Postsecondary learning is increasingly important to economic prosperity, both for individual Kentuckians and for the commonwealth as a whole. Are young residents moving toward the degrees and other credentials that can set them up for that success?

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Here, I’ll offer an approximate look at the “pipeline” from starting high school to undergraduate attainment, I'll begin with this quick graphic, suggesting that of 100 students who entered our public high schools in the fall of 2012 as few as 40 may have earned a degree or credential from a public institution by the spring of 2022.

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How was this approximation built?

The first two numbers reflect four-year graduation data from KDE (the Kentucky Department of Education) and its School Report Card data. Those reports are based on the number of students in an entering public high school cohort and then the number who graduate within four years. The cohort count is adjusted for students who move in and out of the school system. The 2016 four year graduation rate translates directly as 89 of 100 entering students graduated within four years.

The third number starts with the college-going rate from High School Feedback Reports issued by KyStats (the Kentucky Center for Statistics). Those Feedback Reports include the percent of graduates from each public school district who enroll in KCTCS, public universities, or AIKCU institutions (AIKCU is the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities). I multiplied that KyStats college-going rate by KDE’s graduate count, and then converted to the per 100 scale.

The final number begins with CPE (Council on Postsecondary Education) reports of students earning undergraduate certificates and degrees, and then narrowed that count to show only graduates ages 18-24 with Kentucky origins. As a further adjustment, I reduced that number by 12% to roughly factor out graduates of Kentucky private high schools—and then converted to the per 100 scale.

For a fuller look at the data, download this one-pager showing the statistics and the sources.

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What are the weaknesses in this method?

Again, this is a first approximation, working with incomplete data. Here are three important limitations:

1. The college-going count is limited to public and AIKCU institutions, meaning it does not show out-of-state enrollment or students who choose proprietary schools.
2. The college-going count is also based on enrollment within one year of leaving high school, so students who work for a year or more before taking next steps are not included.
3. The credential and degree count is based on the sixth year after high school graduation, but we know that many students finish certificates, associate degrees, and even baccalaureate degrees in much less than six years. I paired 2016 high school counts and 2022 postsecondary counts to stay roughly in line with the common practice of reporting six-year graduation rates from four-year programs. That’s definitely an incomplete approximation, even though it’s the best one could produce from the published data.

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What Matters Here?

40 of 100 students entering grade 9 achieve a credential within 10 years? Even as an approximation, that should make us blink. It isn't a good sign for our efforts to reach a statewide goal. 60% attainment for Kentuckians aged 25-64. Of course, we can make part of that progress through older Kentuckians returning to school, Kentuckians studying out-of-state coming home, new folks bringing their talents into our community, and the contributions of those proprietary institutions. But if our most direct pipeline is only working for 40 of 100, that's a sign that we need to improve that pipeline as well.

Seeing student group versions of the same approximation should add to our concern. Below, I’ll share versions for male, female, African American, Hispanic or Latino, and white students. Only 33 male students of 100, compared to 47 female students? Only 19 of 100 African American students? To build our big bold future, we need to knit together strategies and cultures that welcome and empower many more young adults of every background.

Finally, these approximations should raise our interest in more precise studies. We can use longitudinal data to track students by anonymous unique identifiers as they move from system to system, and a big promise of the KyStats data system is that it can allow us to follow learners from the KDE records to those maintained by CPE. This limited attempt suggests that 40 of 100 ninth-graders make it to a credential in ten years, but we have the data to check that approximation and see our challenges more clearly. Let’s study, inform, and advocate for the higher attainment we need.

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November 13, 2023
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‍Contact: Courtney Daniel, Director of Communications and External Affairs
courtney@prichardcommittee.org

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The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence Kicks Off Family Engagement in Education Week with Proclamation at the Capitol

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence celebrated the kickoff of Family Engagement in Education Week today at the Capitol Rotunda with a proclamation signed by the governor. Representatives from 52 schools and early learning centers across Kentucky were present to be recognized for being family-friendly certified.

