Education in Kentucky facts for kids
Education in Kentucky helps students learn from kindergarten all the way through college. Most schools and colleges in Kentucky are approved by a group called the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Kentucky has worked hard to improve its education system. For example, in 1992, about 19% of adults in Kentucky had trouble with basic reading skills. By 2003, this number dropped to 12%, showing great progress!
Contents
History of Education in Kentucky
Early Days (Before 1865)
In the early days of Kentucky, there weren't many public schools. Education was mostly private. Rich families paid for their children to be taught at home or at small schools called "academies." These schools charged money, so not everyone could go. Teachers often didn't have much training, and they mainly taught reading, writing, and simple math.
Some private schools started very early, like the Salem Academy in Bardstown in 1794. But public schools didn't really grow until after 1865. During the Civil War, many schools closed or were disrupted.
Before 1865, school was not free or required. Many children, especially those from poor or rural families, couldn't go to school. Public high schools were very rare. Teachers often had little training, sometimes just a year or two of extra schooling after 8th grade. The lessons were very basic, focusing only on reading, writing, and math. There were no organized sports or clubs. School buildings were often old, with few books or supplies.
Education After 1865
After 1865, things started to change. In some mountain areas, many adults couldn't read or write. To help with this, "Moonlight Schools" were started by Cora Wilson Stewart in 1911. These were night classes held in local schools, allowing adults to learn after their daytime work. By 1914, these schools were available across the state, and they helped 40,000 adults learn to read and write!
K-12 Education in Kentucky
The Kentucky Board of Education oversees K-12 education in Kentucky. This includes all public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. In the 2018–19 school year, there were over 648,000 students in Kentucky public schools.
Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)
In 1998, Kentucky started a special scholarship program called the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES). This program uses money from the state lottery to help students pay for college.
To get a KEES scholarship, students need to earn good grades (a 2.5 GPA or higher) in challenging high school classes. They also need to attend a college in Kentucky. The amount of money a student gets depends on their grades and their score on the ACT test. This scholarship can be renewed for four years if the student keeps up their good grades.
Colleges and Universities in Kentucky
Kentucky has many options for higher education. There are two special programs for very smart high school juniors and seniors: the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics and the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky. These programs let students earn college credits while still in high school.
Kentucky has eight public universities, 16 public community and technical colleges, and over 30 private colleges. The oldest college in Kentucky is Transylvania University, which was founded in 1780. Berea College was the first college in the South that allowed both Black and white students, and both men and women, to study together.
In Kentucky, the ACT is the most common college entrance test. All public high school students in Kentucky are required to take the ACT in their junior year.
Many students who graduate from Kentucky universities find good jobs. For example, three years after graduating, the average salary for a Kentucky university graduate was about $35,323. Students who studied education often had higher salaries, around $44,408.
Kentucky Educational Television (KET)
Kentucky Educational Television (KET) is Kentucky's public television network. It's the largest PBS network in the country! KET started in 1968. Besides showing PBS programs, KET also has shows for local audiences and educational series that some colleges use for online courses.
Education Reform in Kentucky
Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA)
In 1990, Kentucky passed a big law called the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). This happened because the Kentucky Supreme Court said the state's education system needed major changes. KERA aimed to make education fair for all students across the state.
Before KERA, schools in poorer areas received about $1,600 less per student each year than schools in richer areas. By 1997, KERA had helped reduce this difference to about $550.
Results of KERA
Since 1990, Kentucky has used different tests to check how students are doing.
- From 1992 to 1998, they used the Kentucky Instructional Results Information Service (KIRIS).
- Later, the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS) was introduced.
In 1998, Kentucky's education system even won an award called the Innovations in American Government Award from the Ford Foundation and Harvard University!
From 1999 to 2006, Kentucky schools showed improvement on the CATS tests in almost every subject and grade level. This meant that many elementary schools were on track to meet their learning goals.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a national test that compares students across different states. Recent NAEP results show Kentucky students scoring well:
- Above the national average in fourth and eighth grade science.
- About the same as the national average in fourth and eighth grade reading, fourth grade writing, and eighth grade math.
Changes to Higher Education (1997)
In 1997, another important law called the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act (House Bill 1) changed higher education in Kentucky. This law aimed to make the University of Kentucky one of the top 20 public research universities by 2020. It also aimed for the University of Louisville to become a leading city research university.
This law also created several new groups to help with education:
- The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) now manages the state's community and technical colleges.
- The Kentucky Virtual Campus (KYVC) helps students find online courses and degrees from Kentucky colleges.
- The Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL) helps students and teachers find books and research materials online.
- The Kentucky Virtual Schools (KYVS) offers special online courses, like foreign languages or Advanced Placement classes, that smaller schools might not be able to offer.
New School Age Law
In 2013, a new law was signed that made the mandatory school age in Kentucky rise to 18. This means all students must stay in school until they are 18 years old, unless they graduate earlier. This change happened gradually, with all school districts following the new rule by the 2017–18 school year.
Assessment and Accountability Task Force
In 2008, a special group was formed to look at how well Kentucky's student testing system (CATS) was working. This group made suggestions to the state government on how to make testing better for students.
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) was created in 1997. Its job is to help Kentucky's colleges and universities succeed. The CPE creates a plan every five years to set goals for higher education. Their current goal is for 60% of people in Kentucky to earn a college degree or certificate by the year 2030. They also work to help more low-income students, minority students, and adult learners go to college.
