The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) posthumously awarded the 2026 David Karem Award for Excellence in Education Policy to longtime educator and award-winning Superintendent Tom Shelton during its June 4 meeting. At the presentation were, from left, Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher; Shelton’s daughters, Abby Sizemore and Audrey Shelton; nominator, Stu Silberman; and KBE Chair Sharon Porter Robinson. Photo by Myles Young, Kentucky Department of Education, June 4, 2026.
(FRANKFORT, KY) – Longtime educator and award-winning Superintendent Tom Shelton was posthumously named the recipient of the David Karem Award for Excellence in Education Policy during the Kentucky Board of Education’s (KBE’s) regular meeting on June 4.
Shelton was a former superintendent of Daviess County Schools and Fayette County Schools, former executive director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, and executive secretary of the Council for Better Education, a Kentucky-based organization dedicated to ensuring every child has access to a high-quality, adequately funded public education.
The Karem Award for Excellence in Education Policy – which honors former KBE member and state legislator David Karem – is given annually to state policymakers, education leaders or citizens who have contributed to the improvement of education by serving on national commissions, task forces or other significant boards and organizations. Recipients demonstrate outstanding leadership and have made an impact on education policy and the educational system. They also exhibit a commitment to collaborate with different stakeholders.
“Tom’s greatest strength was his passion for doing what was right for public schools,” nominators Tim Hanner and Stu Silberman wrote in the nomination letter. “He drafted policies, took bold stances, and advocated for marginalized groups. He was a leading expert on public school finances in Kentucky, and he trained and coached many former and current district administrators in school finance and school law.”
Shelton, who died unexpectedly in February, had “worked tirelessly with legislators over the years to help them understand not only Kentucky school finance issues,” but also “to create solutions that would lead to policy changes.”
“With a brilliant mind for policy, procedure and finance, he will be remembered most for his tenacity in securing adequate, equitable funding for Kentucky schools,” his nominators wrote.
Shelton’s daughters, Abby Shelton Sizemore and Audrey Shelton, wrote in the nomination letter that being the superintendent’s kids through middle and high school was unique. However, “despite high work demands, we were always Dad’s priority – lunch in the cafeteria, classroom check‑ins, sideline visits at football games or wading through floodwaters after a tornado (in a suit) to ensure we were safe before checking schools.”
He also shared that concern for all students in the district.
“He cared deeply about every child’s right to education, hot meals, safe rides and loving teachers,” his daughters wrote. “Thousands benefited from his career; we feel lucky to have been loved by him.”
Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said Shelton encompasses the spirit and intent of the award.
“Dr. Shelton was all in for making sure all students had the educational opportunities to move forward and be successful,” Fletcher said.
When Shelton died, the nominators wrote, former Fayette County student Andrew Brennen from “Tom’s Squad,” a high school advisory group, shared, “We met in 2014 as a senior discussing the district’s budget shortfall. Tom trusted youth to lead. His passing is a gut punch. He was an unrelenting force, improving Kentucky schools, the happy warrior. His devotion to his wife and friends marked him as a true leader, man and Kentuckian. He will be missed, but his legacy endures.”
Julie Pile, chair of the Kentucky Board of Education Awards Committee, said Shelton’s dedication will continue to impact Kentucky’s students.
“Tom Shelton dedicated his life to improving opportunities for Kentucky’s students and strengthening public education across the Commonwealth,” she said. “His leadership, advocacy and unwavering commitment to doing what was right for children left a lasting impact on schools, educators and communities throughout Kentucky. Tom exemplified the vision and values reflected in the David Karem Award, and the Kentucky Board of Education is proud to honor his remarkable legacy as the 2026 recipient.”
Shelton’s final career move was accepting the CEO role at United Way of the Bluegrass in October 2025, where he would again work with others to lend a voice to those in need.
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