“The Prichard Committee has long recognized the integral role of family engagement in advancing educational excellence. Today, we are not just acknowledging efforts but celebrating a culture that embraces family as a cornerstone of education,” said Brigitte Blom, President/CEO of the Prichard Committee. “Our vision is to see every school in Kentucky embrace the power of engaged families. Today, we are one step closer to that reality.”

The event featured testimonials from education leaders and partners, including Dr. Felicia Cummings Smith, President of the National Center for Families Learning; Tracey Rowe, Vice President of Programs at Learning Grove; and Dr. Channell Barbour, Chief of Staff at Partners for Rural Impact; who shared insights into their collaborative efforts.

Legislators including Rep. Derrick Graham, Rep. DJ Johnson, Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe and Sen. David Yates spoke as well, sharing their experiences with family engagement in education and the importance of schools and communities coming together to support students.

“As a former educator, I have witnessed the transformative effect of family engagement on student achievement. When families are involved, schools thrive. This week is a celebration of that essential partnership,” Rep. Graham said. “I want to commend all the schools recognized here today for their commitment to working with parents and bringing them into the education process.”

Research shows family engagement in education correlates with higher academic achievements and more consistent school attendance, among other benefits like teacher support and stronger community relationships.

Sen. Bledsoe also noted the importance of community and family ties in educational success. “The strength of a school’s academic program is greatly enhanced by the active participation of its families,” Sen. Bledsoe said. “It is encouraging to see such a strong turnout from schools that have fostered this connection, leading to improved student success and stronger communities.”

This event marked the third annual Family Engagement in Education Week and precedes a week of activities aimed to encourage connections between families and schools. For more information about family engagement activities and resources, visit prichardcommittee.org/week-at-a-glance or contact Laura Beard at laura.beard@prichardcommittee.org.

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2023 Family Friendly Certified Schools:

• Lincoln Elementary, Dayton Independent School District
• Ludlow High, Ludlow Independent Schools District
• Mary A. Goetz, Ludlow Independent Schools District
• Erlanger/Elsmere Early Learning Center, Learning Grove
• SCAPA, Fayette County Public Schools
• Lafayette High School, Fayette County Public Schools
• *Breckinridge Elementary, Fayette County Public Schools
• Brenda Cowan Elementary, Fayette County Public Schools
• May Valley Elementary, Floyd County Public Schools
• Berea Community Elementary, Berea Community School
• East Bernstadt Independent, East Bernstadt Independent Schools
• Floyd County Early Childhood, Floyd County Public Schools
• Floyd Central High, Floyd County Public Schools
• Duff-Allen Central Elementary, Floyd County Public Schools
• Betsy Layne Elementary, Floyd County Public Schools
• Betsy Layne High, Floyd County Public Schools
• John M. Stumbo, Floyd County Public Schools
• Jenkins Independent, Jenkins Independent School District
• *Harlan Elementary, Harlan Independent School District
• *Harlan Middle/High, Harlan Independent School District
• Grace James Academy, Jefferson County Public Schools
• *Kenwood, Jefferson County Public Schools
• Washington County High, Washington County Public Schools
• Washington County Middle, Washington County Public Schools
• Washington County Elementary, Washington County Public Schools
• North Washington County Elementary, Washington County Public Schools
• North Washington Early Childhood, Washington County Public Schools
• Washington County Early Childhood, Washington County Public Schools
• Whitesville Elementary, Daviess County Public Schools
• Heritage Park High, Daviess County Public Schools
• Country Heights Elementary, Daviess County Public Schools
• Highland Elementary, Daviess County Public Schools
• Burns Elementary, Daviess County Public Schools
• Southern Oaks Elementary, Daviess County Public Schools
• Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County Public Schools
• Trigg Tots Center, Trigg County Public Schools
• *Barbourville Independent, Barbourville Independent Schools
• Growing Together Preschool, Lexington
• Clearfield Elementary, Rowan County Public Schools
• Rodburn Elementary, Rowan County Public Schools
• Rowan County Senior High, Rowan County Public Schools
• *Reidland Elementary, McCracken County Public Schools
• Conkwright Elementary, Clark County Public Schools
• Baker Intermediate, Clark County Public Schools
• Menifee Central Menifee, County Public Schools
• Niagara Elementary, Henderson County Public Schools
• Frankfort High, Frankfort Independent School District
• Second Street School, Frankfort Independent School District
• Shelby East Middle, Shelby County Public Schools
• *Northside Early Childhood Center, Shelby County Public Schools
• Jackson Independent School, Jackson Independent School District
• Whitley City Elementary

