State Board of Education expected to make swift ruling on Corbin, Knox reciprocal agreement rift

The next round in the battle over the Knox County School Board’s decision to end the student reciprocal agreement with Corbin Independent Schools is scheduled for Tuesday in Frankfort.

Lisa Gross, spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Education, said the Kentucky Board of Education will consider whether to take any action to amend Education Commissioner Terry Holliday’s ruling.

In February, the Knox County School Board voted to end the agreement that permitted Knox County students to attend Corbin Independent Schools without paying tuition and visa versa. Superintendent Walter T. Hulett said 406 children from Knox County were attending Corbin schools, costing Knox County schools approximately, $1.3 in state funding. As a result of the lost revenue, Hulett said Knox County Schools have been forced to lay off 15 classified and 30 certified staff members. 

Corbin officials appealed the Knox County School Board’s decision to end the student reciprocal agreement to Holliday noting that while Knox County ended the agreement with Corbin, it kept similar agreements in place with Barbourville, Clay, Middlesboro, Pineville, Williamsburg and Whitley County school districts.

 In his ruling, Holliday said any students currently attending school in the other district under the reciprocal agreement may continue to do so. In addition, Holliday encouraged the two sides to try to work out a permanent solution.

Corbin Superintendent Ed McNeel and Hulett have previously said with no common ground upon which they could build, mediation would be pointless.

Corbin officials filed an appeal with the department of education, stating the commissioner’s ruling did not properly address families who currently have children attending school under the reciprocal agreement, and want their siblings to do likewise.

"We would like to have a confirmed reciprocal agreement," Corbin Superintendent Ed 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."

Gross said each side will have 30 minutes to make their respective case to the board, followed by a question-and-answer period for the board.

"This will all be done in open session," Gross said.

The meeting, which is open to the public, will begin at 5 p.m. in the state boardroom on the first floor of the Capital Plaza Tower.
Under Kentucky Law, either side may appeal the board’s decision to Franklin Circuit Court.