Board members speak during a school board meeting Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at Fayette County Public Schools Central Office in Lexington, Ky.
ckantosky@herald-leader.com
Kyna Koch, a former Lexington-Fayette Urban County finance commissioner who has helped Fayette County Public Schools in times of previous budget trouble, has been hired as interim financial chief officer amid its latest struggles.
Koch’s first day as CFO was Monday. Fayette Superintendent Demetrus Liggins announced her appointment at a Monday planning meeting for the Fayette County Board of Education, which Koch attended.
She rejoins the district shortly after an independent investigation into Fayette County Public Schools’ budgeting practices “identified systemic deficiencies in forecasting, financial monitoring, and internal communication.”
The law firm of Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan and Jackstadt, in Missouri, found that the evidence demonstrates there was unauthorized use of the district’s contingency — or rainy day — fund, which resulted from breakdowns in communication among senior personnel and repeated failures to timely identify and address emerging budget deficits.
It’s the second report to be released in recent weeks showing issues with budget planning and oversight. Another independent investigation by Ashland Attorney Leigh Latherow showed that Liggins failed to keep the school board properly informed of the district’s budget situation and did not exercise proper oversight of the district’s finance and budget departments, including its expenses, forecasting and contingency fund tracking.
Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball and a Texas firm are also conducting audits of the district.
Fayette County schools will post a permanent CFO job
“Fayette County Public Schools is pleased to welcome Kyna Koch as our Interim Chief Financial Officer,” district spokesperson Miranda Scully said. “Ms. Koch is a seasoned expert in school finance with a deep understanding of our district’s operations, having previously served FCPS in 2021-22.
“Her extensive experience will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our financial practices. While Ms. Koch provides interim leadership, the district will begin the process of posting the position for a permanent Chief Financial Officer.”
Koch helped to solve the district’s budget problems in 2021 after another chief financial officer’s contract was not renewed, and in 2015 when then-state auditor Adam Edelen found “chronic mismanagement.”
Koch first worked as a consultant for the district and then as administrative services senior director in 2015. Koch formerly oversaw finance, data, facilities, transportation and school food service as associate commissioner of district support services for the Kentucky Department of Education.
She also was finance commissioner for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.
Board takes no personnel action against Liggins
After a closed session Monday, the school board emerged and again took no personnel action against Liggins, despite the investigation’s findings.
This was the third time in recent weeks that the school board has met in closed session. At prior meetings, the board discussed the investigations and Liggins’ role in the district’s budgeting process.
Liggins said that the school board had discussed both independent investigations as part of his annual evaluation. He said he and the board were committed to making improvements.
“I look forward to continuing this work,” Liggins said Monday.