{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-158.4431","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 158.4431","heading":"Employment of Kentucky guardians by local boards of education --","body":"Qualifications -- Contents of required policies -- Civil and criminal immunity.\n(1) As used in this section, a \"Kentucky guardian\" or \"guardian\" means an employee of\na local bo ard of education who is employed for the purpose of providing school\nsafety and security to students and staff on a school site. A person providing\nservices as a guardian may only include honorably discharged veterans, retired\nKentucky state troopers, reti red special and sworn law enforcement officers, and\nformer federal law enforcement officers. A guardian certified by the Center for\nSchool Safety as having met all requirements of this section is deemed to be an\nauthorized individual under KRS 527.070(3)(f) and may be armed with a firearm on\nschool property.\n(2) Local boards of education may employ as many guardians as the board considers\nnecessary for the safety and security of its schools.\n(3) Prior to hiring a guardian, the local board of education shall  require the applicant to\nprovide certification from the Center for School Safety that he or she meets all of\nthe following minimum requirements:\n(a) Is a citizen of the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky;\n(b) Has received a high school diploma or a High School Equivalency Diploma;\n(c) Is currently licensed under KRS 237.110 to carry a concealed weapon;\n(d) Has completed and passed background checks as required pursuant to KRS\n160.380(7)(a), and has not been convicted of any felony, any misdemea nor\nunder KRS 510.120, 510.130, 510.140, or 510.148, or a criminal attempt,\nconspiracy, facilitation, or solicitation to commit any degree of rape, sodomy,\nsexual abuse, or sexual misconduct under KRS Chapter 510, or have had any\noffense listed in this paragraph expunged;\n(e) Has passed a medical examination completed by a licensed physician,\nphysician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse to determine if he or\nshe can perform the duties of a guardian;\n(f) Has passed a drug screening test adminis tered or approved by the Kentucky\nLaw Enforcement Council. A person shall be deemed to have passed a drug\nscreening test if the results of the test are negative for the use of an illegal\ncontrolled substance or prescription drug abuse;\n(g) Has passed the f ollowing examinations administered by the Kentucky Law\nEnforcement Council:\n1. A background investigation to determine the person's suitability for the\nposition of guardian;\n2. A psychological suitability screening to determine the person's\nsuitability to perform guardian duties; and\n3. A polygraph examination to determine the person 's suitability to\nperform guardian duties;\n(h) Has passed the following courses provided by the Department of Criminal\nJustice Training:\n1. Active Shooter Response;\n2. Enhanced Handgun Performance; and\n3. Patrol Rifle;\n(i) Has passed the marksmanship quali fication requirement for a retired peace\nofficer as specified in KRS 237.140;\n(j) Has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States\nwithin the five (5) years immediately preceding an initial contract to be a\nguardian as evidenced by a Department of Defense form DD 214, or is a\nretired Kentucky state trooper, retired special or sworn law enforcement\nofficer, or former federal law enforcement officer. Each agency that employed\na retired Kentucky state trooper, retired special law enforc ement officer, or\nsworn law enforcement officer shall provide to the retired individual proof of\nprior employment in a prompt and efficient manner, without charge to the\nindividual; and\n(k) Has met any other requirements imposed by the local board of educa tion,\nwhich may include but are not limited to a preemployment written\nexamination.\n(4) Each guardian shall be required to complete annual firearm proficiency testing and\nshall meet the standard in the same manner as set forth in KRS 237.140(4)(a) to (c).\n(5) Each guardian shall be required to complete the course requirements for School\nResource Officer Training I (SRO I) as set forth in KRS 158.4414(8).\n(6) The employing local board of education may require the completion of any\nadditional courses and training as determined to be necessary by the board.\n(7) Any cost associated with subsections (3) to (6) of this section shall be the\nresponsibility of the guardian unless otherwise agreed to by the employing local\nboard of education. The Kentucky Law Enforcem ent Council shall not charge more\nto guardians for tests, assessments, or training completed than what is customarily\ncharged to any other type of applicant tested, assessed, or trained by the council.\n(8) A local board of education employing a guardian sh all collaborate with the local\npolice department, local sheriff, area post of the Department of Kentucky State\nPolice, and the state school security marshal in order to adopt school district policy\nregarding:\n(a) The job description of the guardian, includ ing but not limited to the scope of\nduties, responsibilities, and direct supervisor of the guardian;\n(b) The uniform to be worn by guardians that would best suit the needs of the\nschools while also allowing outside agencies to easily identify guardians;\n(c) The procedures, processes, and chain of command to be used during an\nemergency in which law enforcement agencies are called to the school; and\n(d) The type of firearm and ammunition to be used by the guardian, if any.\n(9) A local board of education shall  be immune from civil or criminal liability in all\nclaims arising out of any action of a guardian.\n(10) Guardians shall possess all the immunities and defenses now available or hereafter\nmade available under state law to sheriffs, constables granted peace officer powers,\nand police officers in any suit brought against them in consequence of acts done in\nthe course of their employment.\n(11) Nothing in this section requires a local board of education to hire or provide\nguardians. Participation by a local boar d of education in the use of a guardian is\nvoluntary and subject to the availability of local school district funds. Any local\nboard of education that opts to participate shall do so at its own expense.","path":["KRS Chapter 158"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=56819","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:05Z","sha256":"e350eb118664810dbf8ff2de6c99fc4b99ead4d9010c1eac6af60fee2304a3fa","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-158.443","next":"us-ky/krs-158.4433"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}