Money spent on K-12 public education in Kentucky has greatly increased over the past 30 years, but this has not corresponded with positive results. A new report by the Bluegrass Institute reveals that “overall funding has risen dramatically and nearly continuously since 1990, but educational test scores have changed very modestly.” Black students still have far lower test scores than white students. And schools have hired many more non-teaching staff while insufficiently raising teacher salaries. Kentucky’s public education system faces many challenges, but a lack of funds isn’t one of them. Meanwhile, too many of our schools prioritize political activism and gender ideology over the task of learning. Kentucky education will improve when it rediscovers a commitment to excellence in teaching and educational attainment and character formation of students.
When it comes to public education, funding isn’t the problem. It’s not about allotment. It’s about allocation.