FRANKFORT, Ky. — Taking a clear, staunch stance in support of public education, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear outlined, in his next budget, a historic 11% pay increase for all Kentucky School employees.
"This is basic, our children can't learn if they don't have the resources to do so," Beshear said. "We cannot remain competitive with other states. If we don't pay teachers closer to what they're worth."
Kentucky ranks 40th in the nation when in average teacher pay, according to reports from the National Education Association.
Beshear's proposal would boost the commonwealth's ranking to 25th place and cost Kentucky $1.1 billion dollars over the next two years.
The average starting pay for a teacher in Kentucky is $38,010, his office said. But Beshear’s “Education First” budget plan looks to impact all school personnel including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria staff and janitors.
According to the Kentucky Department of Education, the average teacher’s pay would rise to $62,576, and starting pay would go up to $44,573. It would be the largest single-pay raise for public school educators in 40 years.
"We must have a competitive world-class system of public education. Getting there requires historic investment," Beshear said.
Beshear said the biggest difference between his last budget proposal and the General Assembly's enacted budget was "the lack of funding for education."
“With a record budget surplus, the largest Rainy Day Fund in state history and good economic conditions, we must keep Kentucky competitive by investing in our schools, teachers and students,” he said on Wednesday.
Highlights from Beshear’s “Education First” plan:
- Fully funds teacher pensions and student transportation.
- Ensures no health insurance premium increase for educators.
- Provides teachers with a student loan forgiveness program that will provide a maximum of $3,000 a year for each year they are employed in a Kentucky public school.
- Supports professional development.
- Provides funding to replace textbooks and instructional materials.
- Boosts mental health services.
- Dedicates $100 million in a one-time grant fund to build or improve career and technical education centers.
Beshear’s plan also calls for funding universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds. If adopted by the General Assembly, it would be a first-time investment for the Commonwealth.
“Early childhood education is proven to make sure children have long-term academic success, and funding it is the number one most effective thing we can do to get people back to work,” he said.
The governor has long supported universal pre-K and believes it would boost the state's workforce.
"Others know this, and more and more states and cities, like Cincinnati, are investing in pre-K," Beshear said. "They are helping their students succeed while supporting new mothers and fathers to help them get back into the workforce much sooner.”
And, amid Jefferson County Public School's busing "disaster," Beshear also reintroduced plans to fully fund student transportation.
"We presented that last time to the General Assembly and unfortunately, they failed to do it. Now we're seeing the impact of that decision," Beshear said.
But to accomplish many of these plans, Beshear, if re-elected, will need cooperation from a state general assembly that's been publicly critical of him.
"Governor Beshear doesn't respond to anything," Kentucky Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said during an Aug. 12 interview. "We've done things without Governor Beshear. I wish we could do more with him."
Touting his close-knit ties with the GOP-dominated general assembly, republican candidate for Governor, Daniel Cameron, unveiled his "Cameron Catch-Up" education plan Tuesday.
"[Gov. Beshear] has no serious relationships with the General Assembly. He can't do anything about these problems. But I can, and I will," Cameron said. "I offer this proposal, these ideas out of a spirit of humility."
Cameron started out his proposal announcement with a direct apology to Kentucky teachers.
"I'm sorry, sorry for any comments that have made you feel less than valued," Cameron said. "Know that this is heartfelt."
In his plan, Cameron outlined goals to develop a 16-week tutoring program for kids who are behind grade level in reading and math. He also wants to raise the base starting pay for teachers and bolster classroom discipline.
"Now the cornerstone of the Cameron Catch-Up plan is addressing learning loss by treating it as the emergency that it is," he said.
Cameron also plans to increase teachers' starting pay but not current teachers' pay.
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