Andy Beshear on Education

I am unapologetically a 100% pro-public education governor

Let's stop the voucher nonsense: strengthen public schools

Universal pre-K is also the single most impactful policy that can boost our workforce. Many parents are ready to get back to work, but the high cost, and in some places, total absence of child care makes that simply impossible. Universal pre-K will strengthen our education system; it'll grow our workforce; and it'll boost the entire economy. It's time to make this a reality for our kids.

It's time to pass universal pre-K for all our 4-year-olds

As for our youngest learners, it's time to pass universal pre-K for all our 4-year-olds. We are rightfully concerned about learning loss. So, we should address it where it begins. In the last academic year, only 46% of kindergartners were considered kindergarten-ready. Instituting universal pre-K the right way … means investing in both pre-K and our child-care providers.

5% pay raise to address public school teacher shortage

$1000 salary boost for all school workers

$100 million to repair crumbling public schools

Waive GED testing fee for those who can't afford it

Teachers deserve a living wage, teacher shortage is a threat

End historic cuts to universities, community colleges

Committed to a world-class public education

Won lawsuit to improve teacher retirement pensions

Gov. Bevin held a press conference to discuss the ruling, saying that he is concerned that this will accumulate more and more debt. "The greatest financial threat to the commonwealth has now been made worse by Andy Beshear's self-serving, political lawsuit, and it places the retirement security of tens of thousands of our teachers and public employees at greater risk of failure and further credit downgrades."

Attorney General Beshear has criticized Bevin's pension fix. Beshear said the court ruling was a "landmark win."

Bevin wasn't having it: "This is how they view this, it is through a political prism," Bevin said. "That is the absolute wrong way to look at this. I don't give a rip about the consequences politically at this point."

Don't change teacher pensions to 401(k)-style plan

Beshear has made fighting the pension law his main priority and has frequently advocated against it as he challenges Bevin for the governor's seat in 2019. Highlights from Beshear's press conference:

• Beshear has targeted Bevin's pension bill from the beginning, filing lawsuits in conjunction with teacher advocacy groups. His main sticking point was that it was done in secret, by slipping the pension bill into an unrelated sewer bill.
• Beshear, looking ahead to the next legislative session, said the high court ruling will force lawmakers to be more open with their bills.
• Beshear has said repeatedly that the "inviolable contract" of pensions, the idea that you get the benefits that you entered a job with, was harmed under Bevin's bill, which proposed a new 401(k)-style plan.

Only legislature can implement charters, not Governor

On June 16, 2017, the Attorney General Beshear filed a lawsuit, arguing that the executive orders exceeded the governor's authority. The court ruled that a part of Bevin's executive order related to the Education Professional Standards board was unconstitutional, since it required teachers to appeal disciplinary decisions to the state board of education instead of the state court system [and the rest were all legal].

Only legislature can cut state college budget, not Governor

On May 19, 2016, the Franklin County Circuit ruled against Beshear. The decision stated that the constitution did not prevent Bevin from instructing colleges to spend less money, as he did in the executive order, but did prevent him from altering the funding they receive. Beshear appealed the ruling and on September 22, 2016, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that Bevin did not have the authority to control the budgets of public colleges and universities without the legislature's approval. This reversed the lower court's decision.