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Kentucky's Interim Education Leader Promotes Early Exposure to Postsecondary Work

Interim Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis gives his State of Education in the Commonwealth address at the Jessamine County Career and Technical Center.
Bobby Ellis
Interim Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis gives his State of Education in the Commonwealth address at the Jessamine County Career and Technical Center.
Interim Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis gives his State of Education in the Commonwealth address at the Jessamine County Career and Technical Center.
Credit Bobby Ellis
Interim Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis gives his State of Education in the Commonwealth address at the Jessamine County Career and Technical Center.

Kentucky’s interim education commissioner says more high school students need to take advantage of early opportunities to earn credits in postsecondary education. 

During his State of Education Address this week, Wayne Lewis encouraged more participation in the state’s Dual Credit and Work Ready scholarships that offer tuition assistance and a path toward college or a technical career. 

Lewis said about 35 percent of students who graduated high school in 2017 were not considered ready for college or the job market.

"If in fact we grant high school diplomas to students who we do not believe are appropriately prepared to be successful in college or the workforce, then we've given them nothing more than a sheet of paper," Lewis stated.

Lewis cited a study from the Kentucky Center for Statistics that he called alarming and unacceptable.  The report found there were more than 37,000 students who graduated in the high school Class of 2010.  Eight years later, just under 10,000 have earned an industry certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or higher.

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Lisa is a Scottsville native and WKU alum. She has worked in radio as a news reporter and anchor for 18 years. Prior to joining WKU Public Radio, she most recently worked at WHAS in Louisville and WLAC in Nashville. She has received numerous awards from the Associated Press, including Best Reporter in Kentucky. Many of her stories have been heard on NPR.