Gov. Andy Beshear earlier this week announced his Education First Plan. The plan aims to address student learning loss and teacher shortages by providing funding for a 5% pay raise for school staff, universal pre-K, textbooks, technology and training, teacher student loan forgiveness, and social and mental health services.
The Governor is also asking lawmakers to consider restoring new teacher pensions, which he said is the single most effective action that can be taken to keep new teachers in the classroom. The General Assembly will have an opportunity to pass the plan during the 2023 regular session.
“Right now, Kentucky has a record-setting revenue surplus, with the revenue trend running 11% higher than last year and substantially above estimates,” Beshear said in a release. “When you combine the strong fiscal management by my administration with the greatest year for economic development in our state’s history, and more than 13,200 new jobs announced this year, now is the time to invest in our public schools.”
EDUCATION FIRST PLAN
Raise Teacher and School Staff Pay
The Governor is proposing to fund a 5% raise for every school employee in Kentucky. This raise would be above and beyond any recent raises by school districts.
“It is simple. We cannot expect to make up for math losses if we don’t have math teachers,” Beshear said. “According to the National Educational Association, Kentucky ranks 44th in the nation for starting salaries, with new teachers averaging about $37,373 per year. We need to increase our teacher’s pay and make sure they are paid what they deserve.”
Fund Universal Pre-K
The Governor’s last budget proposal called for a historic investment in the commonwealth’s youngest learners by providing universal preschool for all 4-year-olds and full-day kindergarten for every Kentucky child – for the first time ever. This year’s Kentucky School Report Card on the Kindergarten screen showed 62.7% of Kentucky’s children were ranked below average for academic/cognitive abilities.
“This year, I am again proposing funds to support universal pre-k. We know pre-K provides positive outcomes on children’s early literacy and mathematics skills and fosters long-term educational success,” Beshear said.
Beshear also said pre-K has proven to be an effective time for screening and identification of learning challenges, with early intervention yielding best results.
Restore Funding to Textbooks and Professional Development
Last year, the Governor proposed adding millions each year to restore funding for professional development, as well as textbooks and instructional resources, but lawmakers in Frankfort did not pass that funding. The Governor is again proposing these funds for specialized training and materials aimed at addressing learning loss.
Launch Loan Forgiveness Programs
To further help keep teachers in the classroom, the Governor is again recommending providing a student loan forgiveness program that will offer a maximum $3,000 annual award for each year of employment in a public school as a teacher.
“Obtaining higher education to advance in their careers is critical for our teachers, and we want to encourage them to complete higher education – so we must support them getting there,” Beshear said.
Support Social and Mental Health
Beshear said his administration has always believed that mental health is just as important as physical health. He is again proposing to set aside funds to assemble statewide staff and eight regional Social Emotional Learning institutes so that educators have access to training on how best to help students with their mental health. The Governor will provide two new grant programs for school districts to provide wrap-around services to students impacted by violence, substance abuse, child abuse and parental incarceration, and other training and resources to help students.
Restore Pensions
In March 2021, lawmakers overrode Gov. Beshear’s veto, leaving new teachers without the traditional, defined benefits pension plan. Now, new teachers are in a hybrid plan, where they are expected to pay more into retirement.
“During my administration, we have fully funded the pension system, and given the need for more teachers in our classrooms, the first thing lawmakers should do is restore teacher pensions,” Gov. Beshear said. “With the revenues we’re seeing this year, there is more than enough funding for all the pieces we’ve laid out today. When you look at long-term costs, it makes much more sense to hire one teacher now and retain them for 30 years versus hire one teacher now, have them quit in a year or two, and then face a constant cycle of turnover.”
