By Jacqueline Pitts, The Bottom Line

FRANKFORT, Ky. — As education continues to be a top issue across Kentucky, a national group gave Kentucky’s education system a C- grade in a report released on Wednesday.

The report by Education Week Research Center ranks Kentucky 36th in the nation with a score of 72.4, which is below the national average. Kentucky also came in 31st place in school finance, one of the 39 indicators the group uses to determine the quality of state’s school systems.

“The 2019 Quality Counts rankings confirm much of what we already know about Kentucky’s public education system,” said Kentucky Education Commissioner Wayne D. Lewis. “I believe an overall grade of C- accurately reflects both our system’s strengths and its areas for improvement.”

Compared to surrounding states, Kentucky has the same C- grade as Tennessee and West Virginia; however, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri received a C grade or higher.

“It will take a combination of increased strategic investment in classrooms and improved education policy, leadership and instructional practice to ensure that each and every Kentucky student, regardless of background or school district, has access to a high-quality public education,” Lewis said. “Only then will we begin to see significant change in student outcomes.”

The Kentucky business community continues advocate for improvements to Kentucky’s education system. Learn more about the business community’s initiatives in the Chamber’s latest education report.