*Indicates certification at Gold Level

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Join the Celebration: Family Engagement in Education Week

‍Kentucky Schools and Families Unite to Forge a Path to Student Success

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Kentucky Family Engagement in Education Week is November 13th-17th. Year after year, I get excited about this week because it’s an opportunity to highlight the wonderful ways that families, schools, and communities across the state work together to support student success.

Normally, this behind-the-scenes work involves schools creating systems and processes to ensure that every student has a team of adults, from inside and outside the school, working to launch them to success. It rarely makes the front page of newspapers, but it is the vital work of creating the conditions for success in Kentucky schools.

As the Family Friendly Schools Director with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, I have the pleasure of reading about the great things happening across our state through accounts from family-school teams that are working to improve the systems for family-school partnerships. I read about how schools are engaging families of multilingual learners and families of students with special needs, ensuring that every family has multiple opportunities to talk regularly with their child’s teachers, and ensuring that teachers and school staff are getting the support they need to effectively collaborate with families.

All these efforts are based on research that stretches back decades, and new research continues to support that families and communities are crucial elements in student success. A recent book, Everyone Wins: The Evidence for Family-School Partnerships & Implications for Practice, outlines how everyone—not just students—wins when families and schools work together. These practices have led to better staff retention in schools, help families feel more confident in their ability to support their child, and have the potential to positively transform the schools and districts using them.

While there is a part we can all play in supporting Kentucky schools, school leaders across the state have a unique opportunity to work with staff, families, and community partners to create the conditions for effective engagement. While this work has long been established as important, it has sometimes been challenging for schools to evaluate where they are in the process and to develop a plan to improve. I’m proud to support schools through such a process with the Family Friendly School certification. You can find more information about this certification at prichardcommittee.org/familyengagement.

No matter who you are, I hope you will join us in celebrating Kentucky Family Engagement in Education Week by learning more about what your local school is doing to support family-school partnerships, sharing social media posts from schools and organizations this week, and reflecting on how your own family supported your education.

November 8, 2023
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‍FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‍For more information, contact:
Courtney Daniel, Director of Communications and External Affairs
courtney@prichardcommittee.org

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Focusing on Education Progress Post-Election

Statement From The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence

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‍LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence congratulates Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman on their election yesterday. We look forward to seeing the administration's policies in their second term, with an eye toward advancing education outcomes and ensuring a thriving future for all Kentuckians.  

This election comes at a critical recovery period from the impacts of the global pandemic. Recent data reveal concerning statistics. As an example, only 46% of Kentucky's third-graders achieved reading proficiency in 2023. At the current rate of progress, achieving full proficiency for all students could take over half a century. Clearly, there is significant work to be done to not only return to pre-2019 levels but to propel Kentucky beyond those benchmarks.

We envision a commonwealth where every family has access to employment that pays a family-sustaining wage, where there is a thriving early childhood sector that supports working families and little learners, and there is access to a world-class public education that ensures a meaningful high school diploma, equipping each student with the knowledge and skills they need for the future.

The time is now for all of us to come together and realize the Big Bold Future we know we can achieve.

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The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence is an independent, nonpartisan, citizen-led organization working to improve education in Kentucky – early childhood through postsecondary.

How has Kentucky done recently at welcoming and empowering all Kentucky’s K-12 learners? This week, after Brigitte Blom’s call to action, I’ve summarized 2023 overall test scores and shared a snapshot of those results by group. Here, I want to share other kinds of evidence about how well we have been supporting students of varied backgrounds on the path to a large life.

History tells us our schools were once designed to exclude children of color and children with disabilities, channel children from low-income families into low-income futures, and provide sharply different opportunities based on gender.

Have we broken all that down and reshaped schools to value and develop all children’s capacities fully? No, we have not. That work is unfinished, and those differences cast shadows over our hopes for a big bold future.

