Fayette County Public Schools has begun implementing changes after an extensive audit released in August found significant policy and procedure issues that have left the school district with multi-million-dollar budget shortfalls in recent years.
Implementing secondary approvals, restricting staff who can bypass that check and strengthening justification for changes to the budget are listed among the items on the district’s corrective action plan, approved by the Fayette County Board of Education Monday night.
Board chair Tyler Murphy said the plan directly addresses shortcomings identified by the external investigation into FCPS finances.
“That was the thing we wanted to find out. Do a deep dive, see what area needs improvement, and they’ve delivered that to us. And as I’ve said before, this certainly isn’t something that we want to have as a set it and forget it, and let it collect dust on a shelf,” Murphy said at the board’s action meeting in the John D. Price Administration building.
The plan follows the early August release of findings from Texas firm Weaver and Tidwelll LLP, which cited a lack of oversight, individuals changing the budget unilaterally, outdated travel and reimbursement policies, and the board and public receiving “inaccurate and incomplete” information as causes for the budget meltdown.
FCPS has been the subject of intense scrutiny after a $16 million budget shortfall came to light in 2025, followed by the discovery of a severely depleted contingency fund.
Demetrus Liggins, who headed the district as superintendent and pledged to right the ship, retired in August after a separate report on his conduct was released.
The Weaver findings are only the beginning of the action needed to get the district in good financial shape once more, top officials said.
“These are only the findings that Weaver put in their audit. We expect to see many more in the state audit,” Interim Chief Financial Officer Kyna Koch noted.
A spokesperson confirmed FCPS does not have a date on when the report from State Auditor Allison Ball’s office will be released, but Ball said earlier this month it was almost ready.
As for the current school year, the budget deficit sits just shy of $5.2 million as of Sept. 11, according to Amy Smith, interim executive director of financial services.
The district recently drew on a loan to cover the first full payroll that included teaching staff and other 10-month employees, she noted.
FCPS launched a tracker on its website early Tuesday for the public to monitor progress on the corrective action plan, which Interim Superintendent Bill Bradford said is his chief priority for the school year.
“We are prepared to communicate with our stakeholders, both internally and externally,” Bradford said.
