The Effects of the Kentucky Education Reform Act on the Departments and Schools of Education at Independent Colleges and Universities in Kentucky

Abstract

The Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990 drastically changed the state’s entire educational system in ways of curriculum, governance, and finance. KERA has served as somewhat of a blueprint for reform legislation in a number of other states. A literature review revealed that traditionally the relationship between K-12 reform and higher education (teacher preparation) in the United States has not been very strong. Although the connections between the two were unclear early on in Kentucky’s reform efforts, much progress has been made in linking KERA to the teacher preparation programs in the state. Some documentation on how the state colleges and universities have responded to the legislation exists. Very little literature, however, on how the private institutions have responded is available.

This study investigated the effects that KERA has had on the teacher preparation programs at private colleges and universities in Kentucky in the areas of (a) teaching methods and techniques; (b) course content; (c) student teaching; (d) administrative procedures and policies; and (e) new programs, projects, and facilities.

A chi-square statistical procedure was applied to the data. Based on the participants’ responses, overall, there were no statistically significant differences between investigated. In addition, generally, no statistically significant differences between institutional responses or the responses of administrators and faculty members were revealed.