AN ACT relating to teachers.
HB168 makes two major changes in Kentucky law. First, it revises the teacher work-time statute to require each full-time teacher to receive at least 250 minutes of noninstructional planning time per five-day school week, a daily duty-free lunch, and additional compensation at no less than the teacher’s usual hourly rate when the teacher is assigned duties during protected planning time or lunch. It also clarifies that certain required activities outside contract hours, such as professional development, IEP meetings, school-based decision making, and family/community outreach, must be compensated, while allowing districts to require up to 60 minutes after dismissal one day per week without extra pay. The bill preserves the ability of districts to provide more time or pay and protects existing collective bargaining rights.
Second, HB168 amends the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program. It updates and restates eligibility rules, defines eligible institutions and programs, and continues the scholarship for high school students taking approved dual credit courses and for workforce students pursuing certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, or certain education bachelor’s degrees in shortage areas. The bill also establishes reporting requirements for scholarship outcomes and creates a dedicated trust fund in the State Treasury for scholarship money, with balances carried forward rather than lapsing at fiscal year-end.
The bill would directly amend KRS 158.060 governing teacher scheduling and compensation, increasing statutory protections for planning time, lunch breaks, and pay for required noninstructional duties. It would also amend KRS 164.787 to continue and refine the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program, affecting the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, public and private postsecondary institutions that participate, high school dual credit students, adult workforce students, and students in comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs. In addition, it creates a nonlapsing trust fund structure for scholarship financing and requires annual program reporting to state education and workforce agencies.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a pro-teacher and pro-workforce-development bill. Its teacher provisions suggest support for clearer work-time protections and compensation, while the scholarship provisions continue an existing program aimed at affordable training and credential attainment. No formal recorded opposition is shown in the supplied context, but the structure of the bill indicates it could draw interest from both education advocates and school districts because of the added compensation and scheduling requirements.
The most likely points of contention are the teacher-workload provisions. School districts may object to the mandate for 250 minutes of planning time, the duty-free lunch requirement, and the requirement to pay at least the usual hourly rate for duties assigned during protected time or outside contract hours. The bill also limits unpaid after-school time to up to 60 minutes one day per week, which could be viewed as reducing local scheduling flexibility. On the scholarship side, any debate would likely focus on eligibility limits, funding availability, and the creation of a dedicated trust fund, but no specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided record.