The Knox County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Board members approved all items on the agenda, including financial reports, facility projects, and agreements supporting student programs and services.
Pastor Thom Brown, Barbourville United Methodist Church, led the moment of silence and prayer at the opening of the meeting. He was presented with a token of appreciation by board member Dr. Ashburn. (Photo #1 below)
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Jeremy Ledford highlighted progress in several leadership standards (Photo two above):
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Standard 6: Celebrated Union Commonwealth University’s announcement of free tuition for the Class of 2026, encouraging Knox County students to take advantage of this life-changing opportunity.
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Standard 7: Reported from the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS) Summit that the Legislature is working on SEEK funding to increase by $300 annually for the next four years. He also noted state KSA scores are expected in November due to recalculations in science assessments.
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Standard 3: Shared his participation in Union Commonwealth University’s inauguration week, where he joined community leaders to discuss pathways and partnerships focused on workforce development under the theme Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges.
Facility and Construction Updates
Scott Noel, president of Summit Architects, provided updates on current and upcoming projects (Photo three above):
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HVAC construction at Knox County Middle School Gym will begin October 6.
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HVAC inspection at Lynn Camp Middle High will be finalized following completion of testing reports.
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HVAC updates at Girdler Elementary are complete, pending final paperwork.
Facilities and Operations
Board members approved multiple facility-related actions, including:
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Revisions to BG-1 project documents for Knox County Middle School and Lynn Camp Middle/High School HVAC and roof projects.
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Adoption of a resolution authorizing the Knox County School District Finance Corporation to issue bonds for the Knox County Middle School gym roof project.
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Reconvening of the Local Facility Planning Committee for an amendment to the District Facility Plan related to the Knox County Area Technology Center and Central Office projects.
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Payment approvals for Lynn Camp Middle/High School HVAC work and Knox Central High School’s track project.
Teaching and Learning
The Board approved:
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Certification for an adjunct instructor.
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An amendment to the agreement with Partners for Rural Impact Full Service Grant.
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An agreement with ARH Mary Breckinridge Health Services (Barbourville ARH Hospital) for physical therapy services.
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Waivers for shortened school weeks/days for five students with special needs.
Resources and Support Systems
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Renewal of PowerSchool services invoices. PowerSchool is the online platform for applications and personnel records.
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Approval of federal funding assurances and cash requests for FY26.
Other Action Items
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Approval of the working budget for FY26.
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Approval of sealed bid award for surplus property (switch gear).
The meeting concluded with no citizen remarks.
For a full list of agenda items and video of the meeting, visit https://www.knoxkyschools.com/board