Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has emphasized the need for greater investments in education, particularly in raising teacher pay and implementing state-funded pre-K programs. In his weekly news conference, following his second-term inauguration, Beshear expressed his desire to collaborate with the Republican-dominated legislature in addressing the concerns of Kentuckians, including their employment, infrastructure, public schools, and community safety.

Throughout his first term, Beshear faced policy disagreements with Republican lawmakers, but also managed to sign over 600 bipartisan bills into law. These included measures to legalize sports betting, expand early voting, and legalize medical marijuana. As the upcoming legislative session approaches, Beshear is focusing on two key policy objectives: significant pay raises for school employees and state-funded pre-K.

Beshear has proposed an 11% pay raise for teachers and all public school personnel, including support staff such as bus drivers, janitors, and cafeteria workers. He argues that this raise is necessary to make Kentucky more competitive with other states, as the state currently ranks 44th in average teacher starting pay and 40th in average teacher pay. The governor stresses that this is not a partisan issue but a matter of public education, and aims to collaborate with the General Assembly to improve Kentucky's competitiveness in this area.

Beshear also advocates for state-funded pre-K for all 4-year-olds in Kentucky, which has yet to gain traction in the legislature. He frames this proposal as a solution to address learning loss, particularly among children who enter kindergarten unprepared and struggle to catch up. Learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant concern during the recent election, and Beshear's victory over Republican challenger Daniel Cameron reflected public support for addressing this issue.

Highlighting the potential benefits for rural areas, Beshear notes that school districts are often the largest employers in these regions. He believes that an 11% raise for school employees would greatly stimulate local economies. Additionally, he argues that state-funded pre-K is not only economically beneficial but also the right course of action for the educational development of Kentucky's children.

Although lawmakers have taken steps to support public education, such as funding full-day kindergarten and investing in teacher pensions and infrastructure, Beshear believes there is still room for improvement. The next biennial budget, to be crafted in the 2024 session, will be an opportunity to allocate further resources to education. Overall, Beshear remains committed to working with the legislature to address the state's education system and improve academic achievement levels, which have been impacted by the pandemic.