SCHOOL EMPLOYEES -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT AND TENURE
KRS tit. XIII, ch. 161
in effectContents
section161.010. Definitions for KRS 161.020 to 161.134section161.011. Definitions of "classified employee" and "seniority" -- Job classifications and minimum qualifications -- Requirement of written contracts and written personnel policies -- Reduction in force -- Registry of vacant classified employee positions and training -- Review of local board policies by Department of Educationsection161.017. Education Professional Standards Board to be headed by commissioner of education -- Duties and powerssection161.020. Certificates required of school employees -- Filing requirements -- Validity and terms for renewalsection161.025. Repealed, 1990section161.027. Preparation program for principals -- Assessment -- Certificates and statements of eligibility -- Renewalsection161.028. Education Professional Standards Board -- Powers and duties regarding the preparation and certification of professional school personnel -- Membershipsection161.030. Certification authority -- Assessments of beginning teachers and teachers seeking additional certification -- Conditional certificates -- Temporary certificates -- Emeritus and exception certificatessection161.031. New teacher induction and mentor programs provided by school districts - - Definitions -- Standards -- Evaluations -- Annual reportsection161.032. Certification incentive fund -- Purpose of grants -- Eligibility -- Priorities -- Forgivable loan incentive -- Stipend -- Other financial incentivessection161.035. Repealed, 1978section161.040. Repealed, 1998section161.042. Status of student teachers -- Responsibility to administrative staff and supervising teachers -- Professional competency requirement for supervising teacherssection161.044. Requirements for teachers' aides -- Legal status -- Preference to certified applicants -- Trainingsection161.046. Adjunct instructorssection161.048. Legislative findings -- Alternative certification program -- Purpose -- Options -- Testing and eligibility requirements -- Salary schedulesection161.049. Professional support teams -- Training program -- Alternate training programsection161.050. Repealed, 1950section161.051. Braille requirements for teacher certification of blind and visually impaired studentssection161.052. Certification of teachers for gifted educationsection161.053. Certification of teachers of exceptional children/communication disorderssection161.060. Repealed, 1950section161.070. Repealed, 1950section161.080. Repealed, 1950section161.090. Repealed, 1950section161.095. Continuing education for teachers -- Extension for military service -- Administrative regulationssection161.100. Emergency certificatessection161.102. Substitute teaching certificates -- Types -- Conditionssection161.110. Repealed, 1978section161.115. Deletion of certificate, certificate endorsement, or subject specialization from official certification record at holder's option -- Restoration of deleted areas of certificationsection161.120. Disciplinary actions relating to certificates -- Complaint review process -- Superintendent report of school employee whose contract is terminated or not reviewed -- Hearing -- Appealssection161.121. Repealed, 1990section161.122. Repealed, 1990section161.123. Reciprocity certification for out-of-state teacherssection161.124. Interstate Agreement on Qualification of Educational Personnelsection161.126. Designation of commissioner of education as state official under agreement -- Handling contracts under agreementsection161.130. Repealed, 1960section161.131. Legislative findings and goals on national board certificationsection161.132. Definitions for KRS 161.131 to 161.134 and KRS 157.395 and 161.123section161.133. Teachers' national certification incentive trust fund -- Purposes -- Appropriationssection161.134. Preparation for national board certification -- Incentives -- Authority to prorate reimbursements if funds insufficient -- Administrative regulations for mentoring programsection161.135. Interstate Teacher Mobility Compactsection161.140. Repealed, 1982section161.141. Participation in retirement systems -- State-sponsored insurance program - - Appropriations for retirement and insurance -- Sick leave credit -- Requirements and prohibitions concerning public charter school employees and local school boards -- Employees of education service providersection161.145. Cost of physical examination required for employment of classified personnelsection161.148. Use of volunteer personnel -- Criminal records check -- Orientation -- Exceptionsection161.150. Repealed, 1954section161.151. Removal of references to criminal allegations not resulting in charge or conviction from school employee's personnel file -- Nonpreclusion of separate investigationsection161.152. Emergency