14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Beshear wants to step up KY college preparation
By Becky Graham - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Sarah Harlan - email
HENDERSON, KY (WFIE) - Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear spoke at a rally in Henderson Saturday morning.
The governor recently signed into law a bill that would eliminate the state's current standardized test.
More than 500 people showed up to hear what the governor had to say about improving education across the board.
Over the last two decades Kentucky has spent millions of dollars on education reform, but now elected officials are saying that in order to make significant changes everyone has to be on board.
Saturday morning, educators, elected officials, and community members gathered at Henderson Community College to find an answer.
"Our purpose for the rally is to get educators, business leaders, community members, grandparents, and parents excited and involved about rallying around schools," Northwest Kentucky Forward President Kevin Sheilley said.
Community involvement is one way organizers say education will improve in the state of Kentucky, and with the help of a new bill just signed into law.
Senate bill one will create new standardized testing for students and will establish an education task force.
"We're going to be organizing a task force to take a good look at where we are now in terms of education reforms, then develop a road map of where to go in the future," Beshear said.
One stop on that road map is getting students ready for college.
The governor said there are too many students that aren't prepared, and according to him, it's a big problem.
"We are spending millions of dollars on remediation," Beshear said. "We need to find some answers to that so we can take that money and spend it differently."
While Beshear says these initiatives will help reform Kentucky's education system, the governor says improvement will ultimately occur when people realize learning is essential for success, especially during these tough economic times.
"It's gonna be a competitive world out there and we are not just competing with the next country or even the surrounding state," Beshear said. "We are competing with the world and our children are going to have to have a level of education and skill that is necessary to compete with anybody."
If you are interested in getting involved with the Kentucky education reform the Northwest Kentucky Forward has launched a website that will give you information about meetings in your area.
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