LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools has released protocol and implementation guidance to comply with a new state law restricting student-teacher communication.

Senate Bill 181 sets guidelines for electronic communication between people who work for school districts and students. It requires all school staff, coaches, and volunteers to use traceable communication when they need to talk to a student. 

JCPS began putting new protocols in place in June advance of the bill's implementation.

As of June 16, all electronic communication to JCPS students by school employees, coaches and volunteers must be done through parents and guardians. Direct communication between staff, including paid and volunteer coaches, and students will no longer be permitted. 

Text messages and certain group messaging apps can no longer be used. While staff and volunteers can continue to post announcements on social media, they are not allowed to reply to comments from students on apps like Facebook Messenger or Instagram messaging.

This guidance goes through Aug. 1, at which point the district aims to use an app for that communication. In the interim, permitted forms of communication include: email to students using their official JCPS email accounts; paper flyers handed directly to students; public or group posts on social media platforms.

In an email to families Wednesday, the district issued guidance on the new, permanent protocol that will take effect Aug. 1.

Included in the email is a list of Jefferson County Board of Education-approved traceable communication platforms to communicate with students:

  • JCPS district email
  • Apptegy Rooms and Alerts
  • Infinite Campus Messenger
  • Google Workspace for Education
  • Class Dojo
  • Microsoft for Education
  • Blackboard Ultra (Only for JCPS eSchool and Pathfinder)

The protocol also includes a reminder for staff that "any unauthorized direct electronic communication with students may be grounds for disciplinary action." Staff are not permitted to respond if a student reaches out to them outside of their JCPS email. If they believe a student is reaching out because they are experiencing an emergency, the district asks staff to contact the JCPS Police Department or their assistant superintendent.

A major goal of the bill is to prevent abuse. As it made its way through the legislature in March, Ashley Nation, who experienced grooming from her teacher while she was a student, said it will help with transparency and accountability in teacher-student communication.

Nation shared her story with WDRB in 2021 during an investigation into her former Silver Creek High School theater teacher.

The new law will be a learning curve for school employees and volunteers in all school districts in Kentucky.

Previous Coverage: 

JCPS restricts teacher-student communication to email as it works to comply with new law

JCPS to implement Kentucky law requiring traceable communication when contacting students

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