Name Calling Educators STILL Owe Kentuckians an Apology

Let’s understand this very clearly. Given their limited incomes, Kentucky taxpayers already spend about as much as they can afford for education. So, accusing taxpayers of being “last place” cheap simply isn’t fair. Even worse, the US Census Bureau says it isn’t true, either.

But, not long ago, a Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) news release basically accused all Kentuckians of being education cheapskates, saying, “According to the U.S. Census Bureau, based on 2003-04 data, Kentucky ranked dead last in per capita expenditures of state and local governments for public schools.”

Wow! – Not just “last” – DEAD last! – The Census Bureau says so – YOU CHEAPSKATE!

Well, it isn’t true – NONE of it.

First, the KDE doesn’t even rank the right statistics. The best school funding comparisons use “Per Pupil Funding.” That way, states like Kentucky with older populations are not put at an unfair disadvantage.

Second, the KDE’s “stuff” didn’t come from the Census Bureau. By itself, that is a very serious misrepresentation that demands an apology.

Third, the Census doesn’t rank us last. Want to see the real Census Bureau last place rankings? The figure below shows Bureau’s latest rankings for the highest and lowest state education spending. Kentucky isn’t in last place, not in next to last place, or not even in next to next to last place.



What’s more, the Census news release containing this figure came out a week and a half before the department published its slur on our generosity. Doesn’t anyone at the KDE check things out before taking such ridiculous swipes at the citizens of this state?

Well, I blogged about this in late April (that blog was lost when our old site was hacked), pointing out that the Kentucky Department of Education owes all Kentuckians a serious apology.

We are still waiting.

So, I am again listing links to two You Tube videos that explain exactly where the department got its nonsense rankings and why they are nonsense. These are going to keep showing up until we get that apology, because misquoting the US Census Bureau and putting out a lie in the process doesn’t square with our effort to improve transparency in government.





and