Fast Facts
•Graduation Rate: 70.5%
•Average SAT Score: 1711
•Average ACT Score: 19.6
•4th Grade NAEP Math Score: 39%
•8th Grade NAEP Math Score: 30%
•4th Grade NAEP Reading Score: 36%
•8th Grade NAEP Reading Score: 36%
•Per Pupil Funding: $9,125
•Public School Enrollment: 680,089
Kentucky
As Elvis proclaimed, “Cold Kentucky Rain” is falling down and so is this state’s effort to give parents better learning opportunities for their children. No school choices are afforded to the state’s families, despite thoughtful efforts to get better laws on the books. At least Kentucky parents have the power to vote in school board elections held on general election dates.
The state permits parents some choices among traditional public schools by allowing students in low performing schools to attend another school both within their district and in other districts.
SOURCE: The Friedman Foundation for Educational ChoiceDespite continuous efforts by legislators, Kentucky is one of the last eight states with no charter school law.
SOURCE: The Essential Guide to Charter School Law 2013 National Ranking and ScorecardKentucky’s virtual school program dates back to 2000, but has been limited in scope. The state’s history with online learning would be bolstered by formal state policies that support expanded access to diverse online and blended opportunities.
SOURCE: Digital Learning Now!New evaluations include a four-tier rating system and the use of student growth, among other measures, but are not required annually for all teachers. Neither tenure decisions nor licensure advancement and renewal are connected to objective evidence of teacher effectiveness. Performance is not considered in layoff decisions, which are based primarily on seniority. Ineffective classroom performance is not a ground for dismissal.
Districts must adopt a base salary schedule based on years of experience and advanced degrees, but can also reward teachers for working in high-need schools or subjects, but not for prior work experience.
SOURCE: National Council on Teacher QualityComprehensive and fairly easy to read report cards are available on Kentucky’s education department website. No choice exists in the state so information on options is not applicable. The 176 local school boards are elected in November during the general election cycle.
Scoreboard
54%
Best Performing Outlets
- Grayson County News-Gazette - Online 83%
- Richmond Register - Online 83%
Total stories:
Total media outlets:
Worst Performing Outlets
- State Journal - Online, The 0%
- Kentucky New Era 17%
Be the Power
- Won't Back Down
- Evaluate Your School
- Explore Choice Programs
- Explore Schooling Options
- Find a Charter School
- Explore Digital Learning Opportunities
- Information is Power!
- National Council on Teacher Quality
- The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice
- Digital Learning Now!
- Parent Revolution
- American Federation for Children
- iNACOL
- BAEO
- Your Story
- Action Ideas
- Charter Schools are innovative public schools designed by educators, parents or civic leaders that are open by choice, accountable for results and free from most unnecessary rules and regulations governing conventional public schools. For more information about CER's annual charter law rankings, click here.
- School choice means giving parents the power and opportunity to choose the school their child will attend. States that give all parents the opportunity to choose the best school for their child – whether public, private, parochial or charter – ensure Parent Power!.
- Teacher quality comes with strong, data-driven, performance-based accountability systems that ensure teachers are rewarded, retained and advanced based on how they perform in adding value to the students who they teach, measured predominantly by student achievement, along with skills and responsibilities.
- Transparency in education means giving parents access to good and objective information about their schools, student and teacher performance and options.
- The movement toward improving education in the U.S. today includes a strong focus on online learning, an approach that involves a myriad of delivery mechanisms via online tools for students, no matter where they live or attend school. Online learning is opening up classrooms to the world and ensuring students access to some of the best content and educators.