Bill McCann collection on Kentucky Education

Abstract

The Bill McCann collection on Kentucky Education (1957-1995, undated; 9.23 cubic feet; 21 boxes) primarily comprise reports, correspondence, and subject files gathered and produced by Bill McCann while working for the Kentucky Education Department.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Bill McCann collection on Kentucky Education
Date
1957-1995, undated (inclusive)
Extent
9.23 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Court records -- Kentucky.
Educational change -- Kentucky
Education and state
Educational law and legislation
Education -- Kentucky.
Education, Primary
Judicial opinions -- Kentucky.
Oral histories
Public policy and politics
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by subject.
Finding Aid Author
Andrew McGraw
Preferred Citation
1997ms208: [identification of item], Bill McCann collection on Kentucky Education, 1957-1995, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
William "Bill" Homer McCann, born 1929, grew up in Fayette County, Kentucky. He graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1952 and served as a law clerk for US Circuit Court judge and former Kentucky governor, Bert T. Combs. He also served in the United States Army JAG Corps in Fort Lee, Virginia for three years. In 1970, McCann was elected as State Representative to the Kentucky Legislature for Lexington. During his time as a state legislator, McCann served on the Education Committee and he continued to work in education reform after he left office. He held an active role in the founding of Kentucky Community and Technical College (KCTC), the Council of Higher Education, Kentucky Association for Children with Learning Disabilities and as a life member of the Prichard Committee. His efforts set the stage for the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) in 1990. McCann was also active in many other organizations like the Kentucky Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), the YMCA of Central Kentucky, Lexington Human Rights Commission, and many others. Bill McCann was married to Eileen Murphy McCann and the couple had five children. He died in the summer of 2020 in Lexington.
Source: https://milwardfuneral.com/obituaries/731-william-bill-homer-mccann
Scope and Content
The Bill McCann collection on Kentucky Education (1957-1995, undated; 9.23 cubic feet; 21 boxes) primarily comprise reports, correspondence, and subject files gathered and produced by Bill McCann while working for the Kentucky Education Department. The records include county audits, budgets, and staffing. The collection contains documents associated with the landmarked 1989 court case The Kentucky Council for Better Education vs. Martha Layne Collins, Governor, et al, also known as the Rose Decision, concerning state funding for education. Also included in the collection are oral history materials, information on the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), and a photograph and file on McCann's relative, former congressman John Y. Brown, Sr.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

County school reports, 1980-1992, undated

Bath County budget preparation, undated

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Bath County bid specifications, 1984-1985

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Bath County job descriptions, undated

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Berea, Madison County school accreditation, 1989

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Barret County Traditional Middle School reports, 1986-1988

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Bourbon County bidding, 1985

  • Box 1, folder 14
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Boyd County audit, 1991

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Boyd County special investigation, 1991

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Boyd County bidding, 1991

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Carter County bidding, 1986-1987

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Carter County district review, circa 1986

  • Box 1, folder 10
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Clay County activity funds, undated

  • Box 1, folder 11
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Elliot County facilities hearing report, 1991

  • Box 1, folder 12
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Fayette County attendance records audit, 1989 March

  • Box 1, folder 16
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Fayette attendance, 1989

  • Box 1, folder 17-18
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Fayette County teacher pay, 1991

  • Box 1, folder 13
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Fayette County bidding, 1985

  • Box 1, folder 15
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Fayette County bank depository for school activity funds, 1989 March

  • Box 1, folder 19
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Fayette County proposal for Bryan Station Youth Center, undated

  • Box 12, folder 5-6
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Letcher County Fleming-Neon school merger, 1991

  • Box 1, folder 20
  • Box 2, folder 1-3
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Floyd County accreditation report, 1989

  • Box 2, folder 4
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Floyd County facility inspections, undated

  • Box 2, folder 5
  • Box 2, folder 7
To top

Floyd County progress report, 1990

  • Box 2, folder 6
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Floyd County custodial personnel analysis, 1989

  • Box 2, folder 8
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Floyd County curriculum audit, 1989

  • Box 2, folder 9
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Franklin County bidding, undated

  • Box 2, folder 10
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Greenup County schools report, 1988

  • Box 2, folder 11
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Greenup County Raceland - Worthington invitation to bid, 1986

