Applications are now being accepted for the non-voting teacher and student members of the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE).

Each member would serve a one-year term, from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

As mandated by Kentucky ​law, the KBE develops and adopt​​​​s the regulations that govern Kentucky’s 171 public school districts and the actions of the Kentucky Department of Education.

The KBE has 15 members. The governor appoints 11 voting members: seven representing the Supreme Court districts and four representing the state at large. The additional members – the president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, the secretary of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, a high school student and an active elementary or secondary school teacher – serve as non-voting members.

Non-voting Teacher Member Application
To be considered for the non-voting teacher position, the applicant must be employed on a full-time basis by a Kentucky public school district in a position for which Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) certification is required, not employed in an administrative role and must reside in Kentucky’s 3rd Congressional District.

Required materials for the teacher application include the online KBE non-voting teacher application; resume; a narrative statement explaining why the applicant wants to serve as a non-voting teacher member of the board; a statement of assurance that the applicant meets the definition of a “teacher” as defined in 701 KAR 5:160; and a description of any pending or final disciplinary action against the applicant by the EPSB.

Non-voting Student Member Application
For the non-voting student position, the applicant must be enrolled in a Kentucky public high school, be a junior at the time of appointment to the KBE and must reside in Kentucky’s 1st Congressional District.

Required materials for the student application include the online KBE non-voting student application; a resume; a narrative statement explaining why the applicant wants to serve as a non-voting student member of the board; two letters of recommendation from a teacher, school administrator, employer, coach or volunteer supervisor explaining why the applicant should be appointed to the board; a parent statement of support and an optional school statement of support.

Selection Process
701 KAR 5:160 outlines the selection and appointment process of non-voting KBE members. Briefly, the Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council, or a subset of the council, will review eligible student applications and recommend to the board three candidates for selection as the non-voting student member of the board. Similarly, the Commissioner’s Teacher’s Advisory Council, or a subset of the council, will review eligible teacher applications and recommend three candidates for selection as the non-voting teacher member of the board.

The board will consider these recommendations and select one candidate to serve as the non-voting teacher member and one candidate to serve as the non-voting student member.

Time Commitment and Application Deadline
The estimated time required for the teacher and student members will be at least two successive school days every other month to attend the regular KBE meetings, usually in Frankfort; sufficient time to review the agenda materials in advance of the meeting; additional time for handling other board-related business and time to attend selected teacher or student meetings, workshops and/or conferences.

Additional information can be found on the KBE non-voting student application or the KBE non-voting teacher application. Applications must be submitted online by March 31 at 5 p.m. ET.

Questions about the application process can be sent to Kentucky Department of Education Director of Education Policy GlyptusAnn Grider Jones.