Here, I’ll support that claim with seven kinds of evidence from the recently released 2023 Kentucky School Report Card. I’ll use charts to show patterns by race and share a downloadable table showing the related patterns based on English learner status, disability identification, economic disadvantage, and gender. I’m giving race first attention because many people find those issues the most uncomfortable to engage, but I invite every reader to puzzle over the full set of patterns.

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1. Chronic Absenteeism

Student absences count as chronic when they miss seventeen days of school or more in one year. In addition to obvious learning impacts, that level of absence warrants concerns that students may not be connecting fully as class members.

30% of Kentucky students had chronic absences last year. That warrants big concern for our learners. The rates varied considerably by student group, with African American students having a 35% chronic rate.

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2. Classroom Removals

When students are removed from their classrooms for disciplinary reasons, that surely affects their sense of belonging and engagement. Last year, Kentucky schools had 27 removals for every 100 students. I’ve calculated that by adding up reported expulsions, suspensions, and in-school removals and then dividing by enrollment. Those removals aren’t distributed anything like evenly: African American students experienced 64 removals per 100 students. That’s notably better than their experience before the pandemic, but it’s still grounds for great concern.

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3. Identification of Gifted and Talented Students

Kentucky has committed to providing distinctive learning opportunities and individual education plans for exceptional students. Last year, 22% of students were recognized as gifted and talented learners ready for those supports, but there were sharp differences in identification by group. African American students, Hispanic or Latino students, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students received far fewer opportunities than students of other backgrounds.

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4. Identification of Students with Disabilities

Kentucky students with identified disabilities should receive accommodations and supports to strengthen their learning opportunities.

Over-identification has sometimes been used to push marginalized groups to one side. It’s good news that the chart below shows very similar identification rates for African America and white students.

Under-identification can also be harmful: students who could benefit from individualized learning approaches may not be offered those opportunities. The chart below invites concern about whether Asian students, Hispanic or Latino Students, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are being fully served.

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5 and 6. Dual Credit Enrollment and Success Rates

Inviting students to try college-level work in high school is now a major Kentucky strategy for adding rigor to current learning and encouraging future postsecondary study.

Dual-credit courses allow a student to meet high school requirements in classes that can also count toward a postsecondary degree or credential. The charts below look at two aspects of these opportunities: who is included in the classes and who receives grades that qualify for dual credit. The first shows quite low inclusion for African American students, Hispanic or Latino students, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. The second shows extra-low rates of receiving grades that qualify for college credit.

Advanced Placement work, where students prepare for tests that can qualify for college credit, warrants at least as much concern. That kind of coursework is now less common than dual credit, but I’ve included those comparisons in the summary table.

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7. Kindergarten to Grade 3 Reading

My final chart links fall kindergarten readiness data to spring reading proficiency levels four years later. When the Prichard team shared similar charts before the pandemic, most groups showed third grade results higher than their readiness rates. This time, the Kentucky School Report Card shows most groups reading less well than we would have expected based on their earlier readiness levels.

For Hispanic or Latino students, the upward movement stands out. That seems important enough to celebrate and explore, though that group’s reading proficiency remains lower than many other groups.

For African American students, the downward movement was sharper than for any other group. Starting kindergarten, there was an 8 point gap between those students and their white classmates. Near the end of grade 3, the gap had ballooned to 25 points.

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This isn’t a new pattern. African American students experienced a drop in the past versions that showed a rise for pretty much every other group we track.

It isn’t new, but it is disturbing. Something happens for African American children that doesn’t happen for others, and it happens after they start school. I don’t want the explanation to be that what happens is school. I don’t want the explanation to be that those children aren’t as welcome in our schools as others. I really don’t. After seeing this pattern for repeat over many years, the thing is that I don’t have any other explanation. This worries me, and it should worry us all.

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Welcome for Other Groups?

Across these seven kinds of evidence, there are signs of lesser welcome and support for English learners, students with disabilities, and students from economically disadvantaged homes. There are high classroom removals for male students and low identification of disabilities for female students. The 2023 data on these seven issues for all groups can be seen in this one-page summary.

