Representative Kevin Jackson comments on public education

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – As Kentucky’s legislative session progresses, State Representative Kevin Jackson gave some time to News 40 to talk shop about the current state of public education’s place in the House.

Representative Jackson told the station that more money than ever is being put into K – 12 this year than ever before, but he’s still not satisfied. Jackson as a former educator has often said he would always fight for teachers, students and parents as best as he could when in Frankfort, and said while the new budget is better than it was it could still improve.

Jackson said that some progress has been made toward increasing funds for school districts, telling us that the legislature will fund 80 percent of the transportation budget for districts, then 90 and 100 percent in 2025 and 2026. Jackson hopes that this can free up extra money so that schools can use it how they best see fit.

The house also passed House Bill 387 recently, which allowed for anyone to apply for a substitute teacher certificate provided they have a GED or high school diploma where as individuals for a long time had to have at least 64 hours of college credit. To this Jackson said desperate times call for desperate measures as the nation faces a teacher shortage and even a substitute teacher shortage especially in rural Kentucky.