KY HB649

County school districts with 25,000+ students must add two board members appointed by the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts who reside in the district, hold a bachelor's degree, and have 5+ years of finance experience

Appointed board members serve 4-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms, and vacancies are filled by the Auditor within 60 days

The Commissioner of Education may remove appointed board members for cause, including malfeasance, misfeasance, incompetence, or gross neglect of duty

Appointed positions must be filled by January 1, 2027, with the substantive provisions taking effect on that date

Existing school board structure remains unchanged for most districts: 5 elected members for standard districts, 7 elected members for merged districts containing a first-class city (Jefferson County)