On the first day of classes, FCPS Acting Superintendent's 'focus was on students'
By Karyn Czar
August 13, 2026 at 5:38 AM EDT
Fayette County Public Schools are back in session, and despite behind-the-scenes turmoil over the budget, audits, and the paid leave of Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins, district and city leaders said they were ready for the first bell of the 2026-27 school year.
One by one, big yellow buses rolled into Deep Springs Elementary, where Dr. Bill Bradford started his day at the helm of FCPS. He then made stops at half a dozen other schools in the district, each with a few tears, but overall buzzing with excitement.
"Everybody is happy. There are so many smiles. It's nice to see students reengaged in the buildings. So it's a great energy today," Bradford said.
Bradford said the focus of preparing for the start of the new school year was making sure the system at large, such as the district office, was prepared to execute what needed to be accomplished in order to have an efficient first day.
"So transportation, operations, school leadership, academic services, student support, and really making sure that all of our departments across the organization were prepared to support our classroom teachers so that our students had a good first day."
Dr. Bradford was appointed acting superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools by the school board eight weeks ago. I asked if stepping into the role at such a late date before school began created any additional challenges.
"Because I was so engaged in the operations of schools, just specifically leadership and academics, it really is a natural transition in terms of my role that I'm functioning in right now," said Bradford. "When you think about the first day of school, there's nothing about the first day of school that I have not tackled or had the opportunity to be involved in over the course of the last 24 years. Especially with my experience as a school principal, as an assistant superintendent, as a chief of schools. So really today is not abnormal. It's really not scary. It's exciting. And it's an opportunity for us to actually step forward into a new school year with a new way forward, literally."
While Bradford said his main focus has been on students, the district’s budget remains a priority. Just days before the start of the new school year, an independent audit of Fayette County Public Schools found significant weaknesses in financial controls, reporting, oversight and spending, leading to more than 70 recommended reforms. Bradford said the audit provides a framework for addressing ineffective practices and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
"The team and I have fully engaged in that report," Bradford said. "We have been fleshing out each of those action steps to determine what will be included within our corrective action plan to make sure that we're addressing each of those in sort of a phased approach. There are, quite frankly, many expectations with regard to changing certain structures and systems within the Office of Financial Services. What we're doing right now is prioritizing that list and determining to which phase each of those action steps will be applied. All of them will be. We want to make sure that we do so in a concerted way and in a way that can yield the most desired results."
And Bradford has already met with city leaders to prepare for the start of the school year and get their feedback moving forward.
"Not only have I had an opportunity to spend time with Mayor Gorton several times, I've also met with several council members from LFECG to be able to source their perspective and get some of their opinions on where we have opportunities for improvement, as well as what are areas within our organization that they really value so we can continue to sustain those efforts as well," Bradford said. "One of our priorities this year is long-term strategic planning. So yes, it is currently August the 12th, but we're already thinking ahead to the winter season and planning ahead for what needs to be in place to make sure that we can continue to function."
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton joined Dr. Bradford at his first stop of the day to help welcome students. Gorton said she had a positive working relationship with Dr. Liggins and expects the same with Bradford, whom she has met with twice so far.
Looking ahead to the winter months, Gorton said the city is scrapping its previous snow and ice response plan, which faced major challenges last season and contributed to several FCPS school cancellations. A task force is expected to make recommendations for a new plan in September.
As for the future of leadership in the district, last week Governor Andy Beshear said FCPS needed "a clean break" from suspended Superintendent Liggins. Mayor Gorton said it was not her place to comment on the issue but that "I think the parents have been through a lot and there needs to be some kind of closure."
Bradford said his only concern was for the students, teachers and staff and would leave that question for the school board.
"I just hope that our families and community are excited for the start of the school year for Fayette County. We all are, and we are totally prepared for an outstanding school year. The gems of our district are our schools," Bradford said. "Our 73 schools and programs are absolutely phenomenal. Every single school and program has an asset. And so what I'm most excited for us to all rally behind are our schools themselves and the teachers and the students and the families that comprise them."
The next Fayette County Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 17th.
"Everybody is happy. There are so many smiles. It's nice to see students reengaged in the buildings. So it's a great energy today," Bradford said.
Bradford said the focus of preparing for the start of the new school year was making sure the system at large, such as the district office, was prepared to execute what needed to be accomplished in order to have an efficient first day.
"So transportation, operations, school leadership, academic services, student support, and really making sure that all of our departments across the organization were prepared to support our classroom teachers so that our students had a good first day."
Dr. Bradford was appointed acting superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools by the school board eight weeks ago. I asked if stepping into the role at such a late date before school began created any additional challenges.
"Because I was so engaged in the operations of schools, just specifically leadership and academics, it really is a natural transition in terms of my role that I'm functioning in right now," said Bradford. "When you think about the first day of school, there's nothing about the first day of school that I have not tackled or had the opportunity to be involved in over the course of the last 24 years. Especially with my experience as a school principal, as an assistant superintendent, as a chief of schools. So really today is not abnormal. It's really not scary. It's exciting. And it's an opportunity for us to actually step forward into a new school year with a new way forward, literally."
While Bradford said his main focus has been on students, the district’s budget remains a priority. Just days before the start of the new school year, an independent audit of Fayette County Public Schools found significant weaknesses in financial controls, reporting, oversight and spending, leading to more than 70 recommended reforms. Bradford said the audit provides a framework for addressing ineffective practices and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
"The team and I have fully engaged in that report," Bradford said. "We have been fleshing out each of those action steps to determine what will be included within our corrective action plan to make sure that we're addressing each of those in sort of a phased approach. There are, quite frankly, many expectations with regard to changing certain structures and systems within the Office of Financial Services. What we're doing right now is prioritizing that list and determining to which phase each of those action steps will be applied. All of them will be. We want to make sure that we do so in a concerted way and in a way that can yield the most desired results."
And Bradford has already met with city leaders to prepare for the start of the school year and get their feedback moving forward.
"Not only have I had an opportunity to spend time with Mayor Gorton several times, I've also met with several council members from LFECG to be able to source their perspective and get some of their opinions on where we have opportunities for improvement, as well as what are areas within our organization that they really value so we can continue to sustain those efforts as well," Bradford said. "One of our priorities this year is long-term strategic planning. So yes, it is currently August the 12th, but we're already thinking ahead to the winter season and planning ahead for what needs to be in place to make sure that we can continue to function."
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton joined Dr. Bradford at his first stop of the day to help welcome students. Gorton said she had a positive working relationship with Dr. Liggins and expects the same with Bradford, whom she has met with twice so far.
Looking ahead to the winter months, Gorton said the city is scrapping its previous snow and ice response plan, which faced major challenges last season and contributed to several FCPS school cancellations. A task force is expected to make recommendations for a new plan in September.
As for the future of leadership in the district, last week Governor Andy Beshear said FCPS needed "a clean break" from suspended Superintendent Liggins. Mayor Gorton said it was not her place to comment on the issue but that "I think the parents have been through a lot and there needs to be some kind of closure."
Bradford said his only concern was for the students, teachers and staff and would leave that question for the school board.
"I just hope that our families and community are excited for the start of the school year for Fayette County. We all are, and we are totally prepared for an outstanding school year. The gems of our district are our schools," Bradford said. "Our 73 schools and programs are absolutely phenomenal. Every single school and program has an asset. And so what I'm most excited for us to all rally behind are our schools themselves and the teachers and the students and the families that comprise them."
The next Fayette County Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 17th.