Dual credit and KEES scholarship bills move forward

The House Education Committee passed two bills Tuesday focused on scholarships for Kentucky students.

House Bill 234, sponsored by Rep. William Lawrence, adds proprietary institutions to Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) as eligible institutions. 

“We can never over invest in students who are going to be a part of our workforce,” Lawrence said.

Kentucky Chamber Agriculture and Equine Policy Council Co-Chair Adam Hinton also testified in favor of the legislation in committee.

The legislation, supported by the Kentucky Chamber, seeks to aide in combating Kentucky’s workforce shortage that is plaguing our state by assisting students with financial means to attend a nontraditional postsecondary institution. 

Representative Matt Koch, co-sponsor of the legislation, said he attended a proprietary school and that is where he got his start.  He said, “These students have earned this money, they should get to say where they can use these funds”. 

The committee also passed House Bill 85, sponsored by Rep. James Allen Tipton, focused on expanding dual credit scholarships. The dual credit scholarship program allows students to start earning college credits while still in high school. These credits have been linked to higher GPAs and a positive impact for minority, low income, and academically unprepared students.

House Bill 234 and House Bill 85 now head to the House floor.