Does HB 257 require us to buy new software?

No. HB 257 doesn't mandate a specific tool — it changes what counts toward your accountability rating. Attendance Pro is simply one way to meet that standard without adding manual work.

What communication is exempt from HB 67's consent requirement?

Several everyday categories, including group messages involving two or more staff for academic, athletic, or extracurricular purposes, field trips, work-based learning, and any communication that includes a parent as a participant.

Do we still need to track excused vs. unexcused absences the same way?

Yes. HB 257 doesn't change your underlying attendance codes — it changes how chronic absenteeism factors into your state rating. Attendance Pro layers on top of your existing SIS and coding; it doesn't replace it.

What if we already use a local indicator for climate and safety?

HB 257 makes locally developed indicators of quality optional, and a climate/safety survey can still be part of your local system — it's simply no longer a required state indicator. Chronic absenteeism now fills that role at the state level.

Kentucky HB 257 & HB 67 Readiness Made Simple

Many forward-thinking Kentucky districts are already exploring Apptegy's attendance and secure two-way messaging solutions to help strengthen their accountability rating and get ahead of two new state standards at once.

Be prepared, have peace of mind, and start the 2026–27 school year with both systems already in place.

With Apptegy, your district can turn HB 257 into an attendance rating advantage, and turn HB 67 into a trust advantage—all inside one system.

The Reality of Attendance and Communication in Kentucky

Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, Kentucky HB 257 replaces the school climate and safety survey with chronic absenteeism as a state accountability indicator, sitting alongside academic proficiency, individual student growth, and student engagement in every district's and school's color rating.

At the same time, HB 67 requires school employees and qualified volunteers to communicate privately with students through a district-designated, traceable system that gives parents real visibility, with written parental consent required for any communication outside it.

For the first time, a district's day-to-day attendance work and its staff-student communication practices both flow directly into public accountability and compliance.

The Reality of Attendance and Communication in Kentucky

For the first time, a district's day-to-day attendance work and its staff-student communication practices both flow directly into public accountability and compliance.

An Easy Path Forward

Luckily, solutions like Apptegy's AI-powered Attendance Pro and Engagement Suite already include many of the features that align with what HB 257 and HB 67 ask for — supporting districts' reporting efforts and making it easier to adapt without overhauling existing communication tools.

Apptegy's platform lets parents share absence reasons and documentation in real time, and gives staff one safe, branded place to message students and families, all without adding extra work to your frontline staff.

Together, Attendance Pro and Engagement Suite give your district proactive tools to help:

→ Dynamically understand student attendance concerns and code absences automatically

→ Spot concerning attendance trends early in order to spur timely intervention

→ Keep every staff-student conversation traceable, moderated, and visible for district admin

What school leaders can do now

To get ahead of the 2026–27 accountability and communication changes, Kentucky districts can take these steps now:

1. Select and designate an attendance reporting solution that makes coding of absences easy and surfaces areas of concern for intervention.

2. Designate a traceable communication system for staff-student messaging, and establish clear consent and exception policies that align with HB 67.

3. Prepare internal systems and training ahead of the new school year and both new standards.

Apptegy Platform: Designed for K-12 Communications

As districts evaluate solutions to support HB 257 and HB 67 readiness, Apptegy's platform stands out as purpose-built for both seamless absence coding and safe, traceable staff-student communication. Designed for K-12 use and built with exceptional user experience in mind, Apptegy can:

Automate the work that drains staff capacity, on both attendance follow-up and everyday messaging.

Reach every family and get instant responses, with two-way SMS and messaging that feels like a natural conversation in families' preferred languages.

Surface early-warning signals, on attendance risk and on message moderation, so districts can act before an issue becomes a pattern.

What Users Are Saying About Apptegy

Start the New Accountability Year with Confidence. Talk with an Apptegy rep about next steps.

With the start of the 2026–27 school year, the Apptegy team is here to provide additional information and context, including:

A personalized demo to see how Apptegy addresses your district's specific attendance and communication needs.

Insights from over 5,500 district partnerships regarding K-12 communication trends and best practices.

Fast-tracking implementation timelines as the new school year begins.

FAQ

HB 67's communication provisions took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature on April 13, 2026. HB 257's accountability changes take effect beginning with the 2026–27 school year.

This content was created to help Kentucky school leaders understand the implications of HB 257 and HB 67 and how Apptegy's solutions address related attendance and communication needs. This is not legal advice. For specific legal guidance regarding HB 257 and HB 67 compliance, districts should consult with their legal counsel.