Cameron Unveils “Catch-Up Plan” To Address Learning Loss
Louisville, Ky. (August 15, 2023) – Earlier today, Attorney General and Republican nominee for Governor Daniel Cameron released “The Cameron Catch-Up Plan” to address historic learning loss experienced by Kentucky students due to Andy Beshear’s extensive lockdown of schools.
“As a result of Andy Beshear’s lockdowns, our students are facing generational learning loss,” said Cameron. “Kentucky’s test scores have declined every year since Andy Beshear has been in office. He has failed our teachers, parents, and students. He’s robbed thousands of young people of their God-given potential and their shot at the American dream. Andy Beshear has no plan to get our kids caught up. The Cameron Catch-Up Plan will do just that.”
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the Kentucky Department of Education, fewer than half of Kentucky students are proficient in math or can read on grade level. Only 29% are proficient in science.
Students are also missing school at a historic high. Chronic absenteeism is near 30% since Andy Beshear’s lockdowns. That means 3 in 10 kids are barely attending school at all.
In order to combat these historic challenges, the Cameron Catch-Up Plan will authorize a fully-funded tutoring program, restore classroom discipline, and surge resources to teachers and classrooms.
“Kentucky teachers and parents are working incredibly hard to support students, but they don’t have a Governor who is doing the same,” Cameron added. “The Cameron Catch-Up Plan will give teachers and parents the tools our students need to recover what Andy Beshear stole from them.”
Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker David Osborne praised Cameron for consulting with the General Assembly in developing the Catch-Up Plan.
“Governor Beshear stands alone in Frankfort, refusing to work with or even talk to the General Assembly. It’s a failure of leadership, and Kentucky has paid the price,” said Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers. “Daniel Cameron has the courage and the determination to take on our Commonwealth’s biggest challenges. The Cameron Catch-Up Plan is a bold strategy to get our students back on track after Andy Beshear’s lockdowns.”
“The Cameron Catch-Up Plan directly addresses the acute learning loss inflicted on our students by the Governor’s school shutdowns,” said Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne. “To this day, the Governor has proposed no plan to address this generational challenge. I appreciate that Daniel is already working with members of the General Assembly to draft policy that reflects our commitment to making sure that students have the resources and support they need. This November, Kentuckians have a choice between the empty rhetoric of the last four years or a true leader who can get things done.”
Download the Cameron Catch-Up Plan here.
The Cameron Catch-Up Plan is the latest in a series of proposals introduced by the campaign to reform the state’s education system. In the primary, Cameron unveiled an education framework which included increasing pay for teachers, providing stipends to teachers for school supplies, reducing bureaucracy, and removing politics from the Kentucky Board of Education.