucky’s SEEK funding formula includes school attendance to calculate how much money schools receive
  • Lawmakers are discussing possible changes ahead of the next legislative session
  • One potential change would be switching to a model where schools are funded based on enrollment instead of attendance

It’s one of the main topics the School Funding Task Force, co-chaired by Rep. James Tipton (R-Taylorsville), is discussing in Frankfort.

“I think the General Assembly felt like it was important to take an in-depth look at that SEEK formula,” he said following Monday’s meeting.

Schools are funded by a variety of sources, with property taxes being the biggest local source. If property values are high, schools in that district receive less money from the state to keep things as equal as possible with poorer areas.

Lawrence County Superintendent Robbie Fletcher said he would like to see a change to the state formula if it’s made carefully.

“If we don’t add funding to the general budget, then we’re taking away from some groups and adding to others,” he said. “I’ll be the first to tell you that Lawrence County would benefit from a lot of this, but instead of bringing other districts to a lower rate or lower funding, I think it would be better to bring other districts up.”

Kentucky has been using old attendance data from before the COVID-19 pandemic to calculate school funding recently, making sure districts aren’t punished for COVID-related absences.

Rep. Kim Banta (R-Ft. Mitchell) said attendance shouldn’t be a concern with funding moving forward.

“I think with the whole pandemic and what we’ve seen with the (average daily attendance model), I think encouraging kids to come to school sick, it’s just not a smart thing to do.”

Sen. Reggie Thomas (D-Lexington), however, said he wants schools to be judged on who shows up.

“The reason we went to an average daily attendance model back in ’89 was because we said we want students to come to school,” Thomas said. “We want students to pass those classes. We want students to graduate. That’s what we want state taxpayers to pay for.”

Schools are funded by a variety of sources — property taxes being the biggest local source.

The School Funding Task Force plans to meet again next month to finalize recommendations for the legislative session next year.