The Kentucky House of Representatives passed House Bill 9 on Tuesday, a bill that would provide permanent funding to charter schools in Kentucky.
NOTE: this video provides a brief explanation of charter schools.
The bill barely passed out of committee earlier this week and narrowly passed in the house yesterday, passing by a slim margin of 51-46. Rep. Josh Branscum of Russell County voted in favor of the charter schools.
The Kentucky Legislature initially approved legalizing charter schools back in 2017, but didn’t provide any funding for them. This bill changes that and allows per-student funds in Kentucky, which come from tax dollars, to go toward these charter schools, which do not have a publicly-elected board like traditional public schools do.
Opponents of the bill say that this will divert funds from public schools that are already cash-strapped, making it even harder for Kentucky’s public schools to operate and the bill allows for significantly fewer regulations than what traditional public schools have.
Those in favor of the bill say charter schools provide more options for parents and could be beneficial in many areas.
There have been several notable opponents to the bill, including the Chairperson of the Kentucky Board of Education and Kentucky High School Athletics Association Commissioner Julian Tackett.
The bill still has to pass through the Senate. Most expect the bill to be vetoed by Gov. Beshear if it passes the Senate, but the legislature will have the ability to override the veto.
