Breathitt Board Chooses Communication Software

During its June 24 meeting, the Breathitt County Board of Education selected and approved two software packages to make the school system compliant with Senate Bill 181.

The new law, which took effect on June 27, requires each school system to select and implement a “traceable communication system” for all transactions between school personnel, students, or parents.  

During the meeting, the Board of Education approved ParentSquare Software as one of the approved methods of communication in compliance with Senate Bill 181.  Superintendent Philip discussed the software and suggested that the board select the program.  Anna Morris’s motion, which Tiffany Combs seconded, was approved unanimously.

The Board later approved three additional programs to facilitate traceable communication.  Albert Little moved that the Board approve IC Messenger/IC Student Portal, district staff and student email accounts, and district-managed Google services as other possible approved means of communication.  Tiffany Combs seconded the motion.  The motion was approved and went into immediate effect for all communication “with, to, and from” a Breathitt County Schools employee or volunteer and any parent or student.

Under the law, only those approved systems can be used to communicate with students unless there is a signed consent form that the school approves.  Breathitt County Schools have enacted no other provisions.

Across the state, school districts have adopted various software programs to meet the requirements of the new law passed during the January short session of the Kentucky General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor.

In the last few weeks, numerous social media posts from teachers and school staff around the state announced that the “purge” of students from their friends and contact lists had begun to comply with the law by June 27.

The Kentucky Education Association’s Legal Services issued a statement reminding KEA members that the only approved communications outside the approved system can be between family members defined in the law as a “parent, brother, sister, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, or grandparent.”  No other family connection is approved under the law.

The KEA bulletin stated that any “electronic communication with a student outside of that system is deemed an 'unauthorized electronic communication' and shall result in disciplinary action against the employee by the district” and the Education Professional Standards Board.  The law also requires educators, school staff, and volunteers to “self-report” any violation or perceived violation for review.

The law went into effect on June 27 for all school districts in the state.