New Research Shows Crises Facing Rural Students in Kentucky

Every year, thousands of high school students throughout Kentucky walk across graduation stages, diplomas in hand. It's a proud moment for families, educators, and communities. But what does that diploma really mean for the futures of these graduates?  

Today, the Prichard Committee released findings from our 2024 Meaningful Diploma Employer Survey, offering key insights into how Kentucky's business community views high school graduates’ preparation. The survey, gathering perspectives from more than 600 employers and industry representatives across 20+ industries, comes at a critical moment as Kentucky business and education leaders examine what a Kentucky high school diploma should mean and what standards matter most.

This was the question that drove us to reach out to Kentucky's business community. We wanted to hear directly from the people who are hiring our graduates, working alongside them, and depending on their skills to drive our state's economy forward.  

More than 600 employers across Kentucky shared their insights with us, and their message was clear: while we're getting many things right, there's work to be done to ensure a Kentucky high school diploma opens doors to real opportunities and equips graduates with the credentials and skills they need to succeed.

The World Our Graduates Are Entering

The postsecondary transition and workforce landscape has shifted dramatically. Today's high school graduates are making different choices than their predecessors did just a few years ago. More are heading straight into the workforce or combining work with further education. This makes it more important than ever that a high school diploma represents real preparation for success, whether a graduate's next step is college, career, or both.

What We're Hearing from Employers

The feedback from Kentucky’s business community is both concerning and hopeful: only about 1 in 8 employers feel strongly confident in our recent graduates' workplace readiness. As one manufacturing leader put it, "We see plenty of diplomas, but we're seeing gaps in both academic preparation and workplace readiness skills. Our graduates need stronger foundations in both areas to be truly prepared for success.”

Employers say they're seeing gaps in crucial areas like communication, critical thinking, and workplace etiquette – the kinds of skills that can make or break someone's career success.

The Good News: Employers Want to Help

Here's what's encouraging: Kentucky's business community isn't just pointing out concerns – they're eager to be part of the solution. In addition to the 21.8% of employers that say they already offer work-based learning opportunities like internships and apprenticeships, more than half of employers who aren't currently offering these experiences say they are very willing to. As one healthcare industry executive shared, "We see tremendous opportunity to partner with schools and help prepare students for real-world success. We just need better frameworks for making these connections.”

Building Partnerships That Matter

The enthusiasm is there – 83.7% of employers believe partnerships with schools are crucial for developing talent. But right now, fewer than 1 in 5 report having regular communication with local schools. As one regional business leader noted, "There's often a disconnect between how we measure success in education and what makes someone successful in the workplace.”

What This Means for Kentucky's Future

When we talk about making diplomas more meaningful, we're really talking about fundamental questions of economic opportunity and creating upward economic mobility. We're talking about the diploma serving as Kentucky's promise that every graduate is equipped to earn a living wage, support a family, and contribute to their community. We're talking about breaking cycles of poverty and building generational wealth. We're talking about strengthening our state's talent pipeline and making Kentucky more attractive to new businesses and industries. A Kentucky high school diploma must be a reliable signal that students have mastered not only academic subjects but have developed the durable skills and transferable knowledge needed to thrive in our rapidly evolving world.

Moving Forward Together

The full Meaningful Diploma Employer Survey Report provides actionable insights for strengthening the connection between education and workforce success in Kentucky; And solving it requires all of us: educators connecting classroom learning to real-world success, employers providing authentic learning experiences, policymakers removing barriers to collaboration, and communities supporting meaningful change.

While public education remains a critical public trust, careful calibration to meet today's challenges is required. As Kentucky education and business leaders work together to strengthen the meaning of a high school diploma, we must ensure our accountability systems and measures of success align with what employers value most – including durable skills, real-world application of learning, and authentic work experiences. Getting this alignment right means transforming Kentucky's high school diploma from a credential of completion into a trusted signal of genuine preparation.

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Report shows employers value durable skills such as critical thinking and collaboration  

LEXINGTON, Ky -- The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence today released results of the 2024 Meaningful Diploma Employer Survey, offering critical insights into the workforce readiness of Kentucky’s high school graduates. Based on responses from over 600 employers across more than 20 industries in the state, the report provides a detailed examination of employers' confidence in graduate preparedness, the value of durable skills, and opportunities to strengthen school-business partnerships.

