Kentucky making educational progress

Out of the basement - onto the main floor

The Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center issued their most recent policy brief this monthy that confirms Kentucky's educational progress since 1992.

“Sufficient time has passed since the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 and the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997 to ask: are we making educational progress in Kentucky and, if so, are we gaining on the nation?

…Using 11 educational indicators we examine Kentucky’s progress from 1992 to 2005 and conclude that we have made substantial progress, both in an absolute
sense as well as relative to the nation. However, we cannot afford to lose the
spirit of reform because we are still trailing roughly two-thirds of the states.

These indicators of educational progress show an across-the-board improvement from 1992 to 2005.

Educational attainment, as measured by the percentage of the population with a high school diploma, two- or four-year degree, and the high school dropout rate, steadily improved. Likewise, each measure of educational achievement, from ACT scores to the percentage of students scoring proficient or higher on the NAEP exams, was at or near its highest level in 2005.”

But as Kentucky has made progress, so has the the nation. The Long Range Policy Research Center calculated relative standings using percentile ranks.

But knowing the rankings does nothing to explain the distances between one position and another. For that, the researchers averaged the top 10 states...to show how far Kentucky still has to go.

The report concludes:

“…As we reach the 10-year anniversary of postsecondary education reform and approach the 20-year mark of primary and secondary education reform, these data illustrate real educational progress, both compared to our past as well as relative to the nation. Kentucky has moved from the bottom fifth of states in educational performance in 1992 to just over the bottom third in 2005. However, comparing Kentucky to the top 10 performing states in 2005 reveals that the Commonwealth has far to go in almost every facet of educational attainment and achievement. We should celebrate our progress to date, and remember that educational reform is not a destination, but rather a constant work in progress.”

Kentucky's funding levels may still be in the basement, and some areas of progress are certainly stronger than others, but overall student achievement gains are undeniable.

Student achievement is a lagging indicator and Kentucky is realizing the benefits of earlier (and continued) effort. This would seem to be the very definition of "an efficient system of common schools throughout the state," which is the legislature's constitutional mandate.

Viewed as a cost/benefit ratio, Kentucky schools are providing its citizens a better educational program than the state has a right to expect.

This is essentially what Judge Thomas Wingate alluded to when he struck down the Council for Better Education's most recent effort to force the General Assembly to keep its commitment to school reform. All in all, student achievement is progressing pretty well.