Kentucky’s average teacher pay is not keeping up with inflation, report says

A new analysis from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy says that in 80% of Kentucky school districts, average teacher pay fell in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23, when adjusted for inflation.

Kentucky teachers are now earning $9,736 less per year than they did 16 years ago, in inflation-adjusted terms. That’s a 14.2% decline, according to the analysis. The pay data was from the Kentucky Department of Education.

Looking at the district level, teachers have seen a pay cut on average in every district between the 2008 and 2024 school years once inflation is taken into account, ranging from -33.4% in Russellville Independent Schools to -0.6% in Fayette County Public Schools, the analysis showed.

“Kentucky’s failure to pay educators what they deserve not only makes it harder for them to meet the needs of their families, it contributes to a teacher shortage that’s harming students across the commonwealth,” said Dustin Pugel, policy director at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. “When lawmakers pass a budget next year, they have the opportunity to use Kentucky’s billion dollar annual surplus to reverse this trend and truly prioritize education in Kentucky.”

In a Monday night budget address, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear proposed a mandated, across-the-board school employee raise of 11% totaling $1.1 billion over the next two years.

For years, the Kentucky Education Association has told the legislature that Kentucky educators – both certified and classified – are significantly underpaid compared to their counterparts in other states and similar degree levels, KEA President Eddie Campbell said, referring to the Center for Economic Policy report.

“This report objectively confirms that and it also proves that the General Assembly is not meeting its constitutional obligation,” said Campbell.

He said the Kentucky Constitution requires that the legislature provide an efficient system of common schools which means the legislature must ensure that public schools have the resources they need to provide a quality education to every Kentucky student.

Those necessary resources include highly qualified educators working with students in every community across the commonwealth, Campbell said.

“Like all working people, educators deserve to be paid for their time, their expertise, and their dedication,” he said. “They will not work long for a state that does not value them. Shortchanging educators shortchanges our children. It’s as simple as that.”

The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy is an independent, nonpartisan organization that produces analysis of economic and policy issues facing Kentucky, according to its website.