Students File Lawsuit Against Commonwealth of Kentucky Demanding a Quality Public Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 3 p.m. ET

Media Contacts:
Rachel Belin, Managing Partner, (859) 396-6362, rachel@ksvt.org
Will Powers, Policy and Public Engagement Partner, ‭(606) 875-0024‬, will.powers@ksvt.org
Andrew Brennen, Board Chair and Co-Founder, (770) 595-7894‬, brennena@gmail.com 

Frankfort, KY– Today, a group of Kentucky students, joined by their families and members of the Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT), filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Kentucky, asserting that the state has failed to fulfill its constitutional obligation to provide all students with an adequate and equitable public education. Standing on the steps of the Franklin Circuit Courthouse, the students outlined the motivations behind their legal action and the urgent need to address systemic deficiencies in Kentucky’s education system.

“The Kentucky Constitution guarantees every student the right to a quality public education,” said Khoa Ta, a policy coordinator for the Kentucky Student Voice Team and a junior from Daviess County High School. “This right was clarified in the 1989 Rose v. Council for Better Education decision. But today, the legacy of Rose is wilted as its promises have gone unfulfilled for far too many Kentucky students.”

The lawsuit highlights critical issues that undermine the quality of education across the Commonwealth, including:

• Declining literacy skills: Only 41% of Kentucky 8th graders are proficient or above in reading. (2023-24 Kentucky Summative Assessment)
• Lack of civics education: Kentucky is one of just 11 states without a civics course requirement, leaving students unprepared to engage in government processes and civic life. (2023 Committee for Economic Development)
• Mental health crises: In 2023, nearly 1 in 5 (18.6%) of Kentucky high school students reported seriously considering taking their own lives. (Kentucky Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2023) Yet many Kentucky schools lack adequate counseling resources, with some schools having no counselors at all.
• Limited Arts Availability: Just 18.5% of Kentucky schools report offering no visual or performing arts class of any kind. (2023 Kentucky School Report Card)
• Severe academic disparities: There are  vast differences in achievement between Kentucky districts, in many cases of over 70 percentage points. (2023 Kentucky School Report Card)

The Kentucky Student Voice Team–known for its commitment to education research, policy advocacy and storytelling–partnered with Kaplan, Johnson, Abate, & Bird and experts from Teachers College at Columbia University and Harvard Law School to craft the complaint. The plaintiffs seek to hold the state accountable for falling short of the constitutional standard for a high-quality public education.

“This lawsuit targets systemic failures, not individual schools or teachers,” explained Luisa Sanchez, a student plaintiff and a junior from Boyle County High School. “We see the dedication of educators every day, but the root cause of these challenges lies in state-level decision-making and resource inequities.”

A Legacy to Uphold and a Future to Fight For

The lawsuit draws inspiration from the 1989 Rose decision, which spurred the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990, a landmark initiative that propelled the state’s schools from the bottom of national rankings to models of success. However, subsequent decades have seen declines in funding, teacher pay and resources, threatening the progress made.

“Generations before us fought to reimagine Kentucky schools, and we are here to ensure that promise is renewed for every student,” said Danielle Chivero, a student plaintiff from Tates Creek High School. “Our schools should be places where students are prepared to thrive, regardless of where they live or their family’s income.”

Next Steps: A Call to Action

The Kentucky Student Voice Team plans to complement the lawsuit with a year-long series of public hearings to gather insights and ideas from stakeholders across the Commonwealth. These hearings will inform recommendations for improving Kentucky’s schools and holding decision-makers accountable.

“This lawsuit is just the beginning,” said Peter Jefferson, a KSVT litigation coordinator and a senior from Henry Clay High School. “Real change will require the input, ideas and commitment of all Kentuckians. Together, we can create a future where every student has access to the education they deserve.”

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Media Note

‍KSVT will add video and photos during and after the press conference, accessible at this link.

‍About the Kentucky Student Voice Team

The Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) unites young people from across the state as partners in research, policy, and storytelling to build more just and democratic schools and communities. Since its inception in 2012, the team has engaged thousands of Kentuckians in efforts to elevate student perspectives in education decision making at the school, district, and state levels. Learn more at KSVT.org.

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