leave for school employeessection161.153. Leave for jury duty for teachers and state employeessection161.154. Personal leave days for school employeessection161.155. Definitions for section -- Salary, benefits, and leave for employee or teacher when victim of assault -- Sick leave for employee or teacher -- Sick leave bank -- Sick leave donation program -- Maternity leave -- Payment for unused sick leave upon retirement or death -- Funding allocation -- Reportsection161.156. Repealed, 1972section161.157. Credits allowed transferred employee of Department of Education or Education Professional Standards Boardsection161.158. Group insurance -- Board's termination of participation in state health plan -- Employees offered coverage in state health plan under federal law eligible for state-funded contribution -- Deductions from salariessection161.159. Adoption of rules and regulations to implement life insurance programsection161.160. Repealed, 1942section161.162. Repealed, 1990section161.163. Employees' application form not to require disclosure of religious affiliationsection161.164. Political activity prohibited -- Discrimination prohibited -- Instructional materials requirements -- Student not required to advocate for perspective with which he or she does not agree -- Employee not required to engage in training that stereotypes groupsection161.165. Recruitment of minority teacherssection161.166. Training program for Kentucky Virtual High School on-line coachessection161.167. Program to encourage persons to enter Kentucky teaching profession -- Reportssection161.168. Certified employee granted leave of absence for active military service -- Medical insurance -- Contribution to retirement system to be retroactive -- Credit given -- Exclusionssection161.170. Teachers to enforce course of study and use of books -- Removal for failuresection161.175. Teachers involved in illegal use of controlled substancessection161.180. Supervision of pupils' conductsection161.185. Certified or classified staff member to accompany students on school- sponsored or endorsed trips -- Exceptionssection161.190. Abuse of teacher, classified employee, or school administrator prohibitedsection161.195. Notice to teacher of student's history of physically abusive conduct or carrying a concealed weaponsection161.200. Records to be kept by teachers -- Exceptionssection161.210. Reports to be made by teacherssection161.212. Educators Employment Liability Insurance Program -- Fundsection161.220. Definitions for KRS 161.220 to 161.716 and 161.990section161.230. Retirement system -- Purpose -- Namesection161.235. Repealed, 2022section161.240. Repealed, 1964 Catchline at repeal: Districts, institutions and offices included in system; junior collegessection161.250. Board of trustees to control retirement -- Membership -- Appeals -- Trustee education program -- Public disclosure of meeting notices and agendas and Annual Comprehensive Financial Report -- Administrative regulations for authorized benefit improvementssection161.260. Election of members of board of trusteessection161.270. Vacancies, how filledsection161.280. Oath of board memberssection161.290. Meetings, compensation, and expenses of board memberssection161.300. Quorumsection161.310. Administrative regulations -- Rules, regulations, and policies of participating employers to conform to chapter -- Retirement incentivessection161.320. Record of proceedings -- Annual reportsection161.330. Cost of administration, how paid -- Office spacesection161.340. Officers of board -- Personnel of system -- Contracting for services and commodities -- Liability insurance -- Leave balancessection161.350. Repealed, 1946section161.360. Repealed, 1956section161.370. Treasurer, auditor, and legal adviser of board -- Annual audit of Teachers' Retirement Systemsection161.380. Duties of treasurer -- Custodian of securitiessection161.390. Actuarial data to be keptsection161.400. Duties of actuary -- Actuarial investigations, valuations, and analysessection161.410. Repealed, 1964section161.420. Funds and accounts of retirement systemsection161.430. Investment of funds -- Standards of conduct -- Investment procurement policy -- Proxy voting guidelinessection161.440. Assignment of interest to fundssection161.450. Repealed, 1996section161.460. Conflict of interest -- Trustees, employees, members of General Assembly, public servantssection161.470. Membership -- Forfeiture of service credit -- Termination of membership - - Forfeiture of benefits -- Reinstatement -- Payment of accumulated account balancesection161.480. Statement of member -- Designation of beneficiariessection161.490. Investigation of statementsection161.500. Service creditsection161.505. Repealed, 1976section161.507. Prior service credit for veterans -- Credit for military service and uniformed service by active contributing