AN ACT relating to teachers.

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AN ACT relating to teachers. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 161 IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
(1) The General Assembly hereby finds that: 5
(a) Respecting the authority of teachers is essential to creating an environment 6
conducive to learning, effective instruction in the classroom, and proper 7
administration of the public schools; and 8
(b) To maintain and protect the authority of teachers, it is important that 9
teachers, school and district administrators, parents, and students are fully 10
informed of the various rights conferred upon tea chers pursuant to this 11
section. 12
(2) Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, a teacher in a local school district 13
has the right to: 14
(a) Teach free from the fear of frivolous lawsui ts, including the right to 15
qualified immunity and to a legal defense, and to indemnification by the 16
employing local school board for actions taken in the performance of duties 17
of the teacher's employment; 18
(b) Appropriately discipline students in accordance with KRS 158.150 and local 19
school board policy; 20
(c) Establish classroom rules of conduct applicable to students in the 21
classroom; 22
(d) Remove any persistently disruptive student from his or her classroom when 23
the student's behavior prevents the orderly ins truction of other students or 24
when the student displays impudent or defiant behavior and to place the 25
student in the custody of the principal or his or her designee; 26
(e) Have his or her professional judgment and discretion respected by school 27
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and local sch ool district administrators in any disciplinary action taken by 1
the teacher in accordance with local school district policy; 2
(f) Teach in a safe, secure, and orderly environment that is conducive to 3
learning and free from recognized dangers or hazards that cause or are 4
likely to cause serious injury; 5
(g) Request and receive information relating to the disposition of any referrals 6
to a school principal, local school district superintendent, or local school 7
board for a violation of classroom rules of conduct, school rules or policies, 8
or local school district policies; 9
(h) Communicate with and to request the participation of parents in 10
appropriate student disciplinary decisions; 11
(i) Report and pursue criminal charges if there is reason to believe that a crime 12
has been committed on local school district property, during school -13
sponsored transportation, or during school-sponsored activities; 14
(j) Use reasonable force, according to policies adopted by the Kentucky Board 15
of Education, to protect himself or herself or others from injury; 16
(k) Complete only paperwork that is not excessively burdensome and that, if 17
required by statute or administrative regulation, adheres to the statute or 18
administrative regulation and does not result in overly cumbersome 19
interpretations of that statute or administrative regulation; 20
(l) Receive leadership and support as a beginning teacher, including the 21
assignment of a qualified, experienced mentor who commits to helping the 22
beginning teacher become a competent, confident professional in the 23
classroom and offers support and assistance as needed to meet performance 24
standards and professional expectations; 25
(m) Request and receive training and other assistance to improve his or her 26
skills in classroom management, violence prevention, conflic t resolution, 27
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and related areas; 1
(n) A coordinated system of professional development with the goals of 2
increasing student achievement, enhancing classroom instruction, and 3
preparing students for continuing their education or joining the workforce; 4
(o) Be afforded time during the school day or week to collaborate with other 5
teachers; 6
(p) Direct his or her classroom instruction; 7
(q) Receive student assessment data in a timely manner in order to assist in 8
improving classroom instruction; 9
(r) Not have their ri ght to work be denied or abridged on account of 10
membership or nonmembership in any labor union; 11
(s) Be free from discrimination in the public schools; and 12
(t) Be treated with civility and respect. 13
(3) A local school board shall not establish policies that prevent teachers from 14
exercising the rights provided in subsection (2) of this section. 15
(4) This section shall not be construed to prevent a local school board from providing 16
a teacher in a local school district additional rights it deems important to 17
fulfilling the duties of the teacher. 18
(5) Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, each local school board shall: 19
(a) Provide a copy of the rights established in subsection (2) of this section to 20
all teachers at the beginning of each school year; and 21
(b) Require each public school building that contains instructional space for 22
students enrolled in the local school district and any administrative building 23
to conspicuously display in a prominent location a printed abstract of the 24
rights established in subsection (2) of this section. The same information or 25
display shall also be posted on the district or school website. 26