"Kentucky's high school diploma must be evidence that Kentucky’s high school students are prepared for post-high school success," said Prichard Committee President and CEO Brigitte Blom. "While we celebrate Kentucky’s high graduation rate, the reality is that too many students leave high school without the academic knowledge, career preparation, and durable skills needed to succeed in college and the workforce. Ensuring Kentucky’s high school diploma is meaningful is about giving every Kentucky student genuine opportunities for economic mobility, strengthening our talent pipeline, and ensuring our state's future prosperity. This work is essential not just for individual student success, but for breaking cycles of poverty, building generational wealth in our communities, and positioning Kentucky as a leader in both postsecondary attainment and workforce participation."

The findings shed light on gaps in workforce readiness while outlining opportunities for education and business leaders to collaborate on solutions that ensure graduates are equipped for post-secondary success—whether pursuing higher education or entering the workforce.

Key Findings from the Report:

• Employer Confidence in Graduate Preparedness
  While 56% of Kentucky employers report moderate to high confidence in the preparedness of recent high school graduates, only 12% express strong confidence, with 14% reporting none. Employers identified significant gaps in essential workplace competencies, such as professionalism, critical thinking, and communication, with less than 10% rating graduates as well-prepared in these areas.

• The Importance of Durable Skills
  Durable skills, including professionalism, work ethic, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence, are viewed as critical for success by 78.5% of employers. The findings underscore the importance of integrating these skills into K-12 education to better prepare students for life beyond high school.

• Untapped Potential in Work-Based Learning
  Practical work experience is highly valued by employers, yet only 21.4% currently offer these opportunities. Encouragingly, over 54% of employers expressed a willingness to provide work-based learning, signaling significant potential to expand real-world learning opportunities for students.

• School-Business Partnerships
  Collaboration between schools and businesses is viewed as essential by 83.7% of employers surveyed. However, only half of respondents have engaged with K-12 schools, and less than 20% report frequent interactions. Employers showed strong interest in partnering on curriculum development (55%) and supporting career preparation initiatives (65%), highlighting the need for stronger communication and coordination.

• Barriers to Workforce Readiness Programs
  The report identifies key challenges in implementing workforce readiness programs, including a lack of qualified instructors or mentors (50%), student engagement challenges (45.8%), and scheduling coordination difficulties (45.1%).

“The postsecondary transition and workforce landscape has shifted dramatically,” said Delaney Stephens, Prichard Committee Director of Policy for Meaningful Diplomas. “Today's high school graduates are making different choices than their predecessors did just a few years ago. More are heading straight into the workforce or combining work with further education. This makes it more important than ever that a high school diploma represents real preparation for success, whether a graduate's next step is college, career, or both.”

The 2024 Meaningful Diploma Employer Survey reveals a clear need for stronger alignment between Kentucky’s education system and workforce demands. By addressing gaps in graduate preparedness, expanding work-based learning opportunities, and fostering robust school-business partnerships, Kentucky can ensure all graduates are equipped to thrive in the modern workforce.

"The findings of this survey highlight both the challenges and opportunities before us," said Blom. "It’s a call to action for educators, policymakers, and the business community to come together and develop innovative strategies that will prepare every student for a successful post-high school pathway."

The full report is available for download here.  

For more information on how employers and schools are working toward creating meaningful and relevant educational experiences in Kentucky communities, visit the Prichard Committee’s Meaningful Diploma Spotlight series here.

Dear Kentucky Citizens,

We, the Appalachia Educator Alliance, write to you with a sense of urgency and commitment to share insights from our recent report, Shaping the Future of Education in Appalachia Kentucky: Insights and Action Report 2024. Our findings highlight the unique challenges and pressing needs that define the educational landscape in Kentucky’s Appalachian region. It is our collective responsibility to address these issues and ensure that every child in our state has access to quality education and a brighter future.

To be an educator, one must also be open to continual learning. Kentucky teachers are lifelong learners dedicated to understanding student needs, developing new ideas, and implementing innovative classroom practices. This often means accepting that what happens in the classroom reflects the life, culture, and beliefs of the surrounding district, community, and region.

In 2023, our team, supported by the Steele-Reese Foundation and The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, developed a survey for the 54 counties served by the Appalachia Regional Commission. The goal was to understand the opportunities and challenges educators in the region face. The results highlighted three key areas of concern: generational poverty, the drug epidemic, and the lack of resources and opportunities in the region.

While this initial survey provided valuable insights into the needs of teachers in the Appalachian region, the Appalachia Educator Alliance team was tasked by the Steele-Reese Foundation to delve deeper. In 2023, 93% of survey respondents agreed that the education system in Kentucky’s Appalachia has unique circumstances not always seen or understood in other regions of the state. In Spring 2024, our team asked the teachers in those same counties to further explain how the three key areas impact the region differently than they do in other parts of the state.