  • Box 12, folder 9
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Hardin County furniture purchases, 1986

  • Box 2, folder 12
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Harlan County investigation outline, 1990-1991

  • Box 2, folder 13
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Harlan Independent School, 1991

  • Box 2, folder 14
  • Box 2, folder 19
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Harlan County accreditation and program audit, 1988

  • Box 2, folder 15
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Harlan County attendance audit report, undated

  • Box 2, folder 16
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Harlan County purchasing and bidding, 1991

  • Box 2, folder 17
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Harlan County Board of Education removal of members, 1990

  • Box 2, folder 18
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Jackson County facility recommendations, 1989

  • Box 3, folder 1
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Jackson County staff and instructional analysis, 1991

  • Box 3, folder 2
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Jackson County preliminary report, 1986

  • Box 3, folder 3
  • Box 3, folder 5
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Jackson County maintenance and custodial recommendations, 1991

  • Box 3, folder 4
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Jackson County schools recommendations, 1991

  • Box 12, folder 7
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Jefferson County accreditation report, 1987

  • Box 3, folder 6
To top

Knott County facilities hearing report, 1991

  • Box 3, folder 7
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Laurence County bidding, 1985-1986

  • Box 3, folder 8
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Letcher County accreditation, 1988

  • Box 3, folder 9
To top

Lewis County audit, 1986

  • Box 3, folder 10
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Lincoln County accreditation, 1989

  • Box 3, folder 11
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Magoffin County pupil attendance report, 1989

  • Box 3, folder 12
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Magoffin County record of board hearings, 1985

  • Box 3, folder 13
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Magoffin County school district facilities hearing report, 1991

  • Box 3, folder 23
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Martin County facilities hearing, 1991 October

  • Box 3, folder 14
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Mason County Board of Education invitation to bid, 1986

  • Box 3, folder 15-16
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Nicholas County bidding, 1984

  • Box 3, folder 17
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Pike and Floyd Counties review of selected school building projects, 1991

  • Box 12, folder 8
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Pike County accreditation, 1984

  • Box 3, folder 18
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Pike County Schools custodial staffing analysis, 1989

  • Box 3, folder 19
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Pike County school facilities, 1991-1992

  • Box 3, folder 20
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Rowan County accreditation report, 1987

  • Box 3, folder 21-22
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Rowan County central office review, 1986

  • Box 4, folder 1
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Rowan County activities, 1984

  • Box 4, folder 2
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Rowan County elementary internal accounts, 1984

  • Box 4, folder 3
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Scott County bid information, undated

  • Box 4, folder 4
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Whitley County failure to advertise reports, 1987

  • Box 4, folder 5
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Whitley County bidding, 1991

  • Box 4, folder 6
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Wolfe County bids and meeting, circa 1985

  • Box 4, folder 7
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Wolfe County purchases with capital outlay funds, 1987

  • Box 4, folder 8
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Woodford County payroll/salary schedules, 1992

  • Box 4, folder 9-10
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Statewide education reports, 1983-1991

Facilities inspections, circa 1989

  • Box 4, folder 11
To top

Facility survey, circa 1991

  • Box 4, folder 12
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Activity accounts, circa 1989

  • Box 4, folder 13
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General pupil audit, 1989

  • Box 4, folder 14
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County Central Office review final report, 1986

  • Box 4, folder 15
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Statutory violations, 1991

  • Box 4, folder 16
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State facility hearings, 1989

  • Box 4, folder 17
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Council For Better Education, circa 1984

  • Box 4, folder 18
Scope and Contents

The Council for Better Education was formed in 1984 and brought the lawsuit that culminated in the historic Rose v. CBE ruling on Kentucky's constitutional education obligations. Today, the Council for Better Education, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation whose members include 168 of Kentucky's 174 public school districts.

