Christian County Public Schools is joining the list of school systems across the state and nation who are losing federal funding after the U.S. Department of Education denied a request for reconsideration.
According to a letter to the Kentucky Department of Education from the United States Secretary of Education that was received in March, declaring that the time to spend all federal funds related to COVID relief was amended from March of 2026 to March of this year. Several school districts in Kentucky penned a response, requesting that time frame be extended.
While two small projects in Boone County will retain their funding, most others will not, including just shy of $8 million in Christian County that was slated to be used in the construction of the new Christian County High School. That’s the biggest loss of funding in Kentucky, with the others on the list under the $1 million mark.
Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher says, “We expect the federal government to honor its promises to states and to our students. While we hope for more good news in the coming days, we stand ready to appeal the projects that have been denied. We will continue to fight for the resources our schools and districts have been promised by USED to continue their mission of providing the best education possible to Kentucky’s students.”
In a statement, Christian County Public Schools officials say, “The mission of Christian County Public Schools—to provide a high-quality education and celebrate student success—remains unchanged. We will continue working with our legislators to advocate for the return of these funds to support the construction of the new Christian County High School.
Our focus, as always, is on supporting our students and staff. At this time, we are closing out a phenomenal school year and planning and preparing for the upcoming school year to ensure continued growth, success, and opportunity for all our students.”
The original funding came from ESSER funding, which was part of a relief effort from the federal government during or following the COVID-19 pandemic.