After announcing their plan last month, Owensboro Public Schools leaders have officially adopted a new policy for how public school teachers, coaches, and other school staff can communicate with students. The change comes due to a new Kentucky law that went into effect June 27.
Formerly Senate Bill 181, KRS 160.145 requires school districts to limit digital communication with students to a few approved platforms and to keep records of those messages. School officials first announced their plan in mid-June, and the Board of Education officially adopted it upon second reading during a luncheon on July 10.
OPS has chosen two official platforms for two-way communication: Talking Points and Google Workspace (which includes Gmail, Google Classroom, Chat, Docs, and other tools students already use).
“It’s not a huge change for us because we’ve been using these tools for a while,” OPS Public Information Officer Jared Revlett said in June when announcing their plan. “But the difference now is that staff must stick to them for anything school-related, like practice times, club updates, or class messages.”
Under the new law, employees are not allowed to text or direct message students on personal phones or through social media messaging without special parental permission. That includes situations outside of school, such as church groups, volunteer activities, or even asking your neighbor to babysit or mow the lawn, Revlett said previously.
If a parent wishes to permit certain exceptions, they must complete a consent form available on the district website. Revlett said the forms are intended for special cases — such as a neighbor texting a student to babysit — not for coaches or clubs to avoid using the official platforms.
“We don’t want people using the forms just to get around using Talking Points,” Revlett said. “We’re trying to keep everything in one place so parents know where to look.”
He added that district and school Facebook pages and other public accounts will stay active for announcements. However, staff have been told not to use private groups or message students directly on social apps.
“We’ve advised staff to review their friend lists and avoid private messaging with students to protect themselves and the kids,” Revlett said.
How parents can check messages?
Parents can log in to Talking Points to see the message history. They can also ask their student for their Google login or contact the school principal for access to the student’s Google accounts if needed.
What happens if someone breaks the rule?
Violations could trigger a district investigation. For teachers, it could also involve the state Education Professional Standards Board.
“There’s a lot we’re still figuring out, and the law may get cleaned up later,” Revlett said. “For now, we’re doing our best to follow it and keep families informed.”
Where to find forms and info
Families can visit owensboro.kyschools.us and click on “Traceable Communication” for the full details and the parent consent form.