Generational Poverty: Generational poverty remains one of the most significant barriers to education in Appalachia, Kentucky according to almost82% of respondents. Defined as the persistence of poverty across multiple generations, it traps families in a cycle of economic hardship and limited opportunities. Over 30% of families in this region live below the federal poverty line, with many relying on government assistance. Children are born into poverty and often the expectation is that they remain part of the family unit. They are encouraged to “not get above their raisin’”—this phrase is often meant to encourage young people to stay humble and true to their roots; however, it can also be taken to mean don’t try to rise above your station in life.  As educators, we witness firsthand the daily struggles of our students, who often lack basic necessities such as food, clothing, and stable housing. One middle school teacher shared, “The systems in place basically trap families in a cycle of poverty that is passed down through generations. Probably its biggest impact in my classroom relates to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It’s really hard for kids to learn [at school]when their basic needs aren’t being met at home, if they don’t feel safe, or if their responsibilities to their families are seen as more important than school.”

Drug Epidemic: The drug epidemic continues to ravage many communities across Kentucky, with a profound impact on our students in Appalachia. Over 71% of teachers surveyed in Kentucky’s Appalachian region reported that their school lacks adequate systems to address the drug epidemic's impact on student learning, with 82% stating that drugs directly impact their classroom. While state school report cards show that only 14% of Kentucky's students were involved in a drug-related incident last school year, our survey reveals a deeper issue. The discrepancy arises because the report cards focus solely on student-related drug incidents, whereas our survey captured the broader impact of family and community drug use on education in the Appalachian region. One teacher emphasized, “A high average of students are being raised by grandparents, aunts, and uncles, or are in the foster care system due to their parents’ drug use or the death of a parent to drugs. Many parents are in jail and/or rehab. Students are tired from being up all night with parents who are high, fearing an overdose, or working to help pay the bills. A rising number of students are dealing with learning deficits due toothier parents’ drug use during pregnancy.” While drugs are an issue statewide, in Appalachia the issue is more prevalent due to the lack of jobs, opportunities, and resources. Drugs become both a source of income and a path to remaining in poverty.

Lack of Resources and Opportunities: Our schools in Appalachia, Kentucky, are often underfunded and lack essential resources. Many schools struggle to provide up-to-date textbooks, technology, and extracurricular activities. Inadequate infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and outdated facilities are common issues. A high school teacher noted, "Internet services are also not up to par to support what is necessary to be successful in a 21st-century classroom." These resource gaps significantly hinder our students' ability to compete on a level playing field with their peers from more affluent areas. Lack of training to deal with trauma due to drugs, poverty, and natural disasters like the recent historical flooding also impact teachers’ ability to address issues impacting learning in the classroom, according to almost 56% of respondents. Add the existence of various inequities and very little economic growth or job opportunities, education becomes more necessary than ever, but also the least important thing for families. “It’s hard to say you can be anything in the world - their world is so small,” stated a teacher in 2023. Teachers surveyed in 2024, further explained that students who lack worldview and experiences outside the region have little hope and few aspirations for a successful career or even steady employment.

Despite these challenges, our students can exhibit remarkable resilience and determination. To address these issues and foster a supportive educational environment, we recommend the following actions:

1. Increased Funding: Allocate more state and federal funds to schools in Appalachia to ensure they have the necessary resources and personnel to support students.
2. Advocacy: Develop actions or activities through collaboration between teachers and decision-makers, both within and outside the school/district, that lead to improvements and solutions.
3. Enhanced Drug Prevention and Treatment: Invest in comprehensive drug prevention and treatment programs within our public schools to mitigate the impact of the drug epidemic on     our communities.
4. Professional Development: Offer ongoing professional development for teachers to equip them with the skills to address the unique challenges faced by their students.
5. Infrastructure Improvements: Upgrade school facilities and provide modern technology as well as materials, supplies, curriculums, etc., that enhance the learning environment.
6. Career Pathways and Exposure: Increase opportunities for students to explore various career paths and gain exposure to experiences beyond their immediate community.

Our report also highlights the importance of involving families and communities in the educational process. Building trust and relationships with families is crucial to changing the mindset around the value of education. Schools need to work collaboratively with families to create a supportive environment that prioritizes education and development of students.

In conclusion, the future of Kentucky is in the hands of our children. By addressing these critical issues, we can create an environment where all students have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background. We urge you, the citizens of Kentucky, to join us in advocating for these necessary changes. Together, we can make a difference and ensure a brighter future for our students.

Thank you for your attention and support.

Sincerely,

The Appalachia Educator Alliance, Teachers of Kentucky

Dr. Emmanuel Anama-Green, Luke Glaser, Brison Harvey, Tiffany Perkins, and Allison Slone

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READ THE REPORT HERE

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