How new Kentucky laws are impacting 2025-26 school year so far

FRENCHBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) —The 2025-26 school year is a little more than a month in.

You probably haven’t forgotten that much of the discussion in the lead-up to the school year surrounded the new laws that went into effect.

The following are the laws that are impacting Kentucky schools starting this year:

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• Senate Bill 181: Teacher-student communication
• Senate Bill 19: Moment of silence
• House Bill 208: Cellphone ban
• Senate Bill 167: Cursive writing courses
• Senate Bill 120: Protecting student-athletes
• House Bill 240: Kindergarten student screening

Menifee County Schools Superintendent Joshua Kincaid said implementing the laws in the district community was a challenge, but a necessary one to keep students and staff safe.

This school year is Kincaid’s first as Menifee County Superintendent. While he’s been with the district for several years, the new laws provided an interesting challenge, but one he was excited for.

“I believe the updates for our policies was 189 pages, so it was a lot,” Kincaid explained. “However, I enjoy those things: trying to figure out how to provide for our students the best way forward, even with the new laws.”

Kincaid said he and his team were diligent in making sure they were doing everything by the book.

“I think they all were pertinent,” Kincaid said. “They were all there for the right reasons, to keep our students safe and to push our students forward.”

The law that posed the most challenges: Senate Bill 181.

“I understand the importance of it; I mean, our top priority here is always to provide a safe, supportive, and high-quality learning environment for all of our students, so that was the toughest,” Kincaid detailed. “Just trying to find the balance of keeping our students safe, keeping our staff safe, but also interpreting well and understanding exactly what we can and can’t do.”

For all the laws, Kincaid said one thing he wished happened was more guidance from officials in Frankfort.

“I like to preplan. I’d like to get it all done about May or April of last year to be able to roll it out. But when you’re having to update your policies in June and July and school starting back, I think the time crunch is something that sort of puts some rough feelings for me,” Kincaid said.

The superintendent said he’s spoken to several state lawmakers who have said they do plan to look at SB 181 specifically during the next legislative session to make some changes, given the unintended ripple effects of the law.