LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky voters have rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow state funding for non-public schools. 

Amendment 2 would have allowed lawmakers to direct public funds to private schools, potentially paving the way for charter school funding and voucher programs.  

The amendment aimed to allow the state legislature to decide whether to implement programs like charter school funding or private school vouchers, without automatically creating them.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Tuesday he supported a "no" vote on the amendment. 

"Anything we can do to continue funding JCPS is great for our students, that's great for our city, that's great for the future," he said.

In a statement following the results of the vote, Gov. Andy Beshear said voters have "once again definitively stated that public dollars belong only in public schools."

“It is time our legislative leaders recognize the will of the people and get serious about ensuring that every Kentucky child gets a world-class public education—that means they should immediately get to work fully funding our public schools, including a raise in educator pay to address the teacher shortage and enacting universal pre-K for every Kentucky four-year-old," Beshear's statement continued.

Kentucky Students First, a group that advocated for Amendment 2's passage, said "students deserve better" in response to Tuesday's vote.

In a statement it said: 

"Our coalition of parents, educators, and concerned Kentuckians fought hard to change the status quo protected by Kentucky’s education special interests. Though the results may not have been in our favor, this campaign has been a powerful force for standing up to the Kentucky education bureaucracy. Perpetuating the low performance of Kentucky’s education system is a disservice to our children and our Commonwealth. Kentucky students deserve better, and our resolve to serve students over systems remains unchanged."

The passage of the amendment wouldn't have automatically funded charter schools or a voucher system. It would have left that decision up to lawmakers.

The ballot question read:

"To give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children, are you in favor of enabling the General Assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below? 

It is proposed that a new section be added to the constitution of Kentucky to read as follows:

The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside of the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding."

Lawmakers passed a measure earlier this year to put the question on November's ballot. A push by Republican lawmakers for the constitutional amendment came after previous school choice laws were struck down.

In 2022, the Kentucky Supreme Court struck down a state law that allowed donors to receive tax credits for supporting private school tuition. This measure was known as "education opportunity accounts." The grants could have been used for an array of educational expenses — including private school tuition in several of the state’s most populated counties. 

Opponents warned the tax credits would cost the state treasury up to $25 million a year — money they said could go toward public education. Supporters said the measure offered opportunities for parents who want new schooling options for their children but are unable to afford them.

In 2023, a Franklin County Circuit Court judge struck down a law aimed at setting up funding methods for charter schools in Kentucky. Such publicly-funded charter schools would be operated by independent groups with fewer regulations than most public schools.

The bill's opponents warned that it would siphon money from traditional public schools. But supporters portray charter schools as a way to give parents more choices for their children's schooling.

To read more about Amendment 2, click here.

This story may be updated.

Amendment 2 Coverage:

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