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The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education says public colleges and universities in the state made significant gains in