As a Kentucky teacher watching the latest education funding crisis unfold, I find myself deeply troubled by what appears to be a pattern of systematic fiscal mismanagement. The recent announcement of a $40.6 million shortfall in SEEK funding isn’t just a number – it represents a fundamental failure in how our state manages education resources.

Let’s start with understanding SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky), the foundation of our school funding. This formula-driven program is designed to ensure equitable education funding across Kentucky’s 171 public school districts, considering factors like base per-pupil funding, transportation costs, special education needs, free/reduced lunch participants, and English language learners. It’s meant to be the great equalizer in Kentucky education, but recent management of these funds tells a troubling story.

The current shortfall breaks down into $12 million in statutorily required funding and $28 million in conditional funding. While KDE notes this represents just 1.43% of the total $2.7 billion SEEK budget, the impact on individual districts will be far from minimal. Some districts, as KDE’s Director Ritter noted, will experience just a “hiccup,” while others face “pretty rough” cuts. This disparity highlights a crucial issue in our funding structure.

What makes this situation particularly frustrating is the historical context. Over the past three years, Kentucky has actually had SEEK funding surpluses – including a substantial $156.3 million surplus last fiscal year. Where did this money go? Straight to the state’s general fund, rather than being reinvested in education or held in reserve for potential shortfalls like we’re facing now. This pattern of redirecting education funds away from schools, only to face shortfalls later, represents a troubling approach to fiscal management.

The impact of these funding decisions isn’t felt equally across the state. More affluent districts can often offset state funding reductions through local tax revenue from higher property values and stronger business bases. However, economically challenged areas, particularly in Eastern Kentucky, have no such flexibility. Their heavy dependence on state funding means these cuts hit harder, perpetuating educational inequities across our Commonwealth.

Making matters worse, these cuts come at a time when our schools face increasing demands. We’re serving 4,000 more students than projected, experiencing significant growth in our English Language Learner population, and seeing rising special education needs. Meanwhile, property value assessments haven’t increased as expected, further straining our resources.

The timing couldn’t be worse as Kentucky moves forward with income tax reductions while simultaneously facing expected decreases in federal education funding over the next couple of years. This perfect storm of reduced resources comes just as we’re hearing renewed pushes for private school voucher programs – an initiative that would further drain resources from our already struggling public schools.

On top of all this, we know that another proposal for private school vouchers will come this year, more than likely from the Federal Dept. of Ed. A proposal to introduce private school vouchers in this context isn’t just poor timing – it’s a fundamental abdication of our state’s constitutional obligation to provide quality public education. How can we possibly consider diverting public funds to private institutions when we can’t properly fund our public schools? This isn’t about school choice; it’s about basic fiscal responsibility and educational equity.

The path forward requires immediate and long-term changes in how we manage education funding:

1. End the practice of returning SEEK surpluses to the general fund
2. Establish a reserve system for education funding to manage future shortfalls
3. Develop more accurate projections for student population growth and needs
4. Address the systemic inequities between wealthy and economically challenged districts
5. Prioritize stable public school funding before considering any voucher programs

As educators, we need to speak up. Our students deserve better than a system that treats education funding as a flexible resource to be redirected elsewhere when convenient. They deserve a system that prioritizes their education, plans for their needs, and ensures equitable access to quality education regardless of their zip code.

The current crisis isn’t just about this year’s budget shortfall – it’s about years of decisions that have led us to this point. It’s time for our legislature to demonstrate real commitment to public education through actions, not just words. Our students’ futures depend on it.

What do you think about these funding challenges? How has your district been affected? Let’s keep this conversation going – our collective voice matters more than ever.

This is part of a series of blog posts about public education in Kentucky and current political changes affecting classrooms across the Commonwealth. To read more about KY Education follow this link.