Boone County School Board July 9
Four members present: Julie Maddox, Jesse Parks, Karen Byrd, Caroline Wolfe ; Cindy Young was absent. The meeting was relatively brief, with no Good News items, no substantive superintendent’s report, no citizens signed up for Audience of Citizens, no old business, and no closed session.
Consent Agenda
The Board approved Consent Agenda Items A–O as presented. As part of the consent agenda, the Treasurer reported an adjusted beginning cash balance of approximately $83.03 million, receipts of approximately $15.71 million, expenditures of approximately $30.92 million, and an ending cash balance of approximately $67.83 million. There was no board discussion before the vote. The motion passed 4–0. Cindy Young was absent.
New Business A: 2026–27 Certified Evaluation Plan
The Board considered and approved the Boone County Schools Certified Evaluation Plan for the 2026–27 school year, an annual action required by the Kentucky Department of Education. There was no discussion. The motion passed 4–0, with all four members present voting in favor and Cindy Young absent.
New Business B: KDE District Assurances
The Board approved the required Kentucky Department of Education District Assurances for the 2026–27 school year. Again, there was no discussion, and the motion passed 4–0, with all four members present voting yes and Cindy Young absent.
New Business C: Emergency Board Policy Updates
The Board considered a group of annual policy updates classified as emergency readings because legislative changes had already taken effect, with many effective July 1. Superintendent Dr. Housewald explained that the district received legal guidance regarding which policies required immediate adoption versus the normal two-reading process. The emergency policies would therefore take effect immediately upon approval.
This item generated the meeting’s most notable discussion. Carolyn Wolfe criticized the Kentucky General Assembly for imposing unfunded mandates on school districts, specifically mentioning the new requirement to display the Bill of Rights in every classroom. She argued that even seemingly small requirements create costs for the district and pleaded with state legislators to stop passing mandates without providing funding.
Despite that criticism, there was no opposition to adopting the required policy changes themselves. The emergency policy updates passed 4–0, with all four members present voting in favor and Cindy Young absent.
New Business D: Annual Policy Updates, First Reading
The Board then received another group of annual policy updates as a first reading. Unlike the emergency policies, these policies follow the normal two-reading process and were scheduled to return to the Board at its August meeting. Board members were told they could submit questions to district staff or legal counsel before the second reading.
There was no closed session. The Board subsequently voted to adjourn, with the adjournment motion passing 4–0.