FRANKFORT, Ky. – It's summer break for many college students across Kentucky, but a national report says they are not getting a break from lagging state support for higher education.

The report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says the state's post-recession investment in public colleges and universities ranks in the bottom 10 nationally.

Researcher Ashley Spalding, who crunched the numbers for the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, says the state is headed in the wrong direction.

"We're not reinvesting in higher ed,” she explains. “The report shows that per-student funding has just increased that tiny amount in the past year."

According to the report, the increase this year came to $27 per student when adjusted for inflation.

That goes against the national trend, where most states have begun to restore some of the cuts they made to higher education after the recession hit.

Spending is up by roughly $450 per student nationwide.

Kentucky lawmakers have passed a budget that will reduce state spending on higher education 1.5 percent each of the next two years.

"So this is especially hard on low-income Kentuckians who are more likely to have their decision about whether or not to go to college influenced by finances," Spalding stresses.

She adds that the average debt level for a student who obtains a four-year undergraduate degree from a Kentucky public university now tops $22,000.

The report shows that over the past seven years tuition has jumped more than 23 percent in Kentucky, while state support has been cut by 25.4 percent.

Spalding maintains failing to reinvest in higher education limits Kentucky's chances for economic success.

"Having a better educated work force makes for a better state economy for Kentucky,” she says. “And so, we'll see impacts in the long term there as well if we don't start to reinvest."

In raw, inflation-adjusted dollars, the state has spent $2,649 dollars less on each college student since 2008.





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Hundreds of former North Carolina college students are back on track to getting their degrees, thanks to an innovative program called Project Kitty Hawk.

The project started in 2023 and has reenrolled more than 1,700 students who started but left college and are now on their way to graduation. The reenrollment program is an affiliate of the University of North Carolina System and allows students to pick up where they left off at any of 10 campuses around the state.

Andrew Kelly, president and CEO of Project Kitty Hawk, said students leave college for various reasons but most have a similar motivation for returning.

"One thing those individuals often have in common, many of them wish that they could find a way to come back and finish that credential," Kelly observed. "Because it's often what stands in the way of getting promoted, from them finding a family, sustaining wage in their work, and from really launching that career."

Kelly explained they contact former students who never finished, walk them through options for when and how to resume their studies and help them find an institution to fit their needs. He pointed out some former students are returning after a few years but for others, it can be a decade or more.

Kelly noted some former students left campus for personal, family or economic reasons and have found it challenging to resume their studies. He emphasized it is often a matter of tailoring their study plan to meet their individual needs.

"Mostly what you see with this demographic is they really do often need to learn online," Kelly outlined. "They can't uproot and move to a college town and live in a dorm. They can learn when they have the time."

He acknowledged returning to classes after an extended period away can be daunting and many said they need help figuring out where to start. Kelly added the program's counselors walk students through the steps to help them succeed.

"There's an individual you are assigned to, and that person really is your coach," Kelly said. "They help coach you through the program, answer your questions about your program, help you set goals and hold yourself accountable, develop study skills and just be the person in your corner."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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Georgia higher education officials are crediting a program assisting high school students with a wave of new enrollment in the state's colleges and universities.

Recruiting officials say Georgia Match helped the 26 schools in the University System of Georgia reach a total enrollment of almost 365,000 students, up 5.9% over 2023.

Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, said Georgia Match helps students and their families understand the long-term value of a college education.

"We try to promote the facts of the value and because people can understand value and that's really what we're trying to do," said Perdue, "quality versus cost - and if you have a great quality product at an affordability rate, then people are more likely to choose that."

Georgia Match reaches out to high school students with information on opportunities at Georgia universities and assists them with admissions.

Perdue said enrollments have been down since before the pandemic in 2019, and state officials are looking to boost the numbers.

He added the University System of Georgia saw its growth outstrip that of other state colleges nationwide. The National Student Clearinghouse reports in 2024, student enrollment nationwide grew by just 3%.

"We swam against the stream nationally and doubled the incoming first-time freshmen," said Perdue. "Where much of the country was down, we were up - and that was 2.6%. So, we're focusing on value."

Georgia Match is part of a nationwide trend called direct admission. The idea is to reach students who haven't considered going to college.

Perdue said more than half the students who received a letter applied for admission to a public Georgia college.

"The value of the ability to move within the system is helpful even for those who may not be able to attend or be admitted to one of the larger flagships earlier," said Perdue. "They see a path that way eventually, and I think that helps our recruitment in our access colleges."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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Massachusetts lawmakers are hoping a new teacher certification process will draw more diverse candidates to the classroom.

The state recently passed legislation to create alternative pathways for teachers who struggle to pass the certification exam but can otherwise demonstrate competence in their field.

Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers-Massachusetts, said the effort is ultimately good for students.

"You're going to run into a lot of diversity," Tang pointed out. "When you are exposed to diversity in our schools, that actually helps prepare you."

Tang noted even some of the state's previous teacher of the year award winners have struggled to pass the certification exam. She argued academic outcomes improve when students have teachers they can relate to and who understand their histories and cultures.

The legislation also requires districts to develop plans to recruit diverse educators and administrators, and collect diversity data. The state will also establish a teacher apprenticeship program to help support younger teachers and retain them. Tang stressed it is important the programs are now codified into state law due to potential upcoming changes in federal education policy.

"Even though a lot of these initiatives were already happening in so many places, we can do better," Tang emphasized. "We can do more and we can protect that work through this legislation."

Tang added educator preparation programs will also develop plans to increase the diversity of their graduates and she looks forward to seeing how students statewide will benefit from the legislation. She said it should help build a new pipeline of people entering the teaching profession, as the more students identify with their teachers, the more likely they will become teachers too.