Education
Northern Kentucky has proven to be a significant jobs and revenue producer for the Commonwealth. From 1995 to 2005, Northern Kentucky produced 37,000 new jobs in the region, 32% of all new jobs in the state. In keeping with the recent Vision 2015 program recommendations, the Chamber commits to being an integral part of our ambitious regional goal to create 50,000 new, highly-paid jobs in our region by 2015. Unlike the past decade, this future job growth will require an unparalleled investment in intellectual capital to provide us with highly-skilled citizens who can compete in a high growth, knowledge-based economy. These new jobs will require that at least 80% of the qualified workers have a post-secondary education. And so, the combined strengths of Northern Kentucky University,
In 2009, the Chamber is determined to not fall victim to pessimism about lack of funding, the elimination of effective, data-driven programs, or even the fear that if funding trends are not reversed, real potential exists for school districts to go bankrupt.
In 2009, a non-budgetary General Assembly year, the Chamber urges the Kentucky General Assembly to shore up the financial framework of all educational institutions in the Commonwealth, pre-school through postsecondary, by enacting revenue streams as set forth in the Chamber policies to fund public education. At the same time that the Chamber supports creating new revenue streams, the Chamber endorses a new sense of discipline to prevent federal and state unfunded mandates. These two approaches, combined, can create needed new revenue and preserve existing budgets of our local school districts.
State Funding for Education Mandates
Unfunded state and federal mandates burden our local school systems. With proper resources, local school districts would be able to implement the mandates created by the legislature. Recent actions by the General Assembly to increase teacher pay, fund pre-school, increase funding for computer technology and add instructional days was noteworthy, but the actions were not fully funded by the budget bill. Unfunded mandates force Superintendents, School Boards, postsecondary Presidents and Governing Boards to eliminate effective programs that are research-based and data-driven and divert scarce revenue for buildings and facilities urgently needed today. Now, more than ever before, the Chamber is seriously concerned about the financial health of its school districts and postsecondary institutions.
Over many years, the General Assembly has enacted tuition waivers at our state colleges and universities to assist a variety of special groups who have legitimate needs. However, many of the targeted tuition waivers are unfunded mandates on our postsecondary education institutions. At NKU alone, these waivers totaled $520,284 during the last fiscal year. In times when our institutions are receiving funding cuts, this unfunded expense limits the ability to provide quality education services, or increases the tuition costs for those students working to pay for their education.
Chamber Position:
The Chamber urges the legislature to adequately fund existing state mandates. Further, no future mandates should be adopted until adequate funding is authorized.
Allow Kentuckians To Vote On Expanded Gaming For Education
Kentucky’s 1891 Constitution strictly limits many actions of Kentucky’s citizens, businesses, and local governments. Unless the state Constitution is amended, it is illegal to conduct expanded gaming in Kentucky.
Chamber Position:
The Chamber supports a public referendum on a Constitutional amendment which, if passed, would expressly authorize the General Assembly to consider the issue of expanded gaming in Kentucky. If approved by the voters, the Chamber urges that a substantial portion of the proceeds be devoted to funding a re-alignment or re-structuring of the SEEK formula to assure that Northern Kentucky’s school districts receive additional financial support.