School districts hope new legislation will help them hire more classified staff.

The Kentucky General Assembly passed House Bill 32 this year.

Our Laura Rogers talked with people in Bowling Green who say it will benefit both schools who need workers and those who need a job.

More in tonight's Education Matters.

A school cafeteria is a busy place and requires competent staffers to keep things running smoothly.

Food service for K-12 has notoriously had a hard time hiring individuals, and I think there's a lot of untapped, really amazing people out there that will be able to help us out Now.

The passage of House Bill 32 means school districts no longer have to require a high school diploma or GED for classified positions.

Which are cooks, custodians, bus drivers, teacher aides, those types of jobs.

Jackson says he talked to Warren County Public Schools about filling those positions back in January.

We had 100 classified openings at that time.

He hopes increasing eligibility will lead to more applications.

Emerson says she thinks it may encourage more applicants who have experience in the food industry.

It would be just really nice to have that life experience in our kitchens and to have that love and care for our students because we have a lot of students that could use a little extra love and care.

It also creates new employment opportunities for the international community.

They may be educated in their country, but they come here.

It doesn't come along with them.

But they would be great workers.

They would love to have a job to provide insurance and an income for their families.

Refugees face challenges like education, transportation and language barriers when it comes to finding a job.

I'm so grateful that it would pass to help so many of the refugees find jobs at different schools in the city, school or not.

This as the ability to walk to work and being on their child's schedule are also advantages.

That's a current struggle for many immigrant families.

We find there was a disconnect between the kids and these parents because Mommy's working first year.

35, 45 hour drive, an hour.

Come back.

When you come back, you sleep.

Mommy's going to work in the morning.

So parents are not even having time to spend with kids.

It's great for parents that are wanting to be on their kids schedule and to be present with them.

Emerson says the school district hires for classified positions year round and House Bill 32 will help keep her cafeterias fully staffed.

It would be a game changer for the Commonwealth, for sure, for K-12.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you, Laura.

If an employee wants to earn their G.E.D., the school district will help them do that through the community Local college.

Their local community college, rather.