The Council on Postsecondary Education coordinates public postsecondary education, bringing a statewide perspective to budget and policy issues and planning. The Council both guides the system and serves as an advocate for the postsecondary education sector of the state's education enterprise. The Council also licenses private non-profit and proprietary bachelor's degree-granting institutions.
development of a strategic plan for an efficient and effective system of postsecondary education that provides statewide access without unnecessary competition and duplication, recognizing both public and independent institutions;
implementation of the strategic plan through public accountability, including reporting and evaluation of institutional performance;
approval of the creation, modification, and elimination of programs and degrees and transferability of credits earned;
approval of tuition rates and admission requirements;
approval of capital projects and real property acquisitions by institutions;
training and orientation of new members of institutional governing boards;
liaison between postsecondary education institutions and the Kentucky Department of Education, the Education Professional Standards Board, the Education and Labor Cabinet. and the Cabinet for Economic Development
operation of the Kentucky Virtual High School and the Kentucky Virtual Library;
coordination and acquisition of technology resources for broadest access and cost efficiency;
collection of data and research and analysis concerning the overall needs of postsecondary education;
assistance in the development of the postsecondary institutions' biennial budget requests and recommendations concerning operating and capital appropriations to the Governor and the General Assembly; and
implementation of the Postsecondary Education Performance Funding Model.
The Governor's budget includes additional funding in the amount of $175,800 in fiscal year 2027 and $361,400 in fiscal year 2028 to fund a 2% salary increment in fiscal year 2027 and an additional 2% increment in fiscal year 2028. The General Fund portion is $102,000 and $209,600 respectively.