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Kentucky breaks into Top 10 in national education ranking

Annual ‘Quality Counts’ survey shows gains in transitions, alignment

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 10, 2013) – Kentucky’s ranking in an annual assessment of all states on key education indicators rose four places, making it 10th in the nation for its efforts to improve teaching, raise student achievement and many other variables related to public education. Gov. Steve Beshear joined Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday and other education advocates to celebrate this new milestone today.

Each year, Education Week (a national publication that focuses on P-12 education) produces a special issue, “Quality Counts.” The report tracks key education indicators and grades states on their policy efforts and outcomes. Last year, Kentucky ranked 14th in the nation. In 2010, the state was in 34th place in this annual report.

“Kentucky has made dramatic progress in P-12 education in recent years, and we should be proud of that,” Beshear said. “This Quality Counts report recognizes all the hard work of teachers, administrators, parents, business and community members to educate our young people which will result in stronger workforce and improved quality of life for the people of the Commonwealth.”

“Kentucky is emerging as a leader in education,” Holliday said. “2009’s Senate Bill 1 mapped the course with rigorous academic standards aligned to the demands of college and career; assessment and accountability that drives improvement; and a focus on educator training and effectiveness that results in greater student achievement and readiness. We would not have come so far, so fast, without the support of Gov. Beshear, legislators, business and community members; and the hard work of teachers, administrators, parents and students and staff.”

Quality Counts provides data and information about states’ efforts in six areas:

♦ K-12 Achievement

♦ Standards, Assessments and Accountability

♦ Teaching Profession

♦ School Finance

♦ Transitions and Alignment

♦ Chance for Success (an index that combines information from 13 indicators that cover state residents’ lives from cradle to career)

States were assigned overall letter grades based on the average of scores for the six categories. This year, Kentucky’s overall grade was a B-minus, an improvement over last year’s grade and a higher grade than the national average, which was a C-plus.

No states received a grade of A in the 2013 edition of Quality Counts. The highest-ranking state was Maryland, with a B-plus. Three states received B grades; eight states (including Kentucky) received B-minus grades; and 19 states received C-plus grades.