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Dear Colleagues,
Following a detailed review of preliminary data, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) currently estimates there will be a funding shortfall for the Supporting Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) fund for the 2024-2025 school year.
The SEEK funding program is a formula-driven allocation of state-provided funds to Kentucky’s 171 public school districts. The formula includes a base per-pupil funding allocation, as well as additional funding for transportation costs and the number of students identified for additional services such as special education, free or reduced-price lunch and English language assistance.
KDE is currently tracking an estimated SEEK shortfall of $12 million for funding to public school districts provided in Kentucky statutes. KDE estimates an additional shortfall of $28 million for funding to public school districts that is specifically conditioned on the availability of funds.
Developing a biennial budget for public school funding is a complex process that involves estimating many future conditions – such as growth in the number of students and types of students (like those receiving special education services or English learners) and the growth in property values throughout the Commonwealth. KDE staff and the Kentucky Office of the State Budget Director work collaboratively to gather data projecting property values, public school enrollments and student special populations to inform the Kentucky General Assembly as they adopt a biennial budget. But these projections are always estimates using the best data available at the time. If estimates are too low, a funding shortage is always a possibility.
From fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2024, a SEEK shortfall has occurred four times. Since the 2017 fiscal year, the Commonwealth’s SEEK budget included more funding than was ultimately payable to districts as required by the SEEK formula. During the 2021 fiscal year, there was a $231,000 surplus in SEEK appropriations. During the last fiscal year, there was a $156.3 million surplus in SEEK appropriations.
When KDE has more funding than it needs make all payments to public school districts required by the SEEK formula, the Commonwealth’s budget directs where excess funding is transferred. For the last fiscal year, the $156.3 million in excess funding was transferred to the state general fund as required by the legislature.
These shortfall numbers are only estimates now and are subject to change in the upcoming weeks as the department completes final SEEK calculations. State law requires KDE to complete final SEEK calculations by March 1 of each year. KDE will provide information to school districts regarding the impact to individual districts as soon as those final calculations are complete. While we know this estimated shortfall is critical to our public schools, it is important to keep in mind that it represents 1.43% of our overall SEEK funding of $2.7 billion.
We are currently working closely with the Office of State Budget Director and the chairs of the Appropriations and Revenue committees in the House and Senate to explore funding options that may address this estimated shortfall and minimize impacts to Kentucky’s public schools. As always, we thank them for their assistance and we look forward to working together to find a path forward.
As always, thank you for being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
Assessment and Accountability Town Halls
Join Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher and the Kentucky United We Learn Council for a series of community conversations to shape the future of education in the Commonwealth, including a review of the proposed assessment and accountability system framework. Attendees also will see what innovative things are happening in surrounding districts to provide Kentucky’s students with vibrant learning experiences.
Attached is an agenda outlining the topics that will be explored during these sessions.
- Jan. 21: Green River Regional Educational Cooperative, 230 Technology Way, Bowling Green, 5-7 p.m. CT
- Jan. 27 (Hybrid Spanish-language Town Hall): Dishman-McGinnis Elementary, 375 Glen Lily Road, Bowling Green, 5-7 p.m. CT
- Jan. 29: Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative, 219 7th St., Shelbyville. 5-7 p.m. ET
- Jan. 30: West Kentucky Educational Cooperative, 435 Outlet Ave., Eddyville, 5-7 p.m. CT
- Feb. 4: Southeast South-Central Educational Cooperative, 55 Waco Drive, London, 5-7 p.m. ET
- Feb. 12: Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services, 5516 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, 5-7 p.m. ET
The town hall originally scheduled for Jan. 22 at the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation in Ashland has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.
SEEK Roadshow Schedule
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is preparing for cooperative visits to offer district training on the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding program and tackle the main challenges associated with SEEK funding.
Our aim is to improve outreach by partnering with cooperatives to deliver training sessions for superintendents and finance officers. We will conduct a three-hour workshop that will feature a presentation by KDE representatives, followed by an extensive Q&A session. Each cooperative will provide registration details.
Please plan to attend one of the following educational sessions:
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Jan. 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET, Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC) – 412 Roy Campbell Drive, Hazard
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Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon ET, Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC) – 100 Alpine Drive, Shelbyville
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Feb. 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CT, Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC) – 230 Technology Way, Bowling Green,
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Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. to noon ET, Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative (CKEC) – CKEC Training Center, 2331 Fortune Drive, Suite 110, Lexington
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Feb. 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET, Northern Kentucky Educational Cooperative (NKEC) – 5516 E Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring
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Feb. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT, West Kentucky Educational Cooperative (WKEC) – WKEC Conference Center, 435 Outlet Ave, Eddyville
KDE’s Communication Skills for School Leaders Series
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Communication Skills for School Leaders Series, facilitated by Mike Rutherford, consists of three one-day conference experiences offered in Lexington at the Central Bank Center and in Bowling Green at the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time.
The Lexington sessions are scheduled for Feb. 25, March 18 and April 30. The Bowling Green sessions are scheduled for Feb. 27, March 19 and May 1.
Each conference experience is designed for optimal engagement, relevance and applicability. The conference series comes at no cost to participants.
Communication skills are learnable. Everyone can become a better communicator. This three-part series will engage school leaders in a rigorous and lively examination of the skills necessary to be a clearer and more compelling communicator.
Topics will include public speaking; presentation skills; interpersonal skills; difficult conversations; communicating with individuals, small groups and mixed groups; communicating with varied constituent groups; communicating with print, social and on-camera media; how to interview and be interviewed; how to advocate for a cause; how to be a keen listener; how to be more influential and persuasive; how to facilitate learning for adult professionals; and even how to talk to yourself in a more positive and productive way.
The three sessions will be interactive, engaging and filled with opportunities to practice skills with immediate feedback in a safe, supportive environment.
Registration for the Communication Skills for School Leaders Series is required by Feb. 17. Questions regarding the training should be directed to Haley Ralston.
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