FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins faced intense scrutiny from state lawmakers Tuesday over the district's $16 million budget shortfall and questionable spending practices.
During testimony before the Kentucky General Assembly's Interim Joint Committee on Education, lawmakers used words like "unbelievable" and "jaw dropping" to describe thousands of dollars in travel expenses racked up by the district's central office.
"It's incredibly disappointing. I would venture to say that when we get to the bottom of this audit, we will see a tremendous amount of waste within the district," said State Senator Lindsey Tichenor.
Liggins acknowledged his responsibility for the crisis during his budget update.
"I want this to be very clear that in my role as superintendent, I understand that the buck stops with me and I accept that," Liggins said.
The superintendent admitted he didn't investigate deeply enough when first learning about the shortfall.
"When I was first alerted of the 16 million dollar shortfall, I did not probe deeply enough into the causes," Liggins said.
Lawmakers highlighted alarming financial statistics. The district's contingency fund plummeted from $82.5 million in 2024 to an ending balance of just $14.8 million in 2025.
"There's multiple reasons for that and that's actually part of some of the things that are under investigation," Liggins said.
The Senate Education Committee co-chair praised Liggins for his concise presentation, but quickly expressed disappointment.
"I just have to be very honest, I'm very disappointed in what was brought forward," the State Senator Steven West.
Senator Tichenor specifically called out the district's travel expenses, noting Liggins' personal reimbursements alone.
"For your reimbursements alone for travel, $60,000, that's unbelievable," Tichenor said.
Among the spending concerns raised was a trip to Australia by Liggins and two other staff members in 2022.
Liggins emphasized his commitment to accountability and reform.
"It is to understand exactly what has gone wrong, determine how long its been occurring and take decisive action to ensure that we never find ourselves here again," Liggins said.
A special board meeting has been scheduled, with the agenda including authorization for an external operational audit of the school system.