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A Concluding Note

Our schools should provide robust opportunities and support for each and every child. The path to a larger life should be wide open for us all. We haven’t yet created that part of our big bold future yet, and I hope that looking straight at this evidence can be one important step in rising to the important challenge of welcoming and empowering all Kentucky learners.

November 7, 2023
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‍Courtney Daniel, Director of Communications and External Affairs
‍courtney@prichardcommittee.org

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Post-Election: A Call for Unity to Advance Educational Excellence in Kentucky

A Statement From President/CEO Brigitte Blom

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — As the electoral polls close in Kentucky, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence extends its congratulations to the citizens of Kentucky for participating in the essential act of voting, which forms the cornerstone of our democratic process.

The time is now to seize the momentum that this election season has created for early childhood development and education. We will continue to beat the drum for the educational advancement that candidate Daniel Cameron and incumbent Governor Andy Beshear both championed in their campaigns.

Education is the foundation upon which Kentucky will build a larger, more prosperous life for all its citizens, fostering economic well-being and community resilience. It is critical that we maintain a commitment to improving educational outcomes as a strategic investment in the economic health and growth of our commonwealth.

We are eager to engage with the leaders chosen by Kentuckians to advance policies aimed at recovering learning losses, narrowing achievement gaps, and guaranteeing that every child has the opportunity for a high-quality early education, setting them on a path to lifelong success.

Only through a collective effort and bipartisan support can we build a larger life for all within the commonwealth.

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The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence is an independent, nonpartisan, citizen-led organization working to improve education in Kentucky – early childhood through postsecondary.

The Kentucky School Report Card data was released this week, once again providing a wealth of information on outcomes, including KSA (Kentucky State Assessment) results for all students and for many student groups. For folks who want to see the patterns of similarities and differences by groups, I want to share a 2022-23 Snapshot approach that summarizes the KSA data in just three pages.The report is available for download now and shows:

• The statewide percent of students who scored proficient or distinguished in reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and writing on the 2023 KSA.
• Results for all students, for students who are and are not identified as English learners, for students with and without identified disabilities, for students with and without economic disadvantage, for students in seven groups by race and ethnicity, and for female and male students.
• A single page display for elementary school results, for middle school, and for high school.

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Unsurprisingly, the report shows differences in how well we are serving students with different backgrounds and needs. If we look straight at those differences, we can use that knowledge to work on knitting together ways to make all Kentucky learners feel welcome, respected, and empowered in our schools and to ensure that everyone in our rising generation is equipped to play a full role in Kentucky’s Big Bold Future. I hope you’ll take a look at our new Snapshot approach.

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‍The Kentucky School Report Card, created each year by the Kentucky Department of Education, offers data on every Kentucky public school and district, as well as statewide reporting. Do check out its new information your local schools.

Earlier today, Brigitte Blom’s statement on the 2023 Kentucky School Report Card noted progress on five of seven key measures, from kindergarten readiness to postsecondary readiness, along with a lack of growth in eighth grade reading and math. That’s a powerful starting snapshot of Kentucky’s K-12 challenges.

This post widens the lens, checking all tested subjects and grades. Overall, elementary grades showed growth with some results showing a big rise and others moving more slowly. The middle grades had far less change, and high school grades showed important losses in testing results along with a big step up in postsecondary readiness.

First, here’s a table of elementary results. The most impressive upward movement came in grade 5 science and writing (6 points each) with grade 3 math and grade 5 social studies also strong (5 points each). Only English mechanics stayed at 2022 levels. That said, even with this growth, Kentucky is currently below 50% on in the number of students meeting our benchmarks on every statewide elementary assessment. We have a lot of work ahead.

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The middle school table shows less progress. There was exciting growth in writing, but math results were flat or declining in all three assessed grades, and grade 8 math results were also unchanged. Again, results were below 50% proficient on all measures.

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In high school, there were some major disappointments, with four-point drops in both math and science. Social studies and writing had important improvement. As in the lower grades, all assessments showed proficiency below 50%.

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Two more high school indicators deserve attention. The four-year graduation rate rose slightly, while the postsecondary readiness level rose by an important 7 points. In the coming days, it will definitely be worth puzzling over how the rising readiness number works with the declining math and science scores noted above.

