Christian County Public Schools has joined the list of school districts across the state and country that are losing federal funding after the US Department of Education denied a request for reconsideration.
According to a letter sent to the Kentucky Department of Education by the United States Secretary of Education in March, the deadline for spending all federal funds related to COVID relief has been moved from March 2026 to March of this year. Several Kentucky school districts responded by requesting an extension of the time frame.
While two small projects in Boone County will continue to receive funding, the majority of others will not, including nearly $8 million in Christian County that was set aside for the construction of the new Christian County High School. This is Kentucky’s largest funding loss, with the others on the list totaling less than $1 million.
Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher says, “We expect the federal government to keep its promises to states and students.
While we hope for more positive news in the coming days, we are prepared to appeal the projects that have been denied. We will continue to fight for the resources that USED has promised our schools and districts so that they can continue their mission of providing the best education possible to Kentucky’s students.”
In a statement, Christian County Public Schools officials say, “The mission of Christian County Public Schools—to provide a high-quality education and celebrate student success—is unchanged.” We will continue to advocate with our legislators for the return of these funds to help build the new Christian County High School.
Our priority, as always, is to support our students and staff. At this time, we are wrapping up a fantastic school year and planning for the next one to ensure continued growth, success, and opportunity for all of our students.”
The original funding came from ESSER funds, which were part of the federal government’s relief effort during or after the COVID-19 pandemic.
