GIVING

Building a path to a larger life for all Kentuckians through excellent education.

In 2020, the Prichard Committee urged all Kentuckians to join the work of creating a Big Bold Future for our Commonwealth. This report is the second update showing Kentucky’s progress on our set of indicators.

Bluntly, the new evidence is troubling.

There is some good news. It’s especially important that Kentucky is moving back toward 2019 reading and math results, and we’re doing that more successfully than most other states.

But we aren’t back to our 2019 reading and math levels, and 2019 performance wasn’t strong enough. On many other indicators, we’ve seen declines or very small progress.

The Prichard Committee now calls on our whole state to respond to this hard news with fresh energy and determination. As people who love Kentucky, let’s join together and get to work on building deeper insights, deeper engagement, and deeper investment, both at the state level and in each of our local communities. We invite you to explore the evidence on the pages that follow and join us in renewed efforts to make education Kentucky’s pathway to a larger life and a Big Bold Future for all of us.

Indicator Summary

1.3

BRIGHT SPOTS

  • 4th of 50 states in high school graduation rate
  • 4th in two-year postsecondary graduation rate
  • 12th in grade 4 reading
2.2

Strong Trends

(on pace for top 20 states in another decade)

  • 25th and rising in voter turnout
  • 27th and rising in four-year postsecondary graduation rate
3.1

Weak Trends

(not on pace for top 20 states in another decade)

  • 32nd and rising slowly in grade 8 math
  • 33rd and rising slowly in babies with healthy birth weight
  • 46th and rising slowly in life expectancy
4.1

Declining/Flat Rankings

(not on pace for top 20 states in another decade)

  • 42nd and declining in households with broadband access
  • 44th and unchanged in residents holding associate degrees or higher
  • 46th and declining in children living at or above the poverty line
  • 46th and declining in postsecondary enrollment
  • 46th and unchanged in household median income
  • 47th and declining in preschool enrollment
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT
3
4
5
6
7

Join Us to Build a Big Bold Future

This year’s report shares some troubling trends, summoning us all to new commitment.

If we work together, steadily and collaboratively, Kentuckians can build a commonwealth where everyone can flourish.

We invite you to join us in that work!

CONTACT US

The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence © 2026 All rights reserved

Designed by Six10 Creative