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Overall, this year’s results show us big statewide challenges.

I’m not surprised by that. Schools, students, and families have been hard by waves of disruptions, including changes wrought by digital access and social media, repeated shifts of public policy, declining buying power for public dollars, and all the challenges of a global pandemic.

The work of public education is about building our shared future. That work looks harder now than it did even a few years ago.

The work ahead will many minds and multiple strategies, and I certainly don’t have all the answers. That said, I do think I can name four elements that will be important:

1. Kentucky’s new reading investments and teacher supports are based on robust science and the changes promise to add strength to that single most important skill. Kentucky should keep the effort up, support the educators doing direct work with learners, and resisting the urge to pile on competing initiatives that drain strength from this big effort.
2. It’s time for fresh effort to keep students in our classrooms, including strategies to reduce our high rates of chronic absences and our high rates of removing students from classrooms through in school removals, out of school suspensions, and expulsions.
3. It’s time for new K-12 dollars. That should start by sustaining full-day kindergarten, fully funding transportation, and building a fund for teaching excellence: the parts of the Big Bold Ask that focus on elementary and secondary education. Kentucky also needs to listen to the rising voices pointing out how inflation has ravaged teacher compensation and SEEK purchasing power. We can’t keep asking for more bricks with less straw.
4. It’s time for deeper respect and concern for one another. Is that too soft to be a policy recommendation? I don’t think so. If we want huge things from our students, so our schools need to work both for and with them. Since we know parents can make a mighty difference for their children’s learning, our systems need to work both for and with them, top. And we can see our educators are burning all their candles at both ends to respond to their students after so many rapid changes and dislocations: all Kentuckians need to be figuring out how to make public education work for and with those who teach and serve our children.

It’s going to take lots of us, for lots of years, to build the commonwealth we want for our rising generation. It’s going to be hard work, and it can be the best work of our lives. With a big enough groundswell of shared commitment, we can build our Big Bold Future.

The Kentucky School Report Card provides data on schools and districts and information on students, staff, discipline, course offerings, and other aspects of K-12 learning.  To explore your local results, visit kyschoolreportcard.com.

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October 31, 2023
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‍FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‍For more information, contact:
Courtney Daniel, Director of Communications and External Affairs
courtney@prichardcommittee.org

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2023 Kentucky School Report Cards

A Statement from Brigitte Blom

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Education released new data on public school learning results today. While there is valuable growth since last year, it is clear we have major work ahead to not only regain 2019 achievements, but to lift Kentucky to higher levels.

The Prichard Committee recognizes the efforts of Kentucky students, families and educators on the hard work reflected in the updated data, and urges the entire commonwealth to unite to support improvements in future outcomes. It will take all of us working together to make that a reality.

The good news in today’s reporting includes improvement across five of the seven measures that we track the most closely. Compared to 2022, the statewide 2023 school report card shows:

• A 2% increase in the kindergarten readiness of students entering school last fall
• A 1% increase in grade 3 students scoring proficient or above in reading
• A 5% increase in grade 3 mathematics proficiency
• A 1% increase in the four-year high school graduation rate
• A 7% increase in postsecondary readiness

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The tough news is that two middle school measures showed no improvement, with statewide results showing:

• An 0% increase in grade 8 reading proficiency
• An 0% increase in grade 8 mathematics proficiency

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Additionally, even these improvements remain far from Kentucky’s long-term goals. Only 46% of 2023 third-grade students were proficient. If we continue improving at a pace of 1% each year, it could take 54 years to get all Kentucky students to the proficient level.

These aren’t the only indicators of how a school is serving students. Now is the time for school and district leaders to clearly communicate and engage with families and their communities around strategies to serve students holistically and to support student academic growth. Ownership of what school-communities are doing well and areas for laser-like focus in the year ahead will support continued confidence in Kentucky’s public schools.

We urge Kentuckians in every community to come together to review these data and unite around new efforts to make sure all learners receive the full opportunities and supports they need to flourish, and we are dedicated to being a partner in that work with you.

