STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
Two measures backed by Barren County state Rep. Steve Riley to strengthen teacher recruitment and retention are moving forward in the Kentucky General Assembly.
The House Standing Committee on Primary and Secondary Education this week approved House Bill 685 and House Bill 727, according to a release on the legislation. Both measures aim to help schools fill classrooms with qualified teachers and keep experienced educators in the profession.
House Bill 685 focuses on educators whose teaching certification has lapsed. Riley said the measure would create a teacher certification waiver option for local superintendents through the Education Professional Standards Board, the state body that issues and renews certifications for teachers and administrators. Under the bill, the board could issue a one-time, five-year teaching certificate to an educator whose certification expired, without requiring the six hours of graduate coursework usually needed to renew an expired license.
For the alternate certificate to be considered, the superintendent of the educator’s district would have to submit a waiver requesting that the individual be exempted from that coursework. The bill also puts into law the regulations that govern the certification renewal process more generally.
“There are many reasons an educator’s certification might lapse, such as for those who are returning to the classroom from temporary medical retirement. Many of these teachers are turned away for certification by the graduate hour coursework requirement, something that is costly and time-intensive,” Riley said. “This measure would give those teachers the opportunity to return to the classroom with a one-time certification with the support of their district superintendent, ensuring the quality and dedication of these educators returns to the classroom.”
The second measure, House Bill 727, targets improvements to the Kentucky Educator Placement Service, or KEPS, the online system schools use to recruit and hire teachers. The proposal allows the Education Professional Standards Board to use excess teacher certification fee revenue for KEPS maintenance and upgrades. Potential uses for those funds include developing a common job application districts can use when recruiting teachers and creating an alert system so superintendents can flag specific types of applications, according to Riley.
He said maintaining and upgrading KEPS would give districts and job-seeking teachers a more streamlined way to match open positions with qualified candidates at a time when the number of applicants has declined over the last two decades.
Both measures now move to the full Kentucky House for consideration.
Riley is sponsoring, or cosponsoring, 27 House Bills in the 2026 Regular Session, according to the Legislative Research Commission.
Key Facts
– Two teacher-focused bills sponsored by Rep. Steve Riley cleared the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
– House Bill 685 creates a one-time, five-year certification option for teachers with lapsed licenses
– HB 685 allows superintendent waivers in place of graduate coursework for renewal
– House Bill 727 lets the state use excess certification fees to improve the Kentucky Educator Placement Service system
– Proposed KEPS upgrades include a common application and alert system for superintendents
– Both measures now move to the full Kentucky House for consideration
Comments