Innovation-AWOL in the Kentucky General Assembly

In a country once touted as the mecca of innovation, we sadly are seeing a lack of it in the legislative process. The misguided policies and proposals of regressive-minded politicians are destroying progress and moving KY backwards.

Much to the far right’s dismay, going back to the 1950s isn’t going to happen. But their quest for that imagined Shangri-La is going to damage this state and country for decades.

Case in point, the absolute lack of innovative thinking surrounding public education and its workforce. It’s almost comical to listen as legislators bemoan the lack of teachers in the state. Their failure to connect their actions to this problem is telling…and sad. It’s as if they don’t realize that they created the mess they are now trying to fix.

Destroy pensions, pass laws chilling speech, treat teachers as “groomers”, ignore teacher needs and suggestions, and fail to pass budgets that provide the resources teachers need to teach. A recipe for driving the best and brightest from the profession.

So back to innovation, or the very apparent lack of it in Frankfort. Want world class education for kids? Then you have to invest money and resources. You need highly trained and capable staff. You have to listen to experts in the field on educational issues.

Sadly, KY legislators want a “champagne educational system on a beer budget”. Or, maybe they want to decimate public education to serve the charter school system. “There’s money to be made in them there kids!”

If KY legislators were really serious about improving public education, then it would be reflected in bills proposed. We would see innovative, forward-thinking legislation. We would see the same type of effort and diligence they use for corporate support measures and culture war nonsense.

Instead we see an anti-DEI bill (SB 26), a bill to allow concealed weapons in schools (HB 312), a bill to mandate a curriculum that lacks peer-reviewed research (HB 52), and another school voucher scheme bill (HB 88).

Not one of these helps improve education or reduce the teacher shortage. Simplistic, divisive and dangerous proposals that defy belief. Our children deserve better.

So, what would innovative solutions look like? Here are three that should be proposed in Frankfort.

1. To counter the teacher shortage, scholarship loans should be offered. Students who qualify academically and are accepted into teacher education programs would have their tuition paid for through a loan system. For every semester the student teaches in a KY school, one semester of tuition is erased. This provides incentives to enter the field, maintains high standards for candidates, and allows for service in our schools as repayment. It’s a solid investment in our educational system.

2. To maintain a highly trained teaching staff, incentive programs for continuing education should be developed and offered. Investment in the development of continuing education focused on research-based educational practices and curriculum development would make an impact in the classroom. Helping teachers improve their craft should be a cornerstone of any public education “improvement” movement.

3. KY legislators love to give tax breaks to industry and business. Why not do the same for public educators? The vast majority of teachers are spending money out of their own pockets for resources because funding just doesn’t cover the needs. Why not allow these as tax write offs…like they do private jets for business folks?

Sadly, these three suggestions aren’t really that innovative. They are just common sense approaches to address the problem. Imagine the creative and impactful ideas that could be employed if only legislators ask, listen and craft bills that could make meaningful change.

There’s an old saying: “Apples come from apple trees”. We can’t expect innovation and seriousness from many of the current folks in Frankfort. Only when voters demand more and hold legislators accountable through the ballot boxes, will we see change.