Crittenden County Schools & Webster County Schools (KY)

Crittenden & Webster Co. Schools: Two Kentucky Districts Were SB 181 Ready Before the Mandate

Location

Crittenden: Marion, KY | Webster: Dixon, KY

Type

Crittenden: 3 schools, Pre-K-12 | Webster: 6 schools, Pre-K-12

Students

Crittenden: 4,700 students | Webster: 2,070 students

Prepared for Compliance Before the Mandate

When Kentucky Senate Bill 181 was enacted in the summer of 2024, it required all school districts to implement a trackable, traceable communication system for staff-student interactions. For many, the timing created a crisis as summer break meant limited staff availability and minimal access to students.

Fortunately, dozens of Kentucky districts were already using ParentSquare to support school-home communication. Among them, Crittenden County and Webster County stood out for their early, phased adoption. By rolling out the platform well before SB 181 passed, they had already laid the groundwork for compliant, transparent communication, which helped them avoid the last-minute scramble that others faced. In addition, both districts introduced StudentSquare, extending the same trackable communication benefits directly to students and strengthening engagement alongside family communication.

“I didn’t know this was going to land in our laps,” said Tiffany Blazina, Director of HR and PR for Crittenden County Schools. “But I was incredibly thankful we had ParentSquare in place. We didn’t have to scramble; we just rolled up our sleeves and expanded our use.”

Crittenden County Schools had been using ParentSquare for district-wide messaging, school closings, and community updates. Teachers were already communicating with students and families through the platform. When the law passed, coaches were the first group affected over the summer, because they had summer practices and although hesitant at first because they had been using other apps previously, they quickly saw the benefits of using the platform.

Amy Hill, Public Information Officer at Webster County Schools, shared a similar experience. “We had a soft launch early on and added features gradually. That made the transition to full compliance so much easier when the bill passed.”

Both leaders praised ParentSquare’s customer support, describing it as responsive, solution-oriented, and personal. Features like Virtual Phone, Smart Sites, and digital forms for payments or doctor’s notes improved engagement, efficiency, and documentation. Integration with the district’s student information system, Infinite Campus, ensured seamless syncing of student data.

From resolving transportation challenges to supporting multilingual families, ParentSquare helped these districts enhance school-home connections, making communication more accessible and transparent for staff, students, and families. Staff in athletics and transportation also welcomed the platform, citing easier coordination and secure communications.

Advice for Districts Facing Compliance Deadlines

“Don’t wait for a mandate,” both leaders advised. “Start now. Build familiarity. Train your people. Help families get comfortable. ParentSquare didn’t just help our districts meet state requirements, it helped build stronger, safer, and more connected school communities while making life easier for staff at every level.”