Top Priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session
KASA commits to a partnership with the General Assembly, and with all those who would continue to make the education of Kentucky's citizens their highest priority, in order to assure them a place in the world economy and the marketplace of ideas. To that end, we propose the following as our Legislative Priorities for the 2025 session of the Kentucky General Assembly:
Increase the Applicant Pools for Certified and Classified Staff to Sustain the Education Profession 
KASA supports the following policies to address dire workforce shortages in Kentucky's public schools. In KASA's survey, 83.4% of respondents said they do not have adequate applicant pools for classified staff vacancies, and 87.4% said they did not have adequate applicant pools for certified staff vacancies. 
  • Provide additional local flexibility to provide differentiated pay for teachers, including stipends for high-need areas. 
  • Expand the pilot project created by Rep. Banta's HB 377 from 2024 that created a state-sponsored student loan forgiveness program and stipends to pay student teachers in training. 
  • Provide financial incentives to districts for reducing class sizes. 
  • Create a marketing program to recruit people into the teaching workforce.
  • Pass legislation setting forth a code of ethics for board of education members with consequences for violations.
  • Remove the legislative policy requirement outline in the budget bill. Of those surveyed, approximately 60% said it was hurting school morale. 
  • Advocate for increases in the 2026-28 budget within the SEEK formula and without to ensure all districts are able to give salary increases and cover basic necessities.
  • Enact policies aimed at improving educator wellness.
  • Fully fund the actuarially required amount in the state pension systems, including KTRS and CERS.
  • Eliminate unfunded mandates by either increasing funding to cover the costs of implementing them or by shifting responsibility to other government or nonprofit partners.
     

KASA supports legislation that would help students stay both mentally and physically well. 

  • Provide incentives for schools that require daily physical activity for students.
  • Require social media companies to put safeguards in place for children to reduce mental health issues, bullying, and obsessive attachment to digital platforms.
  • Hold vaping and tobacco companies accountable for targeting minors in their advertising and marketing, including their roles in creating and promoting vaporizers disguised as school supplies. 
  • Enact stronger accountability measures for home school students and parents to ensure the home school choice is not used to sidestep truancy laws. This could include required participation in the state accountability system. 
  • Fully fund the School Safety & Resiliency Act, including allocating specific funding for  school-based mental health professionals and school resource officers. 
  • Take steps to reduce child abuse and neglect in Kentucky.

     

 
KASA supports legislation that would promote student academic success. 
  • Adapt the Kentucky Accountability System to provide real-time data for use in instruction, OR provide funds for districts to use other vendors to measure student performance in real time. 
  • Adapt the FAIR Team process to better involve educators in the process and better address truancy.
  • Require law enforcement to enforce truancy laws. Of those surveyed, 77% said their local law enforcement was not adequately enforcing truancy laws. 
  • Encourage Congress to allow flexibility with English Language Learning students to better reflect their learning within the accountability system. 
  • Place greater emphasis on individual growth within the accountability system. 
  • Adopt an accountability system that is in line with standardized tests (i.e. ACT).



KASA is committed to and supports fostering environments of civility and respect with lawmakers around public education. Acknowledging the great personal and professional sacrifices that elected leaders make to serve, KASA appreciates their service, and advocates within the education community and with lawmakers to continue to work toward common ground in respectful, productive environments. We support legislation urging local communities to operate with civility and respect when interacting with school officials, elected officials, and other parents. 

 
Click here to view the full list of priorities

2025 Regular Session Contact Information

Bill Status Line: (866) 840-2835
Legislative Message Line: (800) 372-7181
Calendar (Meetings) Line: (800) 633-9650
Kentucky Relay - Dial 711 then ask for (800) 372-7181
En Español: (866) 840-6574