Sen. Higdon: Amendment 2 will expand educational freedom, opportunity

To the Editor,

I’ve seen several posts about Amendment 2, and I want to share some background on why it’s on the ballot and why I support Amendment 2.

For the past 22 years in the legislature, I have consistently supported efforts to improve K-12 education in Kentucky. While we have significantly increased funding for education, we have not seen corresponding improvements in our children’s test scores, particularly in urban areas.

I want to acknowledge that Kentucky’s teachers are dedicated to student success. However, we must continue to find ways to support them and ensure our educational system delivers better outcomes for all students.

Over the past eight years, we’ve passed three innovative education reforms that have had proven success in other states. Unfortunately, these reforms were challenged in court and ruled unconstitutional.

The courts interpreted Kentucky’s constitution as restricting K-12 state tax dollar funding solely to public schools.

The legislature believes we need to keep thinking creatively about education, and to do that, we must amend the constitution to allow for innovative approaches. A yes vote on Amendment 2 will enable us to make necessary changes to improve education statewide.

What Does Amendment 2 Do?

It gives the General Assembly the flexibility to fund programs that provide students and parents with more educational options.

Will It Take Money from Public Schools?

The legislature has committed record levels of funding to public education. Currently, the average per-student funding in Kentucky is $18,500. Of that, $13,900 in local tax dollars will stay with the public school, while $4,600 in state funding will follow the student if they choose a different option under Amendment 2.

Why Is It Necessary?

More than half of Kentucky’s students cannot read at grade level, and only a third are proficient in math. Expanding educational freedom has improved outcomes in other states.

What Do Other States Do?

All of Kentucky’s neighboring states offer some form of school choice, giving more students the opportunity to find the education that works best for them, especially disadvantaged and handicapped students.

Why Now?

Our constitution, written in 1891, does not reflect today’s education system. Amendment 2 modernizes it, allowing for innovative ways to fund education.

This amendment does not create new programs—it simply gives the legislature the authority to offer more educational options for Kentucky’s children. Regardless of the outcome of the vote, I remain committed to supporting public education.

FYI: I also support Amendment 1, which simply states that a voter must be a U.S. citizen to vote in state and local elections.

Jimmy Higdon
Kentucky State Senator
District 14