Kentucky
Gov. Ernie Fletcher named improving mathematics achievement his top education priority for Kentucky in his Feb. 6 State of the State address, proposing an extra $7 million for the state’s Math Achievement Fund, which supports schools’ efforts to diagnosis students’ math deficiencies and to intervene to improve their achievement.
The Republican governor, who faces re-election this fall, is seeking to double financing for the 2-year-old program in the 2007-08 school year. The expansion would mean more than 100 schools would participate in that year.
Mr. Fletcher also challenged legislators to work with him to create a long-term plan to finance construction and repair of K-12 schools. “The plan, at a minimum, will bring all school facilities to a level where the condition of the school building does not impede a child’s ability to learn,” he said in his speech.
The state currently is spending $50 million in the two-year budget covering fiscal 2007 and fiscal 2008 to support districts’ efforts to fix schools or build new ones. Gov. Fletcher said he would support a supplementary budget request for school construction money, but he did not propose an amount.
The first-term governor also proposed adding $20 million to the fiscal 2008 budget for college tuition assistance based on students’ financial needs.
Read a complete transcript of Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s 2007 State of the Commonwealth address. Posted by Kentucky’s Office of the Governor.
