FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill that would give up to 10 remote instruction days to individual schools to deal with COVID-19 absences has passed the Kentucky Senate.  

What You Need To Know

  • The Kentucky Senate passed SB 25 Tuesday

  • The legislation would give up to 10 remote instruction days to individual schools to deal with COVID-19 absences

  • A floor amendment to extend the days from 10 to 20 for school districts like Jefferson County did not pass

  • The bill heads next to the House

 

Bill sponsor Sen. Max Wise (R, Campbellsville) called Senate Bill 25 a "surgical" approach that extends work done in the special session that expired at the end of last year. 

"One of the differences in Senate Bill 25 is where before in Senate Bill 1, those remote instruction days were given to district authority, these remote instruction days will be temporarily provided to a particular school, grade, classroom or a group of students for no more than 10 days per school," he said. 

Sen. David Yates (D, Louisville) pushed for a floor amendment that would have added an extra 10 days for districts like Jefferson County Public Schools, but the amendment did not pass. 

"I’m asking for a simple amendment ... that JCPS, a consolidated local government adopted under Chapter 67C, which we all know is very, very different, have some minor discretion that in the event that they need those days, not mandatory, not telling them, but if they need those extra 10 days, they have those for purposes of planning," he said. 

Due to COVID-19 related staffing shortages, JCPS closed schools on Monday and switched to nontraditional instruction from Tuesday through Friday. 

The bill passed 31-2 and heads next to the House. 

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