Widespread improvement needed at Kentucky Department of Education, auditor finds

Widespread improvements are needed across the Kentucky Department of Education, according to a special examination by state Auditor Allison Ball released Tuesday night.

The examination, mandated by Kentucky lawmakers, sought to identify areas of inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the department.

“Education in Kentucky needs drastic improvement,” Ball told Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher in a letter accompanying the report. “Less than half of all of Kentucky’s elementary, middle, and high school students are proficient in reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and writing. And in some subjects for some of those groups of students, the proficiency rating is far lower.

“Gov. (Andy) Beshear and KDE must take this report seriously and the (Auditor of Public Accounts) hopes that they do so. The future of Kentucky depends on it,” she said.

In response, Beshear told the Herald-Leader:

“The Auditor knows the Kentucky Department of Education is an independent agency, which alone has the authority to control its own programs and regulations.”

“.Kentuckians know I will always stand with our families, kids and educators and strive to make progress to ensure every child in Kentucky has access to the best education,” Beshear said.

Ball is a Republican, and Beshear is a Democrat.

The findings in the 466-page report include:

▪ KDE allowed more $250 million in state funding for local school districts to lapse instead of reallocating the funds to prepare for budget shortfalls, including a $40 million shortfall announced in January.

▪ KDE’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have been a waste of money, and there has been no noticeable difference in student outcomes.

▪ KDE’s preschool funding mechanism violates the U.S. Constitution, as recently affirmed by the United States Supreme Court.

▪ KDE’s method of rating preschools is misleading for parents. A high preschool rating from the state does not correlate with kindergarten readiness. KDE’s current preschool oversight processes do not promote strong kindergarten readiness.

▪ Gov. Beshear’s state-level education executives lack a unified vision for student success in K-12 education, postsecondary education, and careers.

“I have built an education-first administration and advocated – repeatedly – for investments in our public schools through teacher raises, pre-K and more, because I know that education is the key to breaking generational cycles of poverty and building a brighter future for all our people,” Beshear said Wednesday in response to Ball’s report. “In fact, my proposed budget fully funded student transportation, but unfortunately, the General Assembly failed to act on that and other initiatives.”

▪ KDE permits the “three-cueing” model for reading instruction, despite that model being banned in other states because it hinders reading proficiency.

▪ KDE and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association are not mitigating the risk of sexual harassment and abuse of student-athletes.

▪ KDE, only upon the audit, created resources related to sexual assault prevention and raising awareness in schools.

▪ Students with disabilities have not demonstrated meaningful academic outcomes over time due to KDE’s ineffective special education tracking.

▪ KDE neglects to provide meaningful support for the Kentucky School for the Blind and the Kentucky School for the Deaf.

.▪ KDE’s curriculum resources for teachers are difficult to access and use, making it harder for teachers to do their jobs.

To compile the report, Ball said her office worked with PCG Consulting Group, which she described as one of the nation’s preeminent education auditing entities, to examine the state education department’s activities from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2024.

The $1.2 million examination was part of House Bill 825, a Republican-sponsored bill passed in 2024 that aimed to enact more oversight of the state education department and board of education.

Sponsored by Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, the bill became law without Beshear’s signature.

In response to a draft of the report, Fletcher told Ball in a June 23 letter of a perceived conflict of interest for Public Consulting Group.

The company held contracts with the Department of Education and bid on two other contracts it did not receive.

But at no time during the examination itself did KDE raise concerns of a conflict of interest, Ball responded. She and company officials said there was no conflict of interest.

KDE took issue with some of Ball’s findings in the report, but Ball said she stood by the examination.

The examination included academic standards, statewide accountability and tests, monitoring of districts and programs, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, exceptional children, preschool, and model curriculum.

It looked at the state board of education oversight of the Commissioner of Education, interscholastic athletics, staffing and support of the Education Professional Standards Board, community education programs, and the performance of the Commissioner of Education..

Among additional findings in the report:

▪ KDE’s plan for improving education lacks measurable benchmarks for gauging student success.

▪ The Kentucky Board of Education lacks measurable benchmarks for student success and is failing to critically oversee KDE.

▪ KDE fails to track implementation of its model curriculum framework and, accordingly, cannot determine the effect of that framework on teaching quality and student outcomes.

▪ Kentucky does not meet student-to-counselor ratios recommended in state law.

▪ KDE is not ensuring that individualized learning plans are helping students prepare for careers and college.

▪ KDE lacks a dedicated staff and a comprehensive plan to support school districts in educating English Learners despite a growing population of those students across Kentucky.

▪ KDE lacks a comprehensive strategy that shapes its approach to school improvement.

▪ KDE has only completed comprehensive, onsite assessments of about half of all districts in the last 10 years.

▪ KDE fails to monitor school districts in a way that leads to effective district improvement.

“We respect the role of the Auditor’s office and acknowledge that such audits are an important part of ensuring public trust in our institutions,” Fletcher said Wednesday in response to the report. “While there are areas of the report where KDE holds a different perspective, we believe strongly in listening carefully and using feedback as an opportunity to grow.”

KDE’s mission is to create broad partnerships to provide leadership and support so that every student is equipped for the future, Fletcher said.

“With this in mind, we will approach this report with the seriousness that it deserves and will use it to reflect on our practices, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that we are being the best stewards possible of public resources and trust,” he said.

Fletcher said he recognizes that implementing many of the recommendations will require ongoing collaboration with the General Assembly and school districts throughout the state, and “we welcome continued partnership in these efforts.”

KDE remains committed to transparency, collaboration, and ensuring that every decision department officials make improves the educational experience for all Kentucky students in public schools, he said.

Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne and House Primary and Secondary Education Chair Scott Lewis issued a joint statement about the audit on Wednesday:

“While we continue to review the audit findings and recommendations, it is abundantly clear that it provides an invaluable road map for improvements,” the lawmakers said.

Ball is also conducting a special examination of Fayette County Public Schools, which has a projected $16 million budget shortfall.

This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 8:43 AM.