KRS 157.320: Definitions for KRS 157.310 to 157.440.

As used in KRS 157.310 to 157.440, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Administrative regulations of the Kentucky Board of Education" means those

regulations which the Kentucky Board of Education may adopt upon the

recommendation and with the advic e of the commissioner of education. The

commissioner of education shall recommend administrative regulations necessary

for carrying out the purposes of KRS 157.310 to 157.440;

(2) "Average daily attendance" means the aggregate days attended by pupils in a public

school, adjusted for weather -related low attendance days if applicable, divided by

the actual number of days the school is in session, after the five (5) days with the

lowest attendance have been deducted.

(a) Aggregate days shall include, in additi on to the aggregate number of days

attended by a pupil who was suspended during a school year, the number of

days the pupil was suspended, not to exceed ten (10) days in total for the

school year; and

(b) Aggregate days shall include, in addition to the ag gregate number of days

attended by a pupil who was expelled for behavioral problems, the number of

days the pupil was expelled up to a total of one hundred seventy -five (175)

days. This total may extend into the next school year and shall be counted in

the average daily attendance for the next year;

(3) "Base funding level" means a guaranteed amount of revenue per pupil to be

provided for each school district, to be used for regular operating and capital

expenditures;

(4) "Board" means the board of education of any county or independent school district;

(5) "District" means any school district as defined by law;

(6) "Elementary school" means a school consisting of the primary school program

through grade eight (8) as defined in KRS 158.030, or any appropriat e combination

of grades within this range, as determined by the plan of organization for schools

authorized by the district board;

(7) "Experience" means employment as a teacher, other than as a substitute or nursery

school teacher, for a minimum of one hundred forty (140) days during a school year

in a public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school or college or university

that is approved by the public accred iting authority in the state in which the

teaching duties were performed. A teacher who is employed by a board for at least

one hundred forty (140) days of a school year and who performs teaching duties for

the equivalent of at least seventy (70) full scho ol days during that school year,

regardless of the schedule on which those duties were performed, shall be credited

with one (1) year of experience. A teacher who is employed by a board for at least

one hundred forty (140) days during each of two (2) school years and who performs

teaching duties for the equivalent of at least seventy (70) full school days during

those years shall be credited with one (1) year of experience. No more than one (1)

year of experience shall be credited for the performance of tea ching duties during a

single school year;

(8) "Kindergarten full-time equivalent pupil in average daily attendance" means each

kindergarten pupil counted no more than one -half (1/2) day in the aggregate days

attended by kindergarten pupils in a public scho ol divided by the actual number of

days school is in session after the five (5) days with the lowest attendance have

been deducted. Kindergarten is the entry level of the primary program and shall be

provided no less than the equivalent of one-half (1/2) day, five (5) days a week for a

full school year for each kindergarten pupil;

(9) "Middle school" means a school consisting of grades five (5) through eight (8) or

any appropriate combination of grades as determined by the plan of organization for

schools authorized by the district board;

(10) "National board certification salary supplement" means an annual supplement

added for the life of the certificate to the base salary of a teacher who attains

national board certification;

(11) "Percentage of attendance" means the aggregate days attended by pupils in a public

school for the school year divided by the aggregate days' membership of pupils in a

public school for the school year;

(12) "Public school fund" means the fund created by KRS 157.330 for use in fina ncing

education in public elementary and secondary schools;

(13) "Secondary school" means a school consisting of grades seven (7) through twelve

(12), or any appropriate combination of grades within this range as determined by

the plan of organization for schools authorized by the district board. When grades

seven (7) through nine (9) or ten (10) are organized separately as a junior high

school, or grades ten (10) through twelve (12) are organized separately as a senior

high school and are conducted in sepa rate school plant facilities, each shall be

considered a separate secondary school for the purposes of KRS 157.310 to

157.440;

(14) "Single salary schedule" means a schedule adopted by a local board from which all

teachers are paid for one hundred eighty -five (185) days and is based on training,

experience, and such other factors as the Kentucky Board of Education may

approve and which does not discriminate between salaries paid elementary and

secondary teachers. If the budget bill contains a minimum statew ide salary

schedule, no teacher shall be paid less than the amount specified in the biennial

budget salary schedule for the individual teacher's educational qualifications and

experience;

(15) "Support Education Excellence in Kentucky" means the level of e ducational

services and facilities which is to be provided in each district from the public school

fund;

(16) "Teacher" means any regular or special teacher, principal, supervisor,

superintendent, assistant superintendent, librarian, director of pupil pers onnel, or

other member of the teaching or professional staff engaged in the service of the

public elementary and secondary school for whom certification is required as a

condition of employment;

(17) "Virtual program" means a program offered by a public sc hool district in which all

courses in the program are virtual, do not include regular in -person instruction, and

are designed as an alternative to traditional in-person school programs; and

(18) "Weather-related low attendance day" means a school day on wh ich the district's

attendance falls below the average daily attendance for the prior year due to

inclement weather. The district shall submit a request to substitute the prior year's

average daily attendance for its attendance on up to ten (10) designated days, along

with documentation that the low attendance was due to inclement weather, for

approval by the commissioner of education in accordance with Kentucky Board of

Education administrative regulations.