Kentucky Education Association: A Legacy of Advocacy and Progress

Introduction

The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) stands as a prominent voice for public education in the Commonwealth. From its origins in the mid-19th century to its current role as a statewide member organization and lobbying group, the KEA has been instrumental in shaping education policy and advocating for the interests of educators and students alike. This article explores the rich history of the KEA, highlighting its key milestones, achievements, and ongoing efforts to promote, protect, and strengthen public schools in Kentucky.

Early Years and Formation

The Kentucky Education Association was founded in 1857. Disrupted by the Civil War, the organization reorganized in 1865 as the State Teachers Association of Kentucky, reviving its role in coordination with the State Board of Education to promote post-war educational recovery. Early activities included sponsoring periodicals to disseminate best practices, such as the Kentucky Family Journal launched in February 1858 and the Educational Monthly later that year-both edited by E.A.

The Rise of Professionalization

From the 1870s to 1900, the association focused on institutional reforms, providing critical support for establishing state normal schools to train qualified instructors and endorsing teachers' institutes initiated in 1869 by Superintendent Z. During the early 20th century, the Kentucky Education Association (KEA) advanced professionalization efforts by promoting teacher training and leadership development amid expanding public school systems. Cora Wilson Stewart served as the first female president of the Kentucky Education Association in 1911, marking a milestone for women in educational leadership within the state.

The Kentucky School Journal and Sustained Professional Discourse

The KEA sustained professional discourse through its publication of the Kentucky School Journal, a periodical that disseminated pedagogical methods, administrative insights, and policy recommendations to members from the early 1900s onward. This outlet facilitated knowledge sharing among educators, contributing to standardized practices and collective advocacy for improved salaries and working conditions during economic upheavals like the Great Depression.

Post-World War II Growth and Advocacy

The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) experienced significant growth and shifts in focus during the post-World War II period, aligning with national trends in teacher professionalization and labor advocacy as an affiliate of the National Education Association. Membership expanded amid rising demands for improved salaries, working conditions, and certification standards, with KEA lobbying state legislators for equitable funding amid demographic changes and urbanization.

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Involvement in Landmark Education Reform

A pivotal moment came with the 1989 Kentucky Supreme Court ruling in Rose v. KEA participated as a key stakeholder in the reform process, advocating for provisions that protected teacher interests, such as salary incentives and professional development funding, while pushing back against overly prescriptive standards that could burden educators. education history.

Recent Challenges and Advocacy Efforts

In the 21st century, KEA has concentrated on defending public education against privatization efforts and fiscal constraints, opposing charter school expansions and voucher programs as threats to equitable funding. The organization challenged 2018 pension reforms under Governor Matt Bevin, which altered benefits for active and retired educators, arguing they undermined recruitment and retention amid already low national teacher pay rankings for Kentucky. A core element of KEA's funding advocacy involves opposing legislative efforts perceived to siphon resources from public schools, particularly school choice expansions like vouchers. KEA also engages directly in budget negotiations, providing input during General Assembly sessions and critiquing proposals for insufficient investments.

Kentucky Educators Political Action Committee (KEPAC)

The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) participates in electoral politics through its affiliated Kentucky Educators Political Action Committee (KEPAC), a voluntary, member-funded entity established to support candidates who demonstrate commitment to public education policies. KEPAC's endorsements are determined by an elected committee of contributing KEA members, who evaluate candidates based on their legislative records or stated positions favoring adequate funding for public schools, opposition to voucher programs, and protections for educator rights, rather than partisan affiliation alone. KEPAC provides both financial contributions and mobilization efforts, such as urging members to volunteer and vote, targeting races at local, state, and gubernatorial levels. In school board elections, for instance, endorsements focus on candidates opposing reforms perceived as diverting resources from public institutions. Specific examples include KEPAC's 2022 general election endorsements for multiple state senate and house candidates, such as Keith Collins (Boone County District 1), Julie Pile (Boone County District 4), and Tyler Murphy (Fayette County District 2), alongside local figures like Juh-Rawn Napier (Laurel County District 1). In the 2024 primary, endorsements extended to Fayette County Board of Education candidates including Marilyn Clark (District 1), Danny Anthony Everett (District 3), and Amy Green (District 5). At the statewide level, KEPAC backed Democratic Governor Andy Beshear's 2023 re-election bid, citing his vetoes of school choice legislation and advocacy for public school funding increases. Historically, KEPAC's endorsements have favored Democratic-leaning candidates, reflecting the union's priorities amid Kentucky's Republican-dominated legislature, though it claims non-partisan evaluation. This pattern has drawn scrutiny from reform advocates, who argue it entrenches opposition to accountability measures and choice expansions, potentially prioritizing institutional preservation over empirical improvements in student outcomes.

Labor Actions and Advocacy for Educator Rights

The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) has been involved in several labor actions, primarily in response to proposed changes in teacher pensions, salaries, and education funding. In March 2018, amid legislative efforts to reform the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System (KTRS), thousands of KEA members participated in statewide sickouts protesting House Bill 362, which aimed to shift new teachers to a hybrid pension plan and adjust benefits. This action led to school closures across multiple districts, with over 100 schools affected, as educators called in sick en masse to pressure lawmakers. Subsequent disputes arose over funding shortfalls and contract negotiations. In 2019, KEA affiliates in Jefferson County Public Schools engaged in contentious bargaining, culminating in sickouts in March by JCPS teachers demanding higher wages and better classroom resources amid a $54 million budget deficit. This action, supported by KEA, resulted in temporary closures but yielded incremental salary increases in the ratified contract. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, KEA opposed rapid school reopenings in fall 2020, advocating for extended virtual learning through organized petitions and lobbying, which some districts framed as resistance to safe in-person instruction backed by emerging data on low child transmission rates. In 2022, amid inflation-driven cost-of-living adjustments, KEA pushed for strikes in underfunded rural districts like those in Eastern Kentucky, though most resolved via arbitration rather than full work stoppages. Membership dissatisfaction has also fueled splinter groups and rival organizations, contributing to internal divisions. Ethical concerns have surfaced regarding resource allocation and political activities, though direct scandals remain limited.

Advocacy for Educator Salaries and Workplace Benefits

The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) has advocated for enhancements to educator salaries and workplace benefits through legislative lobbying and collective member support initiatives. In pension advocacy, KEA, alongside local affiliates like the Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA), has secured tangible protections for retirement and insurance benefits amid the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System (KTRS) challenges. Collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) negotiated under KEA influence, particularly in large districts like Jefferson County, impose seniority-based transfer systems that limit school leaders' ability to hire and retain effective teachers where needed most. Broader analyses of teacher unions indicate that such agreements prioritize adult employment security over student-centered innovations, correlating with subdued academic gains; for instance, districts with restrictive CBAs show reduced implementation of data-driven evaluations, as four Kentucky agreements explicitly barred student performance metrics from summative assessments as of 2010. While KEA asserts its role in securing professional development and smaller classes to bolster quality, empirical trends reveal Kentucky's per-pupil spending exceeding $10,000 annually by 2022 without commensurate NAEP advancements, suggesting inefficiencies from union-driven resource allocation that favor inputs over measurable results.

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Key Figures in KEA History

Several individuals have played pivotal roles in shaping the KEA's history and direction. Cora Wilson Stewart served as the first female president of the Kentucky Education Association in 1911, marking a milestone for women in educational leadership within the state. Jon Henrikson led the association as president from 1982 to 1986, focusing on educator welfare and community engagement in Appalachia. Stephanie Winkler presided over KEA from roughly 2013 to 2019, steering the organization through legislative advocacy for increased education funding and teacher pensions following the 2018 pension reform disputes. Last week, KEA members elected the association’s former vice president Eddie Campbell to be their new president. Campbell takes over for Stephanie Winkler, whose term ended. As the final gavel fell on the 153rd Delegate Assembly, the Kentucky Education Association paused to celebrate a remarkable chapter in its history-a chapter led with heart, courage, and unshakable resolve and spirit by President Eddie Campbell. President Campbell has always been more than a leader; he has been a servant and a champion for public education and the educators who make it possible. In his own words, Eddie described his presidency as “one of the greatest honors” of his life-and it showed in everything he did. Over the past six years, he has guided KEA through some of the most challenging times in our history, from the heartbreak and upheaval of a global pandemic to natural disasters that tested the resolve of entire communities. And through it all, Eddie stood firm-not just as our president, but as one of us. Eddie’s tenure was marked not only by his calm leadership in turbulent times but also by bold, collective victories where the very future of our association and public schools were on the line. Under his guidance, KEA organized against dangerous voucher amendments, reclaimed our power after legislative attacks, and fought tirelessly to repeal unjust federal policies like WEP and GPO. These victories were not just political wins-they were declarations of our power, our unity, and our undying devotion to public education and educators. Eddie’s rallying cry-“Promote, Protect, and Strengthen Our Public Schools”-isn’t just a slogan. It is a call to action that captures the heart of our mission and the soul of his leadership. He challenged us to uplift our schools, to defend them fiercely, and to build something even stronger for the generations to come. Campbell has also been a great cultivator of leadership in his service to KEA and his profession, mentoring and empowering a new generation of educators to find their voice, step into their power, and carry the torch forward. Behind every decision, every rallying speech, and every organizing campaign is a man who deeply loves his chosen profession and the people in it. Eddie led with empathy and integrity, always reminding us that our strength is in our members, our stories, and our shared purpose. As Eddie closes this chapter, we celebrate a legacy built on courage, compassion, and community. We thank him for his mentorship, his steady presence, and for showing us what it means to “do what we can,” like the courageous little hummingbird he spoke of in his farewell speech at the DA. From all of us at KEA-thank you Eddie. Thank you for your years of service, your unwavering commitment to public education, and your unshakable belief in the power of educators.

Organizational Structure and Activities

The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) is an advocacy and lobbying group for "improved education funding, safe schools, better materials, smaller class sizes, and the empowerment of school employees and parents" in Kentucky's education system. It was founded in 1857. Membership is voluntary, and all school employees can join. KEA has satellites in every school district of Kentucky and is an affiliate of the National Education Association. KEA is divided into 13 separate districts, each governed by an elected board of directors. KEA runs 15 offices throughout Kentucky and employs over 55 staff members under an Executive Director. KEA's political unit is called the Kentucky Educators' Political Action Committee (KEPAC).

Kentucky Association for Career and Technical Education (KACTE)

The first AVA convention was held in Louisville, and Kentucky also was chartered that year. The first president of KVA (the Kentucky Vocational Association and the forerunner of today’s Kentucky Association for Career and Technical Education) was G. Ivan Barnes, who represented Agriculture and served for two years. The second president, Ethel Lovell, represented Trade and Industrial Education. In 1934-36, Ms. Ata Lee, representing Home Economics, served as president. According to the records, all presidents served two years until 1948. KVA membership as of February 1, 1927, was 205 and ranked eighth in the association, which had a total membership of 3,632. KVA followed this pattern; however, these areas were commonly called service areas (e.g., agriculture, home economics, and industrial education). Later service (program) areas included distributive education, health occupations, business and office, manpower, and special needs. In addition to the program areas, Kentucky also established KVA regions in 1965. These regions were represented by regional officers, and the regional president served on the KVA Board of Directors. Originally, thee were 10 regions throughout the state. With restructuring in recent years, these were expanded to 15. Regional meetings were held in conjunction with the Kentucky Education Association (KEA) fall district meetings. Annual meetings of the association have been held throughout the years. Most of the meetings were held in Louisville; however, in 1962 the meeting was held in Lexington. KVA has been noted for recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the association. According to the Bylaws, a maximum of two individuals may be honored each year with the KVA Honorary Life Membership. Persons nominated do not have to be members of KVA. Kentucky also has been noted for having many KVA life members. Since the name change to KACTE, the association maintained its commitment to student organizations, most notably in organizing Student Leadership Day in Frankfort, which offers student organization leaders and members a civics learning opportunity. Since 2002, KACTE’s Annual Meeting was incorporated within the Annual Statewide Career and Technical Education Summer Program, and KACTE is the logistic manager for the event. Finally, dollars were directed to support leadership initiatives, which eventually developed into the KACTE TALENTS (Teachers As Leaders - Empowering New Thinking Skills) Leadership Academy. KACTE maintains an active public awareness and legislative advocacy program. Its presence on behalf of CTE is known both in Washington and Frankfort. In 2010, KACTE was challenged to develop a definition of career readiness. Two-thirds of the KACTE recommendation was adopted by the Kentucky State Board of Education and used as part of the state’s College and Career Readiness Accountability System. Several legislative initiatives supported by KACTE passed the Kentucky General Assembly and were signed by the governor.

Priorities and Future Goals

"The Kentucky Education Association is the preeminent voice for public education in the state of Kentucky. We have 44,000 members that range from aspiring educators all the way through retired members. Active members include classroom teachers and education support professionals such as bus drivers, classroom aides, secretaries - anyone who works within a school system can be members of our association. We advocate for our members, and we also advocate for public education, so that students across the state of Kentucky can have a high quality public education."

One of the priorities and things KEA hopes to accomplish in the next few years is to continue to raise the educator voice so that they're boldly and bravely speaking the truth about public education and what it means for students, for the educators who serve those students. The association wants to make sure that we're fully funding public education. Education has been cut several times over the last four or five budget cycles, and they want to ensure that our students have the highest quality public education possible. They want to make sure that they have the materials they need, that our classrooms are fully resourced, that our educators feel secure and sound so that they're not worried about other things - so they can focus on teaching their students … because public education is the great equalizer. As educators we open the doors of our building, which are the hearts of our community and say, 'Come to us, we want to make sure that you have every opportunity possible.' "

KEA wants the organization to be proactive from the very beginning. It wants all educators, all our members in KEA, to be fully informed of the issues that are going on. They want their voices to be raised, and they want them to have contact with their legislators so that they’re having those conversations before they even come to Frankfort.

Our educators are going to advocate for their students from their classroom, from their buses, from the bus barn, from the halls of their school, from the streets of their communities, all the way to Frankfort, so that they are fully informed and fully informing those who represent them here in Frankfort - and building those relationships at home will have great effects."

Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame

The Governor Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame welcomed KEA members Jesse Brown from Glasgow Independent and Kimberlea Embry from Butler County High School into its ranks in December. These distinguished individuals were chosen by a statewide selection committee and were officially inducted on December 1, at the Western Kentucky University campus as part of the Hall of Fame ceremony. Jesse Brown retired from Glasgow Independent Schools after 30 years of teaching high school history and continues to teach as a substitute for the district. The Governor Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame was created in 2000 through a gift by former Gov. Nunn, who hoped to recognize the vital role that classroom teachers in Kentucky play in the education of young people and the positive impact education has on the state’s economy. WKU was selected as the home of the Teacher Hall of Fame because of its more than 100-year history in teacher education.

Kentucky Association of Teachers of History (KATH)

Since 1976 KATH has offered a common forum and source of information for all teachers of history in this state, so that they may know of one another’s research and publications, educational activities, concerns and problems. KATH is a service organization for those concerned about improving the quality of history education in Kentucky and offers opportunities to network and to experience professional development events, especially through our annual conference. Although our name emphasizes history, our interests are interdisciplinary and include the humanities and the social sciences. Members include elementary, middle school, high school, and college and university teachers, as well as administrators and public historians. For nearly a half century, each annually elected KATH Board president has brought in a nationally known historian for everyone to hear and get to know personally in a small group setting. Volunteering their time and connections with international, regional or local experts, the KATH Board primarily meets to organizes the annual meeting. They distribute useful information for history educators (using for example, the H-Kentucky network), and organize task groups to recognize scholarly achievement through a history writing award program: the Anita Sanford Tolson Award for high school students; the Thomas D. Clark Award for undergraduates in American history; the Ray Betts Award for undergraduates in non-U. S.

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