Education opportunity bill is a good deal for students and parents

An incorrect statement by a columnist at the Lexington Herald-Leader provided an opportunity for me to set the message straight with an Op-Ed published in the paper today.

The statement we challenged:

“We are nearing pre-KERA levels of funding already.”

The truth, as highlighted by Dr. John Garen in his recent report about “Facts and Trends Regarding Performance and Funding of K-12 in Kentucky,” is that total funding for K to 12 education in Kentucky has grown by 80% since KERA was enacted in 1990 even after accounting for inflation. This graph from Garen’s report, shows the real picture.

Also note that Dr. Garen in a member of the Bluegrass Institute Board of Scholars.

By the way, my op-ed also includes comments about an exciting piece of legislation, House Bill 149, which creates the well-named Education Opportunity Account Program. This legislation will provide a host of better opportunities for Kentucky’s students to go to the school, public or private, that can best meet their needs, providing real choices for students and parents that Kentucky currently lacks.

Here’s a link to the entire op-ed.

And, here is a hat tip to the Herald-Leader, which was willing to allow “The Rest of the Story” to reach its readers.