Kentucky school board rejects plan to close horse therapy program without new funding

Valarie Honeycutt Spears, Lexington Herald-Leader on Dec 19, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Fayette County School Board on Thursday unanimously agreed to support and find alternative funding for The Stables beyond next school year, rejecting a recommendation to close the program after next school year if such founding was not found.

The decision bucked Superintendent Demetrus Liggins’ recommendation to either find alternative funding or close the program at the Kentucky Horse Park after the 2026-2027 school year.

The board instead vowed to find the additional funding and did not entertain the prospect of closing it.

The program, which offers specialized learning for students in a smaller setting and with emotional support through therapeutic work with horses, was one of several involved in an initial round of programming cuts and changes at the cash-strapped district.

Fayette schools in recent months has faced significant financial trouble, including a since-resolved multi-million dollar budget shortfall and a dwindling contingency, or rainy day, fund. Liggins has warned the first round of potential changes are “just the beginning.”

The school board’s decision on The Stables came after several people, including a second-grader, spoke during Thursday night’s heated board meeting.

Most offered opinions on another proposal to move the George Washington Carver STEM Academy for Boys and the Rise STEM Academy for Girls into a new school that was initially planned to house only the girls’ academy.

The board voted 3-1 to advance a proposal to house the two schools together at the new, $58.4 million building off Versailles Road until the board can find a new, permanent home for the boys school.

School board member Monica Mundy voted against the proposal, while board chair Tyler Murphy, vice chair Amy Green and board member Penny Christian voted to approve. Board member Amanda Ferguson was not at the meeting.

Mundy said she wanted to make sure both schools get what they are promised.

“This past month has been unnecessary chaos when it comes to the review of these three programs,” Mundy said.

Liggins said his proposals were about “long-term fiscal responsibility.”

“I cannot operate as a superintendent in an environment where I am being asked to do something to correct and to put this district in a position to where we are financially stable long term based on current economic situations, and yet not have the necessary votes to make that happen,” Liggins said.

Under the revised proposal, the boys’ academy would be housed in a separate wing from the girls’ academy, and the district would not spend money on modifications to the building.

Additionally, the district would halt plans for facility improvements to the current home of the George Washington Carver STEM Academy for Boys, the 86-year-old former Johnson Elementary School building.

Finally, the district would “continue maximized recruitment and enrollment efforts for both programs.”

The two academies would move into the new building at the beginning of next school year under the proposal, and they would continue operating independently.

Under the proposal, the district would aim to secure a new home for the boys’ academy for the 2027-28 school year.

Next programs up for review

The next phase of a district initiative called “Project Right Size, Bright Future,” which is taking recommendations from a community committee, involves a close examination of the following programs: the Audrey Grevious Center, the Martin Luther King Jr. Academy and the Success Academy, including the Re-Engagement Center & Virtual Learning Academy.

The committee’s role is to gather information and family input to help district officials propose the best options for students, district officials said.

Meetings are held 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15, Jan. 29, Feb. 12, Feb. 26, March 12 and March 26 at the John D. Price Administration Building, 450 Park Place.

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