FRANKFORT, Ky.- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear has laid out another policy plan.
Kentucky's Attorney General unveiled his public education plan in front of Frankfort High School. His plan puts focus on public education by making an “education first budget” meaning his administration would increase the state portion of The Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding and overall per-pupil funding.
Beshear says incumbent Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin’s claims he increased per-pupil and SEEK funding to their highest levels isn’t true when you adjust it for inflation.
“We’re going to have make tough choices to get the SEEK and per-pupil funding to where it needs to be,” Beshear said. “We should not or will not sign any budget until it has properly funded public education first.”
With the extra funding to public education, Beshear says local governments will be able to pay for physical infrastructures and supplies.
When asked where Beshear would make cuts in programs or services to pay for the increased funding to public schools he did not specify instead saying increased revenue from things like expanded gaming could help off-set the cost.
“I believe our commitment to create good jobs and jobs of the future, the way we are going to invest is going to stimulate this economy,” Beshear said.” Our commitment to creating new additional revenue to go directly to the pension system will create up to $750 million in additional dollars to spend in our general fund we’re going to put that toward our priorities including public education.”
His public school plan also focused on reducing class sizes for most academic courses except band and physical education, while addressing the teacher shortages by increasing the pay of teachers by $2,000 across the board.
The plan also calls for reducing the amount of standardized testing students are required to take and increasing the amount of school nurses and mental health services for children.
Finally, his plan would expand early childhood education.