Education is the foundation of a successful life and the great equalizer. If someone cannot read or write, they will never truly reach their full potential. Equally important is that all Kentucky children should receive access to an education that provides them with these basic skills and foundational knowledge – regardless of where they live, what district they attend school in, and how financially well off they are.
The Kentucky General Assembly’s commitment to this goal is evident in the historic levels of funding (even after adjusting for inflation) lawmakers have provided over the past eight years to educating students in preschool through 12thgrade and postsecondary education. It is also clear in the policies passed by the legislature to address the learning of math and reading, classroom behavior, and recruiting and retaining quality educators.
Approximately 50% percent of the state’s $15.5 billion annual general fund budget is allocated to preschool, kindergarten, elementary and secondary, career and technical education, and postsecondary students. To make these investments and to craft meaningful legislation, we rely on data and estimates provided by the Department of Education (KDE) and Office of the State Budget Director (OSBD), including Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding forecasts and operating estimates for a litany of state-funded programs in place to support our local districts.
Over the last 15 years, KDE and OSBD have provided inaccurate data numerous times, resulting in both shortfalls and spending over the amount actually needed. For example, the Department of Education saw a SEEK surplus of over $156 million last year. This year, the Department is projecting a $43 million shortfall in SEEK funds. Lawmakers will deal with the shortfall, but a deeper concern is the continued inaccuracies in the estimates provided by KDE and OSBD.
The General Assembly appropriates funding based on data provided by the department and the state budget director. During the budget process in the 2024 Regular Session, the General Assembly raised questions about the data provided by these entities, to the extent of requesting data from each of the school districts through the Kentucky Superintendents Association to identify inaccuracies during the construction of the budget. Relying on the only official data provided by the KDE and OSBD, the General Assembly funded K-12 education, including SEEK, at historic levels. Nearly a year later, KDE has determined that its own data was inaccurate, leading to the funding shortfall.
The General Assembly did not underfund the SEEK fund. The Department of Education has turned a $156 million surplus into a $43 million shortfall by providing imprecise projections and requests to the General Assembly. This government organization oversees the education of our state’s nearly 700,000 students and should be able to provide more accurate budget requests and funding projections to ensure our students’ needs are met.
To his credit, Commissioner Fletcher made us aware of the shortfall prior to announcing it this month and the situation predates his tenure. Nevertheless, KDE and OSBD were confident in their estimates, and the requests were reflected in the state budget.
We are assessing the potential impacts on school districts and will know more when we receive the final numbers for the current fiscal year from KDE on March 1. Regardless of the circumstances that have led to this unfortunate situation, we will respond to the data errors of KDE and OSBD to ensure that our children continue receiving the education they deserve.
As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via email at Samara.Heavrin@kylegislature.gov and keep track through the Kentucky legislature’s website at legislature.ky.gov.
Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield
