Adult Education and Family Literacy Week is recognized in Kentucky through September 19. State officials said this week will be used to shine a spotlight on education and its improvement within the Commonwealth.
GED Grad Day, which took place on Tuesday, drew attention to nearly 27,000 people who have taken advantage of the free GED initiative in Kentucky since its introduction in 2020. Out of those, 15,375 GEDs were earned, giving The Commonwealth a 79% pass rate compared to the national average of 74%. Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman said the most recent state data shows the Office of Adult Education saw a 19% increase in enrollment of services.
“Kentucky is red hot right now with our economy and we know that businesses from around the world are choosing us, but we also know that our economic success depends on building a sustainable and skilled workforce. Since day one of this administration the Governor and I have made education, training, and workforce development our top priority,” said Coleman.
Governor Beshear announced in July the Office of Adult Education would mobilize GED testing. Officials will travel to more than two dozen areas in Kentucky that lack access to in-person adult education services. Coleman said investing in education will benefit Kentuckians.
“We’re creating world-class educational and training opportunities by embracing a culture of life-long learning. This will help workers acquire the skills that they need to remain relevant in a rapidly expanding workplace,” said Coleman.
According to a 2024 survey, the United States Census Bureau concluded 27.9% of people in Kentucky have achieved a bachelor's degree or higher. This number is lower than the national percentage, which sat at 36.8. They found 32.1% of Kentuckians aged 25 or older attained a high school or equivalent degree per the same survey.