FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Gov. Andy Beshear gives Kentucky an "A" grade when it comes to where the state is going.
“This has been an exciting year," he said in an end-of-year interview with LEX 18 on Tuesday. "We continue to build a record-setting economy. We’re expanding healthcare all across the state."
"I believe that we are an ‘A’ in where we’re going. Though it is going to take us some additional time to get there," he added. "But just the amount of progress we’re making and how we’re being seen nationally - us Kentucky - is really exciting. So, I want people to know there are good things ahead in a world of pessimism and skepticism. It’s really exciting what we’re doing together.”
However, there are always challenges that will be faced. In the governor's opinion, Kentucky has several big ones it will need to handle in 2024.
"We have a challenge in what we pay our public-school educators. We have a challenge in not having universal pre-K for our youngest learners. We have challenges with the overall health of our people. Far too many people suffering from diabetes, and heart disease, and lung cancer," said Beshear. "If we can turn those things around - better pay will ensure we have a teacher in every classroom, a bus driver to get everybody to school. Universal pre-K will mean nobody’s left behind when 54% of students show up and aren’t Kindergarten-ready. If we can make our people healthier, we can reduce disability and get more people into the workforce."
Beshear brought these issues up in his budget address on Monday night. In his speech, he argued for significant funding for public education.
According to the Governor's Office, Beshear's plan provides $1.1 billion over two years to fund an 11% raise to all public school employees – including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and janitors. This increase would bring Kentucky’s average teacher starting pay to $42,191, which would bring Kentucky up to 24th in the country for teacher starting salary in National Education Association rankings. The pay raise also would bring Kentucky up to 25th in average teacher salary from its current ranking of 40th in the NEA’s rankings.
“Just imagine the local economic impact of an 11% raise to every employee of the county’s largest employer. And we have the funding to do it,” Beshear said. “These raises will not only help us recruit but will have a major impact on our local communities.”
The Governor's Office said the plan also provides $172 million each year to fund universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds. The Department of Education estimates that under this plan, about 34,000 additional Kentucky 4-year-olds would be provided preschool education.
Beshear emphasized these points in his end-of-year interview too.
"We’ve got to make sure we get these raises passed for our public schools. These are our learners and our workers and our leaders of the future," he said. "We are simply not paying a living wage that attracts the teachers and the bus drivers. I mean, Tennessee just passed a 22% raise. That’s who we’re competing with."
On top of these items on Beshear's must-do list, there's also the rebuilding of Kentucky after the natural disasters of 2021 and 2022.
Some families that survived the tornadoes in the West and the flooding in the East are still waiting on permanent homes. Beshear believes while a lot of progress has been made, there's a lot more work to be done.
"I won’t be satisfied until it’s done," he said. "We have to be relentless in how we pursue this. I see every family we hand keys to and it’s an incredible experience. Typically, the couple walks in - they look at the kitchen, they look around at where the TV is going to go. The kids go and pick out their bedroom. I mean, they have been without a house for a year or two years. But then I always pause, because there are hundreds of families that haven’t had that chance yet."
So, Beshear hopes a lot more keys will be handed out in 2024.
The full interview with Gov. Beshear can be viewed below:
