ing on the Index of Educational Progress had risen by more than
almost any other state in the preceding 20 years – moving up to
33rd from 48th in 1990.
The index included the percentage of residents with high
school, two-year or bachelor’s degrees; ACT scores; high school
dropout rates; advanced placement test scores and national scores
in reading, math and science.
2016
More recently, in a January 2016 report, the UK center combined 12 educational attainment and achievement factors into
a single index and reported that Kentucky is statistically higher
than eight states, lower than 15 states and not statistically different from 26 states. The indicators were similar to those used in
the earlier study.
The study also took into account the obstacles that Kentucky
students face (such as poverty, poor health, parents with low educational attainment and disabilities) and concluded that Kentucky
is one of only eight states whose academic performance for every
$1,000 of public funds invested is better than expected, as measured by the National Assessment of Education Progress.
As shown in the table below, Kentucky’s per-pupil appropriation has consistently trailed the national average.
The 2016 Quality Counts report produced by the national publication Education Week found Kentucky moving up two places
from the previous year to 27th place nationally. Kentucky received
an overall grade of C, the same as the national average, but ranked
in the top 10 in improvement in its graduation rate between 2002
and 2012 (a 12.2 percent gain) and in improvement in 4th grade
math and reading scores.
The state continues to face critical challenges in closing the
Supporting
the standards
As the education landscape has changed through
the years, one thing has remained constant – the
strong support of the business and advocacy
communities for Kentucky’s Academic Standards.
The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and other
groups have consistently worked on behalf of
the adoption and retention of the standards. This
work has involved informational and advocacy
campaigns such as Ready Kentucky and Building
Employer Support for Student Success and has
used fact-based arguments to successfully counter
opposition. The support continues with Slam Dunk
Kentucky – a game plan that will build on the positive momentum in our schools.
achievement gaps that persist between groups of students. As
a combined group, African-American, low-income, Hispanic,
English learners and students with disabilities are not narrowing
those gaps and moving toward achieving at the same levels as
other students. Their scores have improved in most subjects, but
not at the same pace as their classmates. Kentucky cannot afford
to waste the talents of those large groups of learners.
Kentucky’s Per-Pupil Appropriation
FY 2002
FY 2003
FY 2004
FY 2005
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009
FY 2010
FY 2011
FY 2012
FY 2013
KY
$6,316
$6,608
$6,818
$7,108
$7,827
$8,582
$8,916
$8,935
$8,561
$8,825
$9,105
$9,266
U.S. Average
$8,206
$8,471
$8,798
$9,237
$9,798
$10,537
$11,056
$11,092
$10,757
$10,890
$11,097
$11,254
KY as Share of U.S. Average
77.0%
78.0%
77.5%
77.0%
79.9%
81.4%
80.6%
80.6%
79.6%
81.0%
82.0%
82.3%
KY Rank Among 50 States
42
40
41
43
41
41
41
41
41
39
36
37
Source: Public School System Finance reports issued annually by the Census Bureau, downloaded on February 10, 2016 from http://www.census.
gov/govs/school/index.html by Susan Perkins Weston
5
A Citizen’s Guide to Kentucky Education — June 2016