Gov. Beshear’s Forward, Together Budget Provides Pay Increase for Teachers, Fully Funds Pre-K

Plan aims to address the concerns Kentucky families worry most about.

(Frankfort, Ky.) – Less than a week after being sworn in, Governor Andy Beshear has unveiled his Forward Together budget.

The Governor’s $136.6 billion two-year budget prioritizes public education and families by funding the largest single pay raise for public school educators and staff in 40 years, fully funding universal pre-K and providing support for child care providers.

The budget proposal also aims to move major infrastructure projects forward, grow jobs, boost public safety, and support local and state employees.

“Kentuckians don’t wake up every morning thinking about Democrat or Republican – and neither does this budget,” Gov. Beshear said. “We are working to address the things that actually matter to our people … that are important to everyone. This budget reflects our shared Kentucky values of family, faith and community.”

The Governor’s plan provides $1.1 billion over two years to fund an 11 percent raise to all public school employees, including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and janitors. The increase would bring Kentucky’s average teacher starting pay to $42,191 (24th in the nation).

Another $172 million each year would fund universal pre-K for all four-year-olds so that every child is kindergarten ready and to help stop learning loss where it starts. The Department of Education estimates that under this plan, about 34,000 additional Kentucky 4-year-olds would be provided with preschool education.

The budget also full funds teacher pension and student transportation.

To keep the state’s red-hot economy booming and to make sure every community has an opportunity to land a major new employer, the Governor is proposing another $200 million over the next two years: $100 million to prepare mega-development projects and another $100 million for county and regional site development.

To boost public safety, Beshear is proposing an additional $2,500 raise for all KSP troopers and officers and enough funding to add 150 more troopers over the next two years. Around $35 million would fund grants for body armor to protect law enforcement officers.

The Forward, Together plan fully funds Medicaid, including Medicaid expansion, and ensures that the health care provided for over 1.5 million Kentuckians continues.

For more information, click here.