Rep. Truett's HB 241 Delivered to Governor for Executive Branch Approval

March 20, 2025

by Jerry Sparks, Co-Editor/Senior Reporter

After Senate amendments transformed a bill sponsored by Rep. Timmy Truett into legislation he no longer supported, a joint conference committee addressed the concerns. Last week, HB 241 was sent to the Governor's office for his consideration. This measure, sponsored by Representative Timmy Truett of McKee, aims to support school districts that may fail to meet instructional day requirements due to severe weather closures.

"HB 241 has been a priority since I filed it in the House," Truett said. "Our districts need support as they navigate their school schedules in the wake of historic severe weather closures. This measure will give districts flexibility in their school day schedules, relief days to support districts that continue to face weather closure or for those who cannot meet the instructional hour requirements. I am glad we were able to come to a resolution to support our districts and our students."

HB 241 would enable school districts to transition their calendar from 170 instructional days to a flexible 1,062 instructional hours. This change would allow schools to lengthen school days to make up for lost instructional time resulting from school closures. Furthermore, this legislation would empower the Commissioner of Education to grant up to five additional disaster relief days for alternative student instruction to school districts and the ability to waive up to five student attendance days for districts unable to reach 1,062 instructional hours with extended school days by June 4, 2025. School districts that opt not to use the five additional relief days may substitute them for their five lowest attendance days.

A Free Conference Committee of House and Senate members convened to discuss the Senate amendments to HB 241. The Senate revised HB 241 with Senate Committee Substitute 2, which introduced policies and regulations for the operation of virtual schools. The Free Conference Committee led to the following changes to HB 241 as amended by Senate Committee Substitute 2:

This bill would establish a 3-year sunset of the virtual learning pilot program established in SCS 2 and a 3-year prohibition on the Kentucky Department of Education from limiting enrollment or taking away funding from virtual districts.

Would provide virtual programs with the same teacher class-load flexibility that Site Based Decision Making enjoys for grades 6-12, while also introducing a new provision that caps it at 300 hours.

Would implement a 1% total statewide cap for nonresident pupils in virtual programs.

Would prohibit enrollment in virtual schools so long as the elementary school, middle school, or high school is in the bottom 5% of the state.

Would allow siblings of children in the virtual academy, military children, or those with a medical necessity to be exempted from the 1% statewide cap or a K-5 enrollment freeze.

Would mandate that a local board of education that has a virtual program adopt policies on how to handle the enrollment of students who fail to take the kindergarten screener and/or the end of year state assessment.

"It is important that we establish guardrails to protect students enrolled in virtual schools," Truett added. "These programs may not be able meet their student's needs in the same way brick and mortar schools can. I believe it is vital that a virtual school in the bottom 5% of the state cannot increase their enrollment. This addition gives virtual programs like Cloverport the ability to prepare and improve their elementary school program before any new students can enroll. Virtual schools have their place in our education system and should not be shut down, but protections must be put in place to make sure the schools are ready before more of our students are enrolled."