COVINGTON, Ky. — One of the top priorities for Gov. Andy Beshear's administration after he was reelected for a second term was giving all Kentucky teachers an 11% pay raise.
John Hicks, the director of the Kentucky State Budget, said the commonwealth can afford the increase thanks to tax revenue far outpacing expenses.
"The general fund revenues exceed the recurring expenditures of the general fund by $1.4 billion," Hicks said. "So in essence, we have $1.4 billion in headroom for funding and new spending as we move into fiscal year (20)25. In the year we're in, based on the current appropriations and revenue estimates, we will end this year with another billion-dollar surplus."
While the Beshear Administration says the state can pay for it, there are questions about whether or not Kentucky lawmakers will have the appetite to tackle teacher pay raises, as Republicans hold super majorities in both chambers.
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Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, who represents communities in Northern Kentucky, said the legislature funded education "at record levels" last year.
"The issue with giving teachers a raise is they are not state employees, they are employees of the local school districts. So we pushed money through the school funding formula to give schools more money to grant raises, and 95% of school districts in Kentucky did indeed give teacher raises," said Thayer (R-Georgetown). "I would say we've been very good to the teachers, part of the teacher compensation matrix, if you will, is how much we spend on teacher retirement. We put over a billion dollars a year out of a $14 billion budget into teacher retirement, and we've been putting more money in for eight years than is required by law."
Kevin Dailey, the 2024 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, said he's hopeful that no matter what party, legislators can come together to help better fund Kentucky schools.
"I think we all know that schools are one of these threads that tie the fabric of democracy together," Dailey said. "They tie us all together. And the importance of funding our schools, funding our teachers, is paramount to successful job creation, to the future of the economy."
Dailey, a history teacher at Ballyshannon Middle School in Union, said he knows from personal experience what it's like to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, as well as spend his own money on classroom supplies.
"We love our students, that is why we are in this profession," Dailey said. "We don't teach for the income, we teach for the outcome, and I think that's very dated, but it still rings true. I don't know a teacher that minds spending money to make sure their students get the best education they can possibly get, and if that funding isn't going to come from somewhere else, many, many, teachers are willing to do it."
During Tuesday's inauguration, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, a former high school teacher, once again addressed the top priorities of the administration going into 2024.
"We cannot continue as the second-best state in economic development, if we remain 40th in teacher pay," Coleman said.
That ranking comes from the National Education Association, which states Kentucky's average teacher salary is $54,575 per year. That amount is lower than Ohio, Indiana and the national average, which sits at $66,745.
"We will not stay No. 3 in rural job creation if we continue to under-fund the largest employer in every rural community, and that is their public school," Coleman said.
WCPO asked Dailey what his message would be to lawmakers regarding a teacher pay raise.
"Teachers in Kentucky love your kids, and you need to show us that same love because we are here to help support them for a third of their lives until they're 18, they're with us eight hours a day," Dailey said.
The 2024 Kentucky Legislative Session begins Tuesday, Jan. 2. See the entire calendar of deadlines here.
