Rep. Truett Sponsors HB 635 Advocating for Variable School Calendar

Two Kentucky state representatives have filed bills to give relief to school districts who have missed multiple days in the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern, which dumped several inches of snow and ice onto parts of Kentucky and caused extended school closures. Laura Leigh Goins, spokesperson for the House Majority Caucus, described the two bills on Thursday:

House Bill 635, sponsored by Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, would allow school districts that have used all 10 NTI days to go to a variable calendar to add time to their school days, as opposed to adding it at the end of the year. In addition, it would allow the Kentucky commissioner of education to approve five more calamity days — days school districts would not have to make up. That’s consistent with what has been done in the past, Goins said. Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, the bill would also allow districts the flexibility and fluidity to change their calendar as needed throughout the year to meet the existing statutory requirement of 1,062 hours of school.

House Bill 631, sponsored by Rep. Myron Dossett, R-Pembroke, simply provides 10 additional nontraditional instruction days for the current school year.
The measure stems from conversations with the superintendent in Christian County, where Dossett is from, and the fact Christian County has been hit by two tornadoes in the last five years, in addition to the snow and ice this year. “Rep. Dossett says he’s trying to be proactive and think ahead,” Goins said.