As a commonwealth, we need to invest in education to increase our pace of improvement so Kentucky learners are on track to compete in a rapidly changing economy. By investing in our education today, we are laying down the foundation for a brighter, more prosperous Kentucky tomorrow.

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The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence is an independent, nonpartisan, citizen-led organization working to improve education in Kentucky – early childhood through postsecondary.

A Fragile Ecosystem V – Kentucky Voters Demand Action on the Child Care Crisis

This report, A Fragile Ecosystem V: Kentucky Voters Demand Action on the Child Care Crisis, demonstrates broad public consensus on the need for Kentucky’s General Assembly to deliver key investment and policy changes required to sustain gains in access and quality and grow access to quality early education for more of Kentucky’s 3 and 4-year old population. A Fragile Ecosystem V demonstrates the importance of child care, Kentucky’s workforce behind the workforce, to developing an early childhood sector reflective of the need to keep parents in the workforce by providing children with the strong start required for success in school, career, and life.

Download the report

After working for years on supporting early childhood improvements, including the Big Bold Ask’s $331 million in annual added investment, I realized early in 2023 that I hadn’t understood the scale of our challenges. I hadn’t taken in how we are from child care capacity reaching all our under-fives, from state child care assistance reaching all our low-income under fives, or from state preschool serving all the children who qualify for it.

In this post, I’ll share the newest version of the numbers that startled me. Readers who know this field well will find this information familiar, of course. For others, this post is a chance to join me in surprise and (I hope) new energy for strengthening support for the youngest Kentuckians.

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Big Round Numbers

Kentucky has roughly:

• 265,000 children under 5
• 125,000 children 5 and in low-income households

That’s based on American Community Survey’s 2021 five-year estimates, the most recent available that will also let us look at county level age data.

To support those kids, Kentucky has about:

• 163,000 child care openings
• 26,000 CCAP (Child Care Assistance Program) recipients
• 22,000 preschool participants

Those figures come from 2023 Early Childhood Profiles recently released by the Kentucky Center for Statistics. Each is better than the equivalent number reported in 2022, but still weak. Head Start numbers deserve equal consideration here, but this year’s Profiles do not include that data.

These numbers don’t match up as I hoped they would because:

• 165,000 child care slots misses a lot of those 265,000 young children.
• 26,000 CCAP beneficiaries leaves a lot of those 125,000 with lower incomes unassisted.
• 22,000 in state funded preschool leaves out a lot of eligible children. Even though I don’t have a precise source, I think we might have around 39,000 children who meet the eligibility rules.

Coming next, some added detail on the programs, improved numbers after early pandemic lows, and a look at how these challenges map out over Kentucky’s 120 counties.

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Young Children with Low Incomes

47% of Kentucky’s youngest children have household incomes below 200% of the poverty level. That’s about 125,000 of the 265,000 under 5.

The challenge of low family incomes isn’t spread evenly across the state, though. Here’s a map showing county-level differences.

More than 80% of young children in Lee, McCreary, and Wolfe live in low-income houses, spotlighted in darker orange. In a set of lighter orange counties, located mainly east of I-75, more than 60% of children face that economic disadvantage. In contrast, the counties in green –where less than 40% face that challenge– are mostly in the northcentral part of the state. Do note that Jefferson and Fayette (our two largest counties) have rates of 44% and 43%, only a little better off than the statewide 47%.

Because these numbers are five-year estimates, they combine American Community Survey data from 2017 to 2021. They combine pre-pandemic and early pandemic rates. New estimates that add in 2022 data and first recovery-impacts will be available this December.

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Child Care Capacity

Kentucky’s childcare capacity can serve about 61% of our children under five. The new Early Childhood Profiles show 2021-22 capacity to serve roughly 163,000 children. In last year’s report, we had only 151,000 seats, so there’s some nice growth there. Even so, we’re well short of enough seats for our 265,000 children too young for kindergarten. Importantly, those seats aren’t evenly distributed, as shown in the next map.

Here, every county shown in yellow, light orange, and darker orange is below that 61% statewide level. In nearly every eastern county, families face higher challenges finding care. Families in and near Jefferson, Fayette, Warren and Northern Kentucky may find it at least a little easier.

