Five things the Kentucky General Assembly can do to create a Big Bold Future
Kentucky has made impressive progress in education over the last generation. Unfortunately, as shown in our 2020 Big Bold Future Annual Rankings Report, we have hit a plateau and are moving backwards in some key areas – from preschool to postsecondary – with persistent gaps for those historically underserved. These plateaus were seen before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, nearly one year since many students have seen the inside of a classroom, we now face learning loss like never seen before.
The Kentucky General Assembly must recommit to the hard work, investment, collaboration, and belief that we can move into the top tier of all states in education achievement as we move out of the pandemic.
The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence has five requests for the 2021 Kentucky General Assembly that we believe will present a vision of a Big, Bold Future where every Kentuckian can thrive, contribute to, and benefit from our shared progress as a state.
- Allocate adequate and equitable funding for education: We ask that the Kentucky General Assembly continue to support the principles of our 2020 Big Bold Ask of $1 billion in additional investment in education by 2026. The 2021-22 biennial budget was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the state is in dire need of a strategic investment plan for education at all levels, phased in over multiple years.
- Close the digital divide: Support the development of a statewide broadband deployment plan that addresses last-mile access and affordability. This could include funding for HB 362 of 2020 which created the broadband deployment fund as well as recommendations derived from the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet’s broadband initiative working group.
- Fund early learning initiatives: The Kentucky General Assembly must increase per-child funding and reimbursement rates to support high-quality opportunities for eligible children, as well as dedicated funding to encourage partnerships between public preschool and private childcare. Additionally, funding is needed for increasing eligibility for child care assistance and public preschool to 200% of federal poverty level. Funding for HANDS, Kentucky’s evidence-based home visiting program to support families with more than one child until the age of 3, must also be continued.
- Support teacher preparation and professional learning: A Prichard Committee’s task force report, “Teaching Matters Most,” reflects the need for systemic change and support for good teaching practice and professional learning that is practical, evidence-based and successful in improving student outcomes. These recommendations will require financial support at the state level to ensure their success.
- Adjust the performance-based funding formula for higher education: Increase weights for low-income and minority students; increase the transparency of the funding model; and support sustainability through the extension of stop-loss/hold harmless provisions in times of budget reductions.
Legislation We Are Tracking
HOUSE BILLS & RESOLUTIONS | |||
Provide relief to businesses and individuals during the COVID-19 state of emergency;, including:- guidelines for opening of businesses and schools- suspend interest on unpaid unemployment insurance contributions- provide guidelines for parental visitation- provide guidelines for visitation at long-term care facilities | B. Rowland | 01/09/21: delivered to Governor | |
Expand eligibility for preschool education programs to children who reside in households with an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. | J. Raymond | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Require all certified public school employees to complete high quality behavioral and mood disorder training annually. | J. Raymond | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Require inclusion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test as a measurement of postsecondary readiness for the state accountability system. | M. Koch | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Establish income eligibility requirements for the Child Care Assistance Program at 200% of FPL | J. Raymond | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Prohibit a person employed by a school district from using corporal physical discipline | S. Riley | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Establish the Education Opportunity Account Program and accompanying tax credit. | C. McCoy | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Add two career and technical education courses per year to the Dual Credit Scholarship and delete the dual credit provisions from the Work Ready Scholarship. | J. Tipton | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Require school councils or principals to adopt child abuse awareness and prevention instruction that is taught by a trained, certified teacher | N. Tate | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Require the EPSB to reissue certification for a lapsed certificate to an applicant who holds a master's degree and is not subject to denial of a certificate under KRS 161.120. | R. Huff | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Makes changes to structure of the KY Board of Education | S. Sheldon | 01/06/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Expand eligibility for KEES award | C. Freeland | 01/06/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Require public middle and high school curriculum to include instruction on the history of racism. | A. Scott | 01/06/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Executive Branch budget | J. Petrie | 01/13/21: Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate | |
Create a tax credit for educator expenses | T. Bojanowski | 01/07/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
COVID relief bill for schools dealing with attendance days, meal programs, leave days, etc. | R. Huff | 01/07/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College endowment matching fund | D. Fister | 01/09/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Provide KEES eligibility for enrollment in a Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps program at an out-of-state institution located in a state within the SREB | M. Lockett | 01/09/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Prohibit postsecondary institutions from inquiring about a student's criminal history on an admissions application. | L. Willner | 01/11/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Require completion of the FAFSA form as a high school graduation requirement | R. Huff | 01/11/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Allow a student to retake the college admissions exam in the fall of grade 12 and require KDE to pay for the cost of the optional exam | S. Riley | 01/11/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Reforms to the Teachers' Retirement System that includes a foundational benefit component. | C. Massey | 01/13/21: to State Government (H) | |
The Read to Succeed Act | J. Tipton | 01/13/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Kentucky Early Entry Initiative pilot program | J. Tipton | 01/13/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
Direct the commissioner of education to convene a strategic assessment and accountability committee; establish minimum requirements for the composition of the committee; establish the duties of the committee; require the commissioner to report the findings of the committee to the Interim Joint Committee on Education by December 1, 2021, and December 1, 2022, EMERGENCY. | T. Bojanowski | 01/05/21: introduced in House | |
Direct the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Kentucky Preschool Program Task Force to study preschool programs; require findings and recommendations to be reported by November 30, 2021. | J. Raymond | 01/11/21: to Committee on Committees (H) | |
SENATE BILLS & RESOLUTIONS | |||
Establish the Education Opportunity Account Program and accompanying tax credit | R. Alvarado | 01/05/21: to Committee on Committees (S) | |
Require greater minority representation on a superintendent screening committee in a school district with a minority student population of 50% or greater. | J. Adams | 01/11/21: to Education (S) | |
Funding of locally operated state vocational technology education center | J. Higdon | 01/11/21: to Committee on Committees (S) | |
Increases per pupil SEEK amounts for districts receiving less than they received in 1991-1992 | R. Mills | 01/12/21: to Committee on Committees (S) | |
Kentucky Early Entry Initiative pilot program | S. West | 01/13/21: to Committee on Committees (S) | |
The Read to Succeed Act | S. West | 01/13/21: to Committee on Committees (S) |
