Earlier this year, Kentucky lawmakers passed House Bill four to get rid of DNI or diversity, equity and inclusion programs, offices and initiatives at Kentucky's public universities.

Now, a Republican lawmaker wants to do the same thing and K through 12 schools in Kentucky.

That was one of the topics during a legislative hearing yesterday in Frankfort.

But there are Democrats who say D-ii programs are necessary and that they're not hurting anybody.

Our Emily Sisk tells us more.

And tonight's legislative update.

In 2025, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a bill that put an end to D-ii initiatives on college campuses.

Now, Republican State Senator Lindsey Titchener wants to request a similar bill for younger students.

I am hopeful that we will be able to take the same measures this session regarding our K-12 schools.

Titchener called out Kentucky's two largest school districts, Jefferson and Fayette County, for not complying with federal practices to end D-ii.

She also said some of the lowest performing schools are in districts where D-ii is heavily implemented.

When measuring these expenses against student assessment and test scores, it becomes clear a great deal of these funds never reach Kentucky students.

In her research, Titchener found that Jefferson County Public Schools were spending tens of millions of dollars for Dei conferences, training and racial equity funding, which she said was wasteful.

There was much back and forth, however, from Democratic lawmakers who argued there.

There's value in honoring diversity.

If we cannot have our children see themselves in the curriculum, if we cannot have initiatives that recruit teachers who look like our kids, it will continue to impact student achievement.

I heard about in a fourth grade classroom learning about Rosa Parks and the kids on the bus.

Did they feel bad about being white?

Those are those are ideas and concepts we shouldn't make anyone feel bad about how they were born.

It's not about making people feel bad about being white.

I think it's about acknowledging the historical privilege that white people have always had in this country.

I'm happy to say I work for a public school district.

My husband does as well.

And I think that I can probably offer you some differing perspectives and maybe open your mind to see how this how it is actually beneficial to our students.

But I appreciate it.

Thank you.

And when you I would I would love that.

And please bring the test scores when you come.

I would like to see the benefits of how it's helping kids progress in their education.

The education committee also heard from the Kentucky Department of Education regarding the latest K through 12 assessment scores, which were released last month.

The department identified 53 comprehensive support and improvement schools, meaning they perform at the bottom 5% of all schools or they have a graduation rate below 80%.

Of those 53 schools, 41 are in Jefferson County.

Have you been able to identify some factors of why that particular school district has so many schools that are struggling, and what can we do to help offer them supports?

They're a very large district with, lots of minority students, lots of students that fall into different subgroups when you're working with them hand in hand.

And I do sense a very real sense of urgency from Doctor Yearwood in our meetings over the last month.

And a Republican senator expressed his dislike of the assessment system.

No matter what you do, always 5% of your schools are failing.

Well, we don't set a benchmark that we want our schools to achieve is beyond me.

This is this is a failed public policy, in my opinion.

For Kentucky edition, I'm Emily Sisk School.

Thank you Emily.

Out of the 171 school districts in Kentucky, Fayette and Jefferson counties are the only two that have not signed off on the Trump administration's D-ii rules.

The administration has threatened to pull federal funding to school districts that do not comply.