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Governor Beshear releases education budget ahead of planned address

Karyn Czar

Beshear sets aside $2 billion for education

Governor Andy Beshear previews a portion of his upcoming budget address after the GOP-led Kentucky House released their version over the weekend.

“This is not the best timing,” Beshear said, “but it’s necessary given that not only a budget bill was filed by the House but it at least appeared that there are going to be some attempts to move an Executive Branch budget before hearing from the Executive Branch itself.”

Governor Beshear called the move by the House unwise and possibly unlawful and showed a slide of the legal process of crafting and passing a budget. The Governor held today’s briefing because of it to announce his plans for making “state-changing investments in education.”

“My budget adds record funding. Nearly $2 billion in additional funding over the next biennium pre-K through 12th grade.”

Beshear is also including 5% pay raises for all K-12 public school personnel and funding for a loan forgiveness program for teachers. The budget also includes a nearly 12% funding increase for higher education. The Governor’s full budget address on Thursday.