“No.”
That’s what 65% of Kentuckians voted on a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that could have drastically reshaped the state’s education landscape.
The controversial measure, known as Amendment 2, asked voters if they wanted to change the state constitution to let the legislature spend tax dollars on educational opportunities outside the public school system, such as charter schools or vouchers.
There wasn’t just a significant margin between the “yes” and “no” votes. Not a single county in the commonwealth voted “yes” on passing the measure.
The defeat means the legislature will not be able to fund a ” school choice ” program, which lawmakers have been blocked from implementing in the past by the state’s highest court.
“The public has spoken,” Senate President Robert Stivers said at a press conference Wednesday morning. “They said they don’t like that pathway, so we’re going to look at other pathways.”
Other Republican lawmakers expressed disappointment with the amendment’s failure, including Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, who was a vocal advocate for passing it.