Board Buzz: Bradford Spotlights Summer Opportunities

June 22, 2026

We offer a recap of the June action meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education as part of our commitment to providing regular updates for FCPS student families, our employees, and the community.

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Top Takeaway: Educational Experiences

Acting Superintendent Bill Bradford shared several examples of how activities and progress in FCPS continue uninterrupted through the summer months. For instance, extended school services at host sites Ashland Elementary and Bryan Station Middle School received a shout-out. "We're really excited for the work happening there," he said in the monthly Superintendent's Report.

Bradford noted that multilingual students in the migrant and refugee programs have extra academic opportunities as well. Meanwhile, some of our high school students are earning dual credit in college math classes while other are participating in soccer camps.

Community partners are key to our students' learning experiences when school is out. Through the Toyota Driving Possibilities program, Bryan Station High is hosting an Academy Explorers Camp for grades 4-5. We also have a Power Scholars camp through the YMCA and a STEM-focused camp with the University of Kentucky for Winburn Middle students.

Additionally, Bradford shared a heads up about the district's third annual musical theatre production, "Seussical," which opens this Friday, June 26, at host Frederick Douglass High School. He also noted that FCPS will host its summer high school graduation ceremony on Monday, June 29, also at Douglass.

Action Items on the Agenda

After additional discussion and clarification from the developers, the board approved the issuance of industrial revenue bonds for the renovation project at Rose Tower apartments but deferred action on the residential development on Midland Avenue pending more information. The arrangement is known as PILOT -- Payment In Lieu of Taxes. Acting Superintendent Bill Bradford noted that the Board Finance & Accountability Committee and the Equity Council Committee support both proposals. "This is a process we've approached with a lot of diligence," board Chair Tyler Murphy said prior to the vote.

The board also accepted the monthly financial report for May as presented by Amy Smith, acting executive director of Financial Accounting & Benefits Services. "I am hopeful and optimistic of having (the FY 2025 restatement) completed within the next two to three weeks," she noted.

Lastly, board members agreed to provide up to $35,000 more for the Weaver and Tidwell Audit Firm to complete their work. The complexity of the audit and multiple changes since the start of the contract led to the increased staff hours and added cost to the district. Murphy asked about the scope of work and deliverables. "There's a lot of focus on the budget process itself," said Kyna Koch, acting chief financial officer. "There's also specific reference to looking at travel expenses and P-cards." Koch is expecting suggestions for policy and procedural improvements across the district, and the audit firm's report is expected in August. Koch said staff will then develop a corrective action plan, followed by monthly updates to the school board.

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Other Highlights of Note

Board members authorized using money from the General Fund budget reserves (contingency) to meet obligations for the 2025-26 school year. The contingency provides a buffer that enables FCPS to manage differences in cash availability and protect our primary educational and instructional services.

The board also approved using $13.9 million of restricted capital funds for necessary maintenance and repair expenses.

Along with various contracts and renewals of services for students, the consent agenda included board approval of:

• Rezoning plan to accommodate the August 2027 opening of Helen Caise Wade Elementary on Greendale Road
• Updates for the 2026-27 Student Code of Conduct
• Tates Creek High's International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme becoming a gifted and talented option in FCPS, specifically in the area of leadership
• Employees' payroll schedule for FY27
•  Policy update to comply with recent changes to state statute clarifying unused leave time: As of June 30, an employee’s sick leave balance for the contract year shall not exceed 13 combined sick and converted personal days.

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Need More Details?

For more information about the latest meeting:

• Skim the June 22 agenda.
• Watch the video recording.
• Read the official minutes, which will be posted within the agenda of the next board meeting.

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Board Talk: On Hiatus for Summer

Board Talk, a 15-minute livestream, serves as a digital bridge between our community and the school board. We want to take the mystery out of board meetings by having casual, honest conversations right before the gavel falls. You can watch Board Talk starting at 5:30 before the 6 p.m. regular monthly meetings during the school year. (Look for the link in an fcps.net pop-up box.) Additionally, the board welcomes your questions and topics for consideration:

Suggest A Topic for Board Talk

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How to Follow the Board Meetings

Community members may attend the school board's planning sessions and action meetings at the John D. Price Administration Building, 450 Park Place, where public comment is welcome. The monthly action meetings are also livestreamed on the FCPS YouTube channel and the district's Video on Demand service.

Additionally, the Board Meeting Buzz -- which is emailed to our student families and staff -- is archived on the district website as "recap" under Agendas & Records.