Daviess County Public Schools is reminding staff and families about stricter communication rules with students as a new Kentucky law takes effect next year, requiring districts to use only approved, traceable systems for electronic messages.
Senate Bill 181, which becomes effective June 27, 2025, mandates that every Kentucky school district establish a secure and traceable system for staff and volunteers to communicate electronically with students. Violations could carry serious consequences, including disciplinary action.
“Senate Bill 181 creates and requires a traceable communication system for each Kentucky school district for when staff are communicating with students,” Superintendent Charles Broughton said. “This is something that we have had in place since January 2023, after seeing a need to reduce the multitude of communication tools, thanks to our Communication and Instructional Technology departments. Daviess County Public Schools has established a suite of resources for communication that are in compliance while keeping the focus on the safety and well-being of our students.”
Under the updated policy, staff and volunteers must use only district-approved platforms such as Talking Points and Google Workspace for communication with students. Personal social media accounts cannot be used to message students directly or add them as “friends.” Staff are required to check and remove any existing student connections on their personal accounts.
Exceptions are limited. Family members employed by the district may communicate electronically with their own child. Parents can submit written consent for non-school-related communication outside the system. However, mass or group messages for teams or clubs must still use district-approved tools.
Broughton asked staff to read the detailed guidelines thoroughly, emphasizing that clear, traceable communication protects both students and employees and upholds professional standards.
For more information, staff and families are encouraged to visit the district’s website or contact their school office.
