When voters cast their ballots in this year’s General Election, they will be asked to vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to consider and debate more options to meet the educational needs of Kentucky children.
Unlike legislation, amendment 2 does not propose a specific policy. Instead, it would remove language from sections of Kentucky’s Constitution that prevent the legislature from having meaningful conversations about options that have proven successful in each of our neighboring states and almost every state across the nation.
If the amendment is approved, specific policies must still go through the democratically-constructed legislative process, where they would be researched and publicly debated during legislative sessions. At that time, we can ensure that standards are in place, account for specific needs, and ensure that the state’s resources are used to get the best results possible for each Kentucky child.
For obvious reasons, amending the Constitution is no easy task. However, the 1891 Kentucky Constitution was written at a time when public education consisted of one-room classrooms with all grades and often without indoor plumbing or electricity. It reflects the challenges of more than 130 years ago, a far cry from the reality facing students and teachers in the modern classroom.
Let’s be clear, voting for this amendment does not take a single dollar from public schools. It would actually allow us to better address funding issues that already exist. In fact, I am proud to be part of a legislature that has provided a record amount of funding for K-12 education, even after adjusting for inflation. This is based on data provided by the Department of Education.
However, despite record funding and countless policies aimed at improving education, more than half of students do not read at grade level and barely a third are proficient in math. We are committed to working with our public schools, but we must recognize that study after study shows that increasing educational freedom helps students.
A vote for amendment 2 is a vote for Kentucky’s children and their families.
Written by
State Rep. Suzanne Miles
