LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky's Senate Majority Caucus will mark the start of a new era with Sen. Max Wise (R-Campbellsville) as the new Senate Majority Leader.

Sen. Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) held that title for 12 years. Thayer is not seeking reelection. 

Wise has served as chair of the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Committee. Wise was the main sponsor for Senate Bill One, the School Safety and Resiliency Act, which passed in 2019 following the school shooting in Marshall County and Senate Bill Eight, in 2020, which requires school resource officers to in schools.

Outside of politics, Wise teaches graduate courses at University of Kentucky in topics of terrorism studies, intelligences, and intelligence analysis.

WDRB News had the opportunity to sit down with Wise to talk about his expectations in this new role.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Wise said he expects the House or Senate to bring forth legislation related to DEI.

"I know our education committee had the presidents of University of Kentucky and University of Louisville talk to us about DEI. I know hearing from my legislative colleagues, many of them just don't want to see changing a business office name, but actually changing the culture of what's happening," Wise said. "I don't know yet, once again, what legislation may be filed or what it looks like. I do expect some form of DEI legislation, though, to come forth this session."

During the 2024 legislative session, a bill related to funding DEI offices at public universities did not make it to the finish line.

In a bi-partisan interim joint committee on education in September, the Universities of Louisville and Kentucky were pressed on their diversity plans.

In August, UK announced it no longer would have an Office of Institutional Diversity.

UK President Eli Capilouto told lawmakers the 15 or so employees were moved into other offices on campus and that several job descriptions related to DEI were changed and UK websites no longer have politically charged or biased content.

University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel shared with lawmakers that last fall UofL made a name change from Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion to the Office of Institutional Equity. 

Schatzel said UofL has not required DEI trainings or DEI classes for students since at least February of 2023.

"Post-secondary education has survived all these years, is there need to create additional programs like this and what's different now than what was in the past, and making sure that we're just getting qualified people to be able to fill jobs based off their qualifications," said Wise.

School Choice

After Kentucky voters decision to strike down Amendment 2 in Nov., Wise said lawmakers could look at, "other pathways."

"I think it's just being innovative in terms of working with our public school systems, valuing local control of schools, to be able to do what's best, also for them to be creative, because they know their school districts better than anybody," Wise said. "It's also looking at, pwhat are some other pathways that maybe we can explore some other opportunities? Maybe there's some stuff with the federal government that can open up some opportunities there."

Amendment 2 would have allowed lawmakers to direct public funds to private schools, potentially paving the way for charter school funding and voucher programs.

In the past, GOP-lawmakers have supported legislation to fund charter schools and a tax-credit school voucher system.

The Kentucky Supreme Court has struck those measures down, citing Kentucky's constitution does not allow public dollars to be used on non-public schools. 

The bill's opponents warned that it would siphon money from traditional public schools. 

There are state statues that talk about creating charter schools in Kentucky, but there is no funding revenue to support it.

"We'll see if there's anything with the federal government. That may be able to provide an opportunity for what we may want to do in Kentucky. But I think for right now, that's an issue that's just paused at the moment," Wise said.

Wise added he looks forward to working with Kentucky Department of Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher and reviewing best ways to measure accountability in schools.

"Schools right now in terms of measuring the growth of the student from that freshman year to a senior year. Is it always about test scores or some other ways that we could measure that growth and accountability? And I look forward to seeing what may be brought forth with the commissioner," Fletcher said.

JCPS 

When it comes to the future of JCPS, Kentucky's largest school district, Wise said he would not commit an answer to if JCPS should be split up.

A state task force reviewing the district said its priority is not to recommend splitting up the district, but lawmakers outside of the task force have voiced support to do so.

"I never want to commit to anything that I've not yet seen what legislation would look like, but I think we have to look at all things are on the table of what that could look like or what it may not look like," Wise said.

Similar to Senate Republicans having a new leader as Wise takes over, JCPS will also soon bring in a new superintendent, as Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio has said he intends to resign at the end of his contract in July 2025.

Wise said he hopes the new superintendent will be someone that can work with the legislation.

"I know a lot of times that position may come with some bumps and some rocky roads right there, but I think it's someone that you know is supported there, also by the leaders of Louisville and Jefferson County," Wise said. 

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