Covington board forms Schools of Innovation task force amid teacher concerns over representation

The Covington Board of Education voted to create a Schools of Innovation task force and appointed board members, the incoming superintendent and state-linked representatives to lead planning for a pilot created in Senate Bill 263.

The measure, approved after public comment and debate, starts an expedited process to qualify a Covington school to access an initial $2.5 million state appropriation that must be matched with private dollars to produce up to $5 million in support for district innovation. Chair (S2) told the board the district must move quickly to meet an Aug. 1 deadline for waiver submissions under the new law.

Public commenter Dan Francis urged the board to delay action and criticized the proposed task force composition, saying it lacked classroom teachers and risked resembling a charter model. "I was disappointed," Francis said, adding he is "disheartened" that the board would use resolutions to make significant decisions during a leadership transition.

Stacy Recker of the Covington Education Association told the board teachers want to be included. "Our members are like, we've never had one of those... we're not on that task force," Recker said, urging more educator and principal representation in planning.

Board members said the task force will act in an advisory capacity and that the incoming superintendent will convene a broader working group of staff and stakeholders once she assumes duties July 1. The board emphasized that any waiver decisions remain the board's authority.

The resolution names board appointees and outside partners to the task force, including the incoming superintendent and a representative from the organization identified in statute as a partner needed to unlock the state funds. Board members said the task force will invite principals, teachers and other experts to consult as work proceeds.

The board approved the resolution by roll call vote. The vote clears the way for staff and the task force to prepare waiver materials and stakeholder outreach ahead of the legislative deadline.

What happens next: the task force will begin convening and the superintendent's office will coordinate listening sessions and technical work on waiver applications; the board will retain final approval authority for any waiver submissions or binding commitments.