Corbin School Board votes to appeal reciprocal agreement decision to state Board of Education

The battle over the Knox County School Board’s decision to end its reciprocal agreement with Corbin Independent Schools is not over.

After meeting in executive session for 1 hour and 20 minutes Thursday night, the Corbin School Board voted unanimously to appeal Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday’s decision to the Kentucky Board of Education.

Corbin Superintendent Ed McNeel said Holliday’s decision failed to address families with children already enrolled at Corbin who have siblings, particularly those entering Kindergarten, who may not yet be attending Corbin schools.

"We would like to have a confirmed reciprocal agreement," McNeel said of the ideal decision that could come from the board. "But we at least want the board to address the situation of siblings."

Holliday’s decision calls for extending the reciprocal agreement between the school systems through the 2010-11 school year for students already enrolled at Corbin or Knox County under the agreement.

The Knox County School Board had a special called meeting Tuesday. After going into executive session for 1 hour 20 minutes, during which the board met with Timothy Crawford, the attorney who prepared the documents presented to Holliday, the board took no action.

Knox County School Superintendent Walter T. Hulett said while the decision was not perfect, it was favorable to Knox County and the board saw no reason to appeal.

Robert L. Chenoweth, who prepared Corbin’s appeal to the commissioner, will prepare the appeal to the Kentucky Board of Education.

Lisa Gross, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Education, said the Knox County Board of Education will have the opportunity to file a response. After that, either board may file any addition information they feel will be helpful to state board. The state board has 60 days to render a decision. That decision may be appealed in Franklin Circuit Court.

In his decision, Holliday encouraged the boards to engage in mediation to find a long-term solution.

Hulett and McNeel have both said previously that mediation would be pointless because there is no common ground from which to begin the process.

Corbin Board Chair Lisa Cleary said Holliday’s decision leaves the board additional time to begin the mediation process.

"We will consider it, but it doesn’t have to happen until September," Cleary said.