membersection161.510. Repealed, 2000section161.515. Out-of-state service credit -- Contribution -- Kentucky Peace Corps and federal Peace Corps service credit -- Retirement factorsection161.516. Repealed, 1962section161.520. Payment of survivor's benefit on deathsection161.522. Survivors of certain members retired for disability may elect annuitysection161.525. Death of member eligible to retire -- Options of beneficiary -- Monthly minimum allowance to surviving spouse -- Payments to special needs trustsection161.530. Restoration of forfeited account -- Exceptionsection161.540. Members' contributions -- Picked-up contributionssection161.545. Contributions and service credit for substitute service, part-time service, or leave of absence -- Contributions not to be picked up -- Purchases of service credit for leaves of absence for health, child-rearing, and educational improvement reasonssection161.546. Repealed, 1996section161.547. Member having service as legislator may purchase four years' credit in the retirement systemsection161.548. Purchase of service credit by individual who served in a regional community program for mental health and individuals with an intellectual disabilitysection161.549. Purchase of service credit by individual who was employed at a Federal Head Start agencysection161.550. Contribution to system by employers and state -- Contributions to pension, medical insurance, and life insurance fundssection161.552. Definitions for section -- Employer contributions for retiree health benefits to be deposited into state accumulation fund when medical insurance fund reaches actuarial funding level of at least one hundred percent -- Restoration of fundingsection161.553. Repealed, 2025section161.555. Employer contributions for members employed in positions established under federal educational actssection161.556. Employer contributions for members employed by regional educational cooperativessection161.560. Deduction and forwarding of teachers' contributions -- Reporting requirements -- Picked-up employee contributions -- Correction of omitted member contributionssection161.565. Reduction and pick-up of contributions by university faculty memberssection161.567. Authorization for optional retirement plan for designated employees of certain public universitiessection161.568. Eligibility to participate in optional retirement plan -- Election to change from optional retirement plan to Kentucky Teachers' Retirement Systemsection161.569. Effect of election to participate -- Payment of benefits -- Taxation and attachment of benefits -- Employer contributionssection161.570. Repealed, 1964section161.580. Individual accounts to be kept -- Other data -- Summary plan description - - Publication -- Recipientssection161.585. Member's account confidential -- Release of certain information from accounts of current or former legislators -- Medical records on file confidential -- Production of records in response to a subpoena or court ordersection161.590. Service credit at retirementsection161.595. Credit upon service retirementsection161.597. Installment payments for purchase of service credit by active contributing memberssection161.600. Retirement conditions -- Consolidation of accounts -- Applications and forms -- Surviving spousesection161.603. Repealed, 2008section161.605. Resumption of employment by retired member -- Continuation of retirement allowance -- Individuals who retire and are reemployed -- Part- time, substitute teaching, and nonteaching employment -- Health insurance coveragesection161.607. Employment in position covered by other Kentucky retirement systemsection161.608. Calculation of benefits of member who has an account with another state systemsection161.610. Repealed, 1964section161.611. Supplemental retirement benefit plan -- Purpose -- Administration -- Eligibility -- Paymentssection161.612. Membership of individuals providing part-time and substitute services -- Service credit -- Participation in benefitssection161.614. Court-ordered back salary and reinstatementsection161.615. Limited defined contribution plan -- Purpose -- Administration -- Eligibility -- Paymentssection161.620. Retirement allowances for university and nonuniversity retirees -- Amount -- Increases -- Payments for adult dependentssection161.623. Use of unused sick-leave days to determine service credit -- Applicability to individuals becoming members on or after July 1, 2008 -- Maximum amountsection161.624. Responsibilities of memberssection161.625. Repealed, 1964section161.630. Benefit options -- Change in benefit option by retiree -- Beneficiary redesignation after retirementsection161.633. Foundational component for persons who became nonuniversity members on or after January 1, 2022 -- Valuation assessment -- Adjustments to maintain funding level and contain costs -- Constructionsection161.634. Foundational