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Child Care Assistance

In 2021-22, about 21,000 children benefited from CCAP, the program designed to support care for low-income children and workforce participation for their parents. That’s out out of more than 125,000 chlidren with incomes below 200% of poverty. It’s an important improvement over 21,000 a year earlier, but it’s still alarmingly low. Roughly, about 21% of Kentucky’s low-income children benefit from CCAP.

The low state figures convert to a pretty grim map at the county level, one that pretty much only shows low assistance levels. Jefferson, Fayette, Northern Kentucky, and some places nearby have better rates than most of the state, even though no place has rates that count as high or very high.

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State Preschool

Since 1990, Kentucky has offered state-funded preschool for four-year-olds from low-income households and for threes and fours with identified disabilities or developmental delays. The Early Childhood profiles show that program serving about 22,000 kids in 2021-22, up from around 18,000 a year earlier.

That’s about 9% of children under five, or about 26,000 kids. Very loosely, another 13,000 might be eligible: that’s my estimate based on about 18,000 eligible based on income, 17,000 based on disabilities/delays, and 4,000 eligible under both criteria.

Mapping by counties, Jefferson, Fayette, Northern Kentucky, and nearby areas have lower preschool rates than most counties shown, and the strongest participation levels are mostly to the south. Their child care strength and preschool weakness may be connected., perhaps because many parents are choosing year-round care over school-year-only preschool. However, Eastern Kentucky stands out with many of the lowest preschool participation rates clustered in that region.

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Moving Forward

For Kentucky to build a Big Bold Future, our youngest children must flourish, and their parents must be active contributors to our workforce and our communities. As I said at the outset, my head nearly exploded when I realized how far our key supports for those kids and families are from meeting their needs. These numbers illustrate again the need for new investments, including the $331 million in annual upgrades for early childhood called in the Big Bold Ask.

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One more note: these weaknesses will get sharply worse in the coming months if Kentucky does not commit to added investment. As federal pandemic dollars end, there will be too few dollars to sustain even current child care supports. Without added preschool funding, rates per child are dropping, and that program may also become unsustainable. Learn more about this fragile ecosystem here.

October 12, 2023
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‍Courtney Daniel, Director of Communications and External Affairs
courtney@prichardcommittee.org

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Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence Announces 16 School District Awardees for the Kentucky Community Schools Initiative

The Prichard Committee will channel nearly $1.5 million to each district over five years

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LLEXINGTON, Ky. — The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence announced today 16 school districts that will join the transformative Kentucky Community Schools Initiative, bringing the total to 20 participating districts statewide.

The Prichard Committee was awarded a $47 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education last year, and it will channel $30 million of the grant directly into the Kentucky education system through the implementation of full-service community schools, known as the Kentucky Community School Initiative.

“This is a pivotal moment for education in Kentucky. Our expansion to include new districts in the Kentucky Community Schools Initiative underscores our commitment to improving student futures through community-driven solutions,” said Brigitte Blom, President/CEO of the Prichard Committee. “Each selected district shows promise and shares our vision. We are eager to see the positive change that unfolds in these communities.”

The Kentucky Community Schools Initiative champions community-led educational solutions tailored specifically for Kentucky students and their families. When implemented effectively, the community schools model has been proven to boost student outcomes, increase college enrollments, and contribute to the overall well-being of students, especially in high-poverty schools.

The 20 districts included in this initiative are:

• Bracken County
• Carter County
• Christian County
• Clark County
• Covington Independent
• Danville Independent
• Daviess County*
• Dayton Independent
• Fayette County
• Hopkins County
• Jefferson County*
• McCracken County
• Owensboro Independent*
• Paducah Independent
• Rockcastle County
• Rowan County*
• Scott County
• Shelby County
• Warren County
• Washington County

* Pilot Districts

With the joint efforts of these districts and the resources provided through the grant, the Prichard Committee is supporting a community-centered approach to education, tailored to the unique needs of each district.

This work will be supported by a state steering committee and the University of Kentucky College of Education Center for Evaluation.

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The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence is an independent, nonpartisan, citizen-led organization working to improve education in Kentucky – early childhood through postsecondary.