State legislators passed a bill earlier this year that will now give Kentuckians the opportunity to vote on Amendment 2. Voting in favor of Amendment 2 allows the Kentucky General Assembly to pass educational policies such as a school choice program.
It is with deep concern that our children are not getting properly educated, especially within inner-city school systems where many of the children are left unable to read or write.
The future of Kentucky will look bleak if this amendment is not passed.
If we don’t work together statewide to create a workable, competitive, and well-financed education system, the price we pay will be catastrophic.
If our children continue to leave school without the proper education they deserve, they will have no chance of succeeding in our modern workforce.
Businesses will continue to overlook Kentucky because of our lack of an educated workforce. They will relocate and expand to our neighboring states which all have school choice programs.
Without competition in the education system, we’re not going to see much change. Increased funding hasn’t been enough to increase test scores.
Parents want a choice, teachers want higher pay, and all children deserve the best education they can get. The majority of school choice programs across the country have provided those results.
We must all work together for the benefit of our children and the future of our state and local communities with a school choice system that can support everyone.
We desperately need to support and vote yes on Amendment 2, November 5th, to save Kentucky’s future.
Matth Toebben
Crescent Springs
Mr. Toebben’s piece includes several incorrect statements, but the worst is this sad & misguided take on Kentucky’s economy:
“Businesses will continue to overlook Kentucky because of our lack of an educated workforce.”
There is bipartisan agreement between the Governor & General Assembly that Kentucky’s economy is doing well. Thanks to public and private schools, our workforce is strong & well-prepared, and the private schools are succeeding WITHOUT tax dollars.
This is taken from The Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions published — K-12 in Kentucky: A summary of facts and trends by John Garen PhD(January 2024).
“The gap between the average White student and average Black student scores was wider in 2022 than in 1990 for each of these four NAEP tests.
According to Kentucky’s testing in 2022 (the KSA), over half of students are not proficient on grades 4 and 8 reading and math tests. The 2022 national NAEP test indicates that over two-thirds are not proficient.
For Black students, the 2022 KSA shows that over three-fourths are not proficient on any of these tests. The 2022 NAEP indicates over 85% are not proficient.”
Amendment 2 won’t fix this mess but it will most certainly provide an opportunity for parents to find a better approach to educating their children.
Our educational system has issues, including poverty, lack of resources, including internet access, school funding, and teacher turnover. The $1.9 billion for the proposed voucher system would not benefit the children who need it the most: the poor, those who live in rural areas where resources and internet access are sparse, those with disabilities, and those where funding for schools is limited. The expanded voucher program primarily subsidizes families already in private schools and benefits those who least need the help.
Kentuckians need to work to make education better for ALL our kids, not just some. Amendment 2 has those of our children most needing help paying for the private school education of more affluent children.