component for persons who became university members on or after January 1, 2022 -- Valuation assessment -- Adjustments to maintain funding level and contain costs -- Constructionsection161.635. Supplemental component for persons who became nonuniversity members on or after January 1, 2022 -- Benefit -- Contributions -- Election upon termination of employment and upon retirement -- Plans authorized under Internal Revenue Codesection161.636. Supplemental component for persons who became university members on or after January 1, 2022 -- Benefit -- Contributions -- Election upon termination of employment and upon retirement -- Plans authorized under Internal Revenue Codesection161.640. Payment of annuities -- Payroll deductions -- Electronic fund transfer, exception -- Payments to special needs trustsection161.643. Records and annual reports for annuitants employed by school districts or agencies -- Penalty for noncompliance -- System may require more frequent reportingsection161.650. Death of retired member -- Payment to beneficiaries -- Effect of divorce decree -- Failure to designate beneficiarysection161.655. Life insurance benefit -- Assignment of benefitsection161.660. Repealed, 1964section161.661. Disability retirementsection161.662. Status of disabled teachers and superintendentssection161.663. Disability retirement with less than required years of servicesection161.670. Repealed, 1964section161.675. Hospital and medical benefits and health insurance coverage for eligible recipients of retirement allowances from Teachers' Retirement System -- Applicability to individuals becoming members on or after July 1, 2008 -- Health insurance supplement payments -- Coverage for spouses, dependents, and disabled children of retirees -- Exemption from premium taxsection161.677. Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System insurance trust fundsection161.680. Mistake in payment -- Correction of error -- Collection of overpaymentssection161.690. Falsifying record prohibitedsection161.695. Use and acceptance of electronic signaturessection161.700. Funds exempt from taxation and process -- Assignment to trustee of special needs trust -- Taxability after December 31, 1997 -- Benefits not considered marital property -- Qualified domestic relations ordersection161.705. Repealed, 1992section161.710. Local system merged with state systemsection161.712. Repealed, 1996section161.714. Inviolable contractsection161.715. Repealed, 1976section161.716. Federal laws take precedence over Kentucky statutes pertaining to Teachers' Retirement Systemsection161.720. Definitions for teachers' tenure lawsection161.721. Superintendent eligible for continuing contract statussection161.730. Limited or continuing contract with teachers requiredsection161.740. Eligibility for continuing service status -- Limited status employee on approved military leave -- Transfer of teachers -- Reinstatement after service in Armed Forces -- District-level administrative position in county with consolidated local governmentsection161.750. Nonrenewal of limited contractssection161.760. Notice of salary to be paid to teacher -- Increases -- Reductions in responsibilitysection161.765. Procedures for demotion of administrative personnel -- Appealsection161.770. Leaves of absencesection161.780. Termination of contract by teacher or superintendent -- Resignation binding as of date of acceptancesection161.790. Termination of contract by board -- Administrative hearing tribunal -- Sanctionssection161.795. Investigation of and records that school employee acted improperly relating to statewide assessment program -- Certain records to be expungedsection161.800. Suspension of contracts on reducing number of teacherssection161.810. Continuance of status in case of annexation or consolidation of schoolssection161.821. Repealed, 1978section161.822. Repealed, 1978section161.823. Repealed, 1978section161.824. Repealed, 1978section161.825. Repealed, 1978section161.826. Repealed, 1978section161.827. Repealed, 1978section161.828. Repealed, 1978section161.829. Repealed, 1978section161.830. Repealed, 1978section161.831. Repealed, 1978section161.832. Repealed, 1978section161.833. Repealed, 1978section161.834. Repealed, 1978section161.835. Repealed, 1978section161.836. Repealed, 1978section161.837. Repealed, 1978section161.841. Repealed, 1990section161.990. Penaltiessection161.1211. Classification of teacherssection161.1221. Out-of-field teachingsection161.1222. Repealed, 2024section161.5461. Purchase of service credit with rolled-over or transferred retirement fundssection161.5465. Member with twenty years' service credit may purchase five years' service credit -- Exceptions
Source: Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (legislature.ky.gov)URL: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/chapter.aspx?id=37880Fetched: 10/20/2026