To top

Capital outlay exhibit, 1983

  • Box 4, folder 19
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Managerial assistance program final report, circa 1988

  • Box 6, folder 1
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Carnegie Center, 1989

  • Box 6, folder 2
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Teaching subcommittee, 1987

  • Box 6, folder 3
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The Governor's School Improvement Incentive Program, 1988

  • Box 6, folder 4
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Shakertown Roundtable: Parrish, undated

  • Box 6, folder 5
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Pupil transportation management manual, 1985

  • Box 6, folder 6
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Pupil attendance audit, 1990

  • Box 6, folder 7
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Dropout credit school, 1988

  • Box 6, folder 8
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Guidelines to implementing Kentucky school accreditation, 1988

  • Box 6, folder 9
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School accreditation, 1988

  • Box 6, folder 10
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Education funding summary report, undated

  • Box 6, folder 11
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School inspection findings, undated

  • Box 6, folder 12
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Budget regulations, 1991

  • Box 6, folder 13
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County facilities hearings, 1991

  • Box 6, folder 14
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Accreditation standard revision, 1987

  • Box 7, folder 1
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School district profiles, 1985

  • Box 7, folder 2
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School facility recommendations, 1991

  • Box 7, folder 3
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Library allocation and information, undated

  • Box 7, folder 4
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An explanation of the member coverage report, circa 1983

  • Box 7, folder 5
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Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) - An exceptional child add on, 1989

  • Box 7, folder 6
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Department of Education strategic plan, undated

  • Box 7, folder 7
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Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA) strategic planning, undated

  • Box 7, folder 8
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Municipal treatment centers, 1983-1984

  • Box 7, folder 9
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School facilities manual, 1991 June

  • Box 7, folder 10
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Facilities hearing, 1990-1991

  • Box 7, folder 11
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Board meeting minutes, 1983

  • Box 7, folder 12
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State education reports, undated

  • Box 7, folder 13
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Division of school district finance, 1989

  • Box 7, folder 15
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Revision of Standard I - Legal Responsibilities, 1988

  • Box 7, folder 16
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Accreditation reports, circa 1988

  • Box 7, folder 17
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School district central office computer capabilities, 1985-1986

  • Box 7, folder 19
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Fifty years of motivating and teaching Kentucky students, undated

  • Box 7, folder 20
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Newspaper clippings, circa 1986

  • Box 7, folder 21
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Transitions, circa 1991

  • Box 7, folder 22
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Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA), undated

  • Box 7, folder 23
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Uniform program of accounting for school activity funds, undated

  • Box 7, folder 24
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Jones High School receipts, circa 1985

  • Box 7, folder 25
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Custodial staffing and information, 1989

  • Box 7, folder 26
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School district budgets, undated

  • Box 7, folder 27
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Annual financial report (multiple counties), 1990

  • Box 7, folder 28
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McCann newspaper clippings, 1991

  • Box 7, folder 29
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Kentucky Education Reform Act materials, circa 1991

  • Box 9, folder 1-3
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Transfer of Fort Knox school system to the state school system, circa 1987

  • Box 9, folder 4-5
To top

State publications on education, 1980-1991

  • Box 10, item 1-11
  • Box 14
To top

Statewide budget reports, circa 1985-1987

  • Box 11, folder 1
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Statements of concern regarding Fleming-Neon school merger, circa 1991

  • Box 11, folder 2
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Revisions to KSA and KRA, circa 1991

  • Box 11, folder 4
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Statements of concern Fleming-Neon school merger, circa 1991

  • Box 11, folder 5
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Kentucky Education Court Cases, 1985-1989

Scope and Contents

The Kentucky Education Court Cases series includes documents related to a lawsuit brought against then Governor Martha Layne Collins by several poor school districts as a way to equalize school funding throughout Kentucky. The case carried over into Governor Wallace Wilkenson's administration. Wilkenson was an advocate for education, and dropped the governor's office's defense in the suit and joined the plaintiffs when Corns' decision was appealed to the Kentucky Supreme Court. On appeal, the Supreme Court declared Kentucky's entire public school system unconstitutional and mandated that the legislature reform it. In response, Wilkinson backtracked on his campaign promise not to raise taxes and proposed extending the state's five percent sales tax to apply to certain services, with the money going to improve public education and fund a variety of other projects. Because Collins was no longer governor and her successor did not support the appeal that appeal was entitled John A. Rose and Donald J. Blanford vs. The Kentucky Council For Better Education.

Court records, 1988

  • Box 5, folder 1
To top

Court records, 1985

  • Box 5, folder 2
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Correspondence and court records, circa 1988

  • Box 5, folder 3
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Correspondence and court records, 1988

  • Box 5, folder 4
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Materials pertaining to lawsuit, circa 1989

  • Box 5, folder 5
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Financial documents pertaining to the cost of the lawsuit, circa 1988

  • Box 5, folder 6
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Copies of dispositions given in the case, 1988

  • Box 5, folder 7
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Deposition of Kern Alexander, 1987 June 23

  • Box 5, folder 8
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Copy of appeal, 1989

  • Box 5, folder 9
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Opinion by Justice Grant, 1989

  • Box 5, folder 10
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Opinion of Justice Stevens on the appeal of the case, 1989

  • Box 5, folder 10
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Copy of case file, circa 1986

  • Box 12, folder 1-4
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Kentucky Education and Reform Act (KERA), 1957-1995, undated

Scope and Contents

The Kentucky Education and Reform Act (KERA) series includes reports leading up to and after the bill, known as KERA, signed on April 11, 1990, overhauled how the Bluegrass State funded schools and instituted measures to prevent political corruption. The bill meant schools would also be judged on the performance of all students, being held to what some consider the nation's first school accountability model.

Kentucky Department of Education reorganization, circa 1990

  • Box 9, folder 1
To top

KERA questions and answers, 1990

  • Box 9, folder 2
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Assorted materials, circa 1990

  • Box 9, folder 3
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"An Evaluation of the Impact of Changes in Kentucky's School Finance System" report, 1991 August

  • Box 16, folder 1
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Annual Report, Kentucky General Assembly, Office of Education Accountability, 1995 December

  • Box 16, folder 2
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"A Review of Research on the Kentucky Education Reform Act", 1993 December

  • Box 16, folder 3
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Braxton County schools, 1991

  • Box 16, folder 4
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County schools financial reports, 1987-1993

  • Box 16, folder 5
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Division of Finance, 1988-1991

  • Box 16, folder 6
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Education info and financial notes, 1985-1986

  • Box 16, folder 7
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Budget info and teacher compensation, 1991

  • Box 16, folder 8
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Department of Education research guides, 1991

  • Box 16, folder 9
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A Guide to the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 by the Legislative Research Commission

  • Box 16, folder 10
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Insurance plans, undated

  • Box 17, folder 1
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Department of Education memoranda, 1991

  • Box 17, folder 2
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Teaching Incentives research reports, 1991

  • Box 17, folder 3
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Newsletters and newspaper clippings, 1991

  • Box 17, folder 4
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Local Educational Agency Dependent Premium Collection System, Kentucky Education Department, 1983

  • Box 17, folder 5
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Management assistance program and fiscal reccomendations, 1993

  • Box 17, folder 6
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Department of Education memoranda and letters, 1983-1991

  • Box 17, folder 7
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Proposal for a Kentucky Annuity Plan, undated

  • Box 17, folder 8
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County responsibility flow charts, undated

  • Box 17, folder 9
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Summary of Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990, 1990

  • Box 17, folder 10
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Kentucky School Board of Education Journal, Volume 10, Number 2, 1991 Spring

  • Box 17, folder 11
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Oral histories, 1983-1993, undated

Scope and Contents

The Oral Histories series includes grant proposals for oral history projects conducted by Bill McCann, with help from Kentucky Heritage Committee and the University of Kentucky Libraries' Oral History department about Kentucky education. The series contains transcripts of persons interviewed. (The related collection is the History of Education in Kentucky: Education Reform Oral History Project https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7z8w383m9x)

"Beyond a Minimum: An Oral History of Elementary and Secondary Education in Kentucky, 1950-Present", proposal, undated

  • Box 17, folder 12
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Kentucky budget reports, 1924-1981 (copies), undated

  • Box 17, folder 13
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Kentucky Oral History Commission for Lexington, Fayette County Politics contract, 1983

  • Box 17, folder 14
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"Oral History Project Investigates Public School Development" article by McCann, circa 1990

  • Box 17, folder 15
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"The Origins of KERA: Bringing the State to Heel, The Beginning of the Council for Better Education" proposal, undated

  • Box 17, folder 16
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Transcript invoice, 1993 November 21

  • Box 17, folder 17
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Allen, Nelson Robert interview transcript, 1990 November 15

  • Box 17, folder 18
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Brock, John H. interview transcript, 1988 November 17

  • Box 17, folder 19
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Combs, Governor Bert T. interview transcript, 1988 July 26

  • Box 17, folder 20
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Moreland, Jack interview transcript, 1990 June 6

  • Box 17, folder 21
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Noe, Roger interview transcript, 1988 September 13

  • Box 17, folder 22
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"A Tribute to Arnold Guess, September 1951-September 1990", program, 1990

  • Box 17, folder 23
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Tribute to Arnold Guess program, 1990 October 29

  • Box 20, folder 7
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Handwritten transcript about furnerals and family roots in Eastern Kentucky, undated

  • Box 17, folder 24
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Personal papers, 1981-1991, undated

Scope and Contents

The Personal series comprises Bill McCann's personal records related to work experience and family. The series includes awards, business cards, curriculum vitae, journals, monthly calendars and schedules, as well as, papers and presentations authored by McCann. Also included is case records and some ephemera related to McCann's relatives John Young Brown, Sr. and Kentucky Governor John Young Brown, Jr.

Business cards, 1984, undated

  • Box 18, folder 1
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Education records, 1982-1993

  • Box 18, folder 2
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Envelopes, notes, and receipts, 1989-1994

  • Box 18, folder 3
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Fayette County 4-H brochure, undated

  • Box 18, folder 4
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Jaycee's award certificate for "Kentucky Jaycees Throughbred", 1993 August 20

  • Box 18, folder 5
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Job applications, cover letters, and vitas, 1984-1994

  • Box 18, folder 6
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John Young Brown, Jr. Inauguration program, 1979

  • Box 18, folder 7
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John Young Brown Kiwanis Club Certificate of Appreciation, 1970 December 28

  • Box 18, folder 8
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John Young Brown legal case: Day, Ed and Melvin versus Commonwealth of Kentucky, 1957

  • Box 18, folder 9
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John Young Brown legal case: Price, Carl Samuel versus Commonwealth of Kentucky, 1962-1964

  • Box 18, folder 10
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Newspaper clippings re: cases defended by John Y. Brown, 1957, undated

  • Box 18, folder 11
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John Young Brown, Sr. photograph, undated

  • Box 18, folder 13
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"The Spirit of Pam Brown", Lexington Herald article, 1970 October 2

  • Box 18, folder 14
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Journal, 1974

  • Box 18, folder 15
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Journal, 1995

  • Box 18, folder 16
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Kentucky Colonel submissions by Bill McCann, 1993-1994

  • Box 18, folder 17
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Monthly Planner, 1984

  • Box 18, folder 18
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Monthly Planner, 1985-1988

  • Box 19, folder 1-4
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Monthly Planner, 1994

  • Box 19, folder 5
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Photographs and negatives, 1964-2002, undated

  • Box 19, folder 6
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Proposal for the John F. Kennedy Literacy Project, 1989 January

  • Box 19, folder 7
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"Say Yes to Noe, Superintendent of Public Education" bumper sticker, undated

  • Box 20, folder 1
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Shakertown Round Table, 1993

  • Box 20, folder 2
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Stephens College theatre programs, 1962

  • Box 20, folder 3
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The United States Constitution and the Democratization of Japanese Education presentation for conference at University of Louisville, 1988 December 10

  • Box 20, folder 4
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Travel vouchers for business meetings, 1983-1989

  • Box 20, folder 5
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Funding Public Education Summary Report, 1987

  • Box 20, folder 6
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"Hon. John Young Brown Outstanding Member of State Legislature" plaque, 1966

  • Box 15, folder 6
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Audiovisual, 1998, undated

Scope and Contents

The Audiovisual series contains one 3½-inch floppy disk of a journal's sections from 1998. Also included are five VHS tapes with content about the Kentucky Students at Work program and one featuring television ads from John Young Brown, Jr.'s Kentucky governor campaign.

Community Voice News Journal (Parts f, h, i, and j), 1998 Dec 15

  • Box 20, folder 7
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Copy of Tape 1 and 2, undated

  • Box 15, cassette 1
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Copy of John Y. Brown Campaign spots, undated

  • Box 15, cassette 2
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Kentucky School at Work (S.A.W.) pilot program, undated

  • Box 15, cassette 3-4
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Kentucky School at Work, Count on Me: Understanding Math, Module 5 - Percents, undated

  • Box 15, cassette 5
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.