FCPS board chair calls for special meeting, external audit of district finances

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Fayette County Board of Education Chair Tyler Murphy says the district is committed to strengthening trust with the community as it prepares to consider the 2025-26 fiscal year budget.

In a statement released Tuesday, Murphy said the board’s most important responsibility remains “supporting students in the classroom.” He noted that while the district has faced challenges, they are not unique, and pledged to approach them “head-on, committed to solutions and stronger communications in order to strengthen trust with our community.”

Murphy said with a clearer picture of the district’s year-end finances and a proposed 2025-26 budget that prioritizes investments in students, the board is ready to take the next steps.

As part of that process, Murphy announced he has called a special board meeting for Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 5:30 p.m. The agenda will include authorizing “an external operational audit, investigation, and review of our budget, finance, and internal control systems.”

Murphy added that over the past several weeks, he and the vice chair have collaborated with the superintendent, sharing key recommendations to improve district processes and the board’s work. He said many of those steps have already been implemented.

According to Murphy, the independent review “will build on that progress, identify other solution areas, and reinforce our promise to the community to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

Murphy emphasized that the board’s ultimate mission remains centered on students: “Our Board remains committed to ensuring that every child in our care has the opportunity to succeed and the support they need to achieve their dreams. In the end, their success is the true measure of our success.”