Kentucky Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis said charter schools can’t exist in the state without a funding mechanism.
Gov. Matt Bevin signed in 2017 a bill into law that allowed charter schools to operate, but the mechanism was never been created. Lewis discussed charters ahead of a lecture at Murray State University Tuesday night.
“Unless the general assembly passes a funding mechanism, it’s really a non issue in Kentucky,” Lewis said. “Our focus really is on using the other tools that we do have in our toolbelt to help to improve the achievement of kids.”
As the featured speaker for the Harry M. Sparks Distinguished Lecture Series, Lewis said despite the state’s 90% high school graduation rate, only 53% go to college. He also discussed the revised high school graduation requirements that the Kentucky Department of Education approved last December.
“Regardless of where you earn a high school diploma in Kentucky, we have to ensure, do a better job of ensuring, that kids are well prepared to move to the next level,” Lewis said.
Lewis says students will also have to take a step toward college readiness, such as completing an AP course with a score of three or higher, the CPE pre-college curriculum, or earning three credits in a dual-credit course.
