Three Steps to a Better Budget this Session
The General Assembly has less than two months to finalize the next two-year state budget. Although the governor’s budget rightly...
Education
Fact Sheet: Need-Based Financial Aid Dollars Being Diverted to General Fund
For years millions of scholarship dollars have been diverted away from Kentucky’s need-based financial aid programs to the General Fund. Studies have shown that need-based financial aid: • Increases college...
Cuts to Community Colleges Mean Disinvestment in Kentucky’s Primary Workforce Development Source
Governor Bevin’s interest in investing in workforce development is a notable priority. However, the approach outlined in his budget proposal decreases investment in the state’s primary site of workforce development:...
Infographic: Kentucky Higher Education Cuts Among Worst in Country
Even as most states have begun to restore funding for higher education after cuts during the recession, Kentucky has continued to reduce funding as outlined a report from the Center...
Tuition Freeze Is Not Proper Answer to College Affordability Problem Given Large, Continuous Budget Cuts
With the steep increases in tuition at Kentucky’s public universities and community colleges in recent years, a state mandated tuition freeze as proposed in SB 75 might sound like a...
Governor’s Budget Proposal Would Worsen College Affordability
Governor Bevin’s budget proposal would not improve — and would even worsen — the state’s college affordability problems. Deep budget cuts to public universities and community colleges are expected to...
2016 Kentucky Budget Primer
The Budget of the Commonwealth is a financial plan, enacted every two years by Kentucky’s General Assembly, that maps out our state’s investments in education, health, transportation, public safety, human services...
Diversion of Lottery Funds Undermines College Affordability
According to law, 55 percent of lottery profits are supposed to pay for need-based scholarships (after $3 million is given to literacy programs). For years, though, millions of scholarship dollars...
Facing Challenges with the New GED Test in Kentucky
Facing Challenges with the New GED Test in Kentucky[1.The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy is a non-partisan initiative that conducts research, analysis and education on important policy issues facing the...
Even Big Cuts to New Teachers’ Pensions Would Do Little to Address System’s Funding Challenge
Even if the state were to massively cut pension benefits for new teachers, it wouldn’t result in meaningful savings to the teachers’ retirement system over the 30 year period needed...