[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Kentucky House of Representatives today adopted their version of the state\u2019s spending plan for the next two years.\u00a0 This is step two in the process of crafting the state budget. The proposal now moves to the state Senate for their modifications.<\/p>\n
Adopted by a vote of 86 to 10, major elements of the House\u2019s proposal include: investments to fully fund pensions, a 1 percent pay increase each year for public employees including teachers and school district staff, more than a 1 percent increase in the base SEEK per-pupil guarantee each year, significant new funding to hire more school counselors, increasing funding to colleges and universities to help off-set pension costs and invest in the performance-based funding formula, and increasing student financial aid — continuing a commitment to allocate 100 percent of lottery proceeds to scholarships.<\/p>\n
These are all positive.\u00a0 And after many years of budget reductions in critical areas of education, stable and even modest increases are a welcome sight. However, concerns remain about the lack of new revenue to sustain the scale of investments (see our Big bold Ask<\/a>) necessary to ensure education excellence in Kentucky, from early childhood through postsecondary.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Achieving high-quality early learning opportunities for all children requires additional investment. This is critical when almost 50 percent of our children enter kindergarten not ready to learn, and 50 percent of Kentucky families live in a childcare desert and quality childcare is either non-existent or unaffordable for working parents.\u00a0 The House\u2019s proposal is mixed, making progress on eligibility for critical program supports, if not with substantial new dollars.<\/p>\n A critical concern is a $2 million cut in tobacco settlement dollars to the HANDS early home visiting program.\u00a0 HANDS provides critical supports to improve pregnancy and birth outcomes, promote healthy child development, build safe homes, and increase families\u2019 self-sufficiency.\u00a0 While we understand this reduction may be off-set through the use of other funds, neither the Governor nor the House\u2019s proposals have made this clear.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> for a detailed breakdown of early childhood funds in the House budget.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n To deliver excellence for each and every Kentucky child in our public school, Kentucky must restore investments after long years of cuts and lost buying power.\u00a0 The House\u2019s began this process by providing some strategic investment \u2013 an increase in the base SEEK per-pupil guarantee from $4,000 currently to $4,061 in 2021 and $4,112 in 2022, a 1 percent raise for school teachers and district staff, as well as notable increases to hire additional school counselors.\u00a0 Recognizing these investments as positive progress, Kentucky still needs deeper investment to support teaching and learning at the local level.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> for a detailed breakdown of the K-12 portion of the House budget.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Kentucky\u2019s Council on Postsecondary Education has set an attainment goal of 60 percent by 2030, while economic projections suggest that the supply of workers with postsecondary education continues to fall short of the demand for an educated workforce. To reach our goals, we must break down barriers to college access, ensure higher education is affordable, and support student success.\u00a0 The House\u2019s proposal is a bright spot in the budget \u2013stemming the cycle of funding reductions to our colleges and universities \u2013 33 percent since 2008 \u2013 and fully commits proceeds from the state lottery to student financial aid.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> for the postsecondary House budget analysis.<\/p>\n The House\u2019s budget proposal represents a step forward for education, but still sobering reminder \u00a0that new revenue is necessary to ensure Kentucky\u2019s investment in education provides the return we know it can.\u00a0 Without continued progress in education Kentucky\u2019s quality of life and economic growth will suffer.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve hit a plateau in education progress, declining in the last decade relative to national rankings on more indicators than we are showing progress.<\/p>\n Moreover, only 52.7 percent of Kentucky\u2019s 3rd<\/sup> graders are proficient in reading and only 47.4 percent in mathematics.\u00a0 Only 64.8 percent of Kentucky\u2019s high school graduates are transition ready.\u00a0 And, we lag the nation in postsecondary attainment.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to build on our past success and increase our progress for the future. Combined with the ambitious goals, a commitment to adequate and equitable funding for education will ensure we meet those goals.<\/p>\n We are not investing in a vacuum. Other states are increasing their investment from early childhood through postsecondary, recognizing their human capital as the primary economic engine of a state and the imperative to support a seamless web of educational opportunities necessary for success in school, career and life.<\/p>\n We are encouraged \u00a0that the House delivered a budget that stems a decade of funding reductions and begins to reinvest in some areas of education. We urge the General Assembly and the Governor to continue the hard decisions necessary to further increase our investment in Kentucky\u2019s people.<\/p>\nEarly Childhood<\/u><\/h4>\n
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K-12<\/u><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Postsecondary Education<\/u><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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New revenue is necessary for substantial change<\/h4>\n
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