FCPS Announces Financial Decisions

Message from Superintendent Liggins to All Employees

Dear Team FCPS, 

When I wrote to you in March, I provided an update based on the budget and finance information available to me at that time. I also shared that should any considerations directly impact you personally or professionally, you will receive official communication. 

As stated in my communication to you this past Thursday, our ongoing internal and external reviews have revealed that the information provided to the school board and superintendent was incorrect. I am committed to addressing these financial issues once and for all, stabilizing our district finances, and building the transparent structures our community deserves. 

Today, I am announcing two significant changes for the upcoming 2026-27 school year, effective July 1. If you are impacted personally, you will be contacted by your supervisor and/or official electronic communication. 

• Work Calendar Reduction: A reduction in work days will be implemented for the following work calendars: 12-month salaried,12-month hourly, 10.5-month hourly, Child Nutrition managers, Child Nutrition workers, 190-day hourly, Law Enforcement, and Media Librarians. No reductions will be made to teacher or paraeducator calendars, and those impacted will receive an electronic notification this week. All 2026-27 work calendars will be available for employees by mid-May.

• District-Level Staffing: We will reduce district level staff through reductions in force, position eliminations, and involuntary transfers. This is an ongoing process that will be finalized by May 15. The number of teacher and paraeducator positions at the school level are not impacted as part of this reduction decision.  

I know this news is painful. I know it creates uncertainty, frustration, and fear. And I want you to hear directly from me that I do not take that lightly.

These decisions impact real people. Real families. Real livelihoods. They affect individuals who have poured their hearts into this district and the children we serve. I do not view any of you as numbers on a spreadsheet, positions on an organizational chart, or expenses to be reduced. You are human beings. You are professionals. You are valued members of Team FCPS, and I fully understand the weight that moments like this carry.

I also recognize that for some of you, this news may stir emotions connected to other challenging periods our district has experienced. I understand that moments like this can bring uncertainty, frustration, and understandable questions about what lies ahead. That is why I want to be clear: We are confronting these challenges with urgency, honesty, and a steadfast commitment to making the decisions necessary to strengthen the long-term future of Fayette County Public Schools. Our students, our staff, and our community deserve thoughtful action, responsible leadership, and solutions that position this district for lasting stability and success. I am fully committed to seeing that work through. 

As your superintendent, I hate that we are in this position. I hate that necessary corrective action requires difficult decisions that hurt people who care deeply about this district. But I would fail in my duty as your leader if I ignored reality, avoided hard choices, or allowed these issues to continue for someone else to address later.

We are making these decisions with one guiding principle above all else: protecting the classroom and preserving the student experience to the greatest extent possible. By reducing costs at the district level and making operational adjustments, we are working intentionally to shield students from the full weight of these financial challenges.

Hear me clearly: My commitment is not simply to manage this moment. My commitment is to fix this. Fully. Responsibly. Permanently. We will confront these issues head-on, we will do so with honesty and discipline, and we will build a stronger, more sustainable future for this district than the one we inherited.

Thank you for your professionalism, your resilience, and your continued commitment to our students during an incredibly difficult time. Fayette County Public Schools is worth fighting for, and so are the people who make this district what it is.

- DL