LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky bill that will help Simmons College, the Commonwealth’s oldest historically Black college and university (HBCU), produce more Black teachers and be more competitive is now under consideration in the Kentucky House of Representatives. The state Senate passed the bill unanimously last week.

“In 1879, Simmons was established for the purpose of creating a teacher education program for the formally enslaved here in our state,” said Dr. Kevin Cosby who is president of Simmons College located in Louisville.

Cosby said the state Senate bill that passed unanimously in Frankfort last week is a return back to what the school was founded for 142 years ago, educating teachers for the Black community.

“This I believe is a game-changer for education in our city and state,” Cosby said.

If the bill becomes law, it opens up degree accreditation for Simmons College to develop a bachelor’s degree in teacher education.

Previously, Cosby said the college had to partner with Kentucky State University or the University of Louisville for its teacher program. This would allow Simmons to develop teachers in its backyard in West Louisville.

“To have an institution like Simmons right there in the middle of that community that is offering degrees, and degrees in teacher education, I think helps raise the aspirations of the residents of that community,” Cosby said.

Cosby said it will also help attract students nationally.

“Which means an infusion of more residents into our community, more economic development into our community,” Cosby told Spectrum News 1. 

Cosby said this will also help close the achievement gap in Kentucky because the program will produce more Black teachers.

“Because the data reveals that having one Black teacher in the life of a Black student increases exponentially that child’s chances of not only graduating from high school but also entering college and doing quite well,” Cosby said. 

However, Cosby added it’s not just Black students who need the presence of strong Black teachers in the classroom.

“I think that diversity is good for all students. I think all kids need to have a diverse experience with people of different ethnic groups and different cultures. So I think it’s healthy and good for our entire state,” Cosby said.

The bill also opens the door for students to receive a Kentucky tuition grant at Simmons College, which Cosby said makes it more competitive with other colleges and universities.

“It is helping to raise Simmons to a level that other colleges in our city and Commonwealth already are. So it is a huge deal, and whatever we can do to raise Simmons College, the effect will be the raising of the Black community,” Cosby told Spectrum News 1.

If this bill ends up becoming law, Cosby said Simmons College will have to get the teacher bachelor’s program passed through the college’s accreditation association. So he said realistically the new teacher bachelor’s program at Simmons College wouldn’t start until sometime in 2022.

The bill also creates two pilot projects. One would be a partnership between Kentucky State University and Simmons College to offer courses. The other is called the West Louisville Health and Wellness Pilot Project, which would be a partnership between Kentucky State University and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, along with Simmons College.

“In creating this portal with Kentucky State University, there’s a partnership also created with a Neighborhood Place that’s going to be around Simmons College. They’re going to study health outcomes, education outcomes, food insecurity, and how we can make those problems better,” state Senator Morgan McGarvey (D-Louisville) told Spectrum News 1. 

The bill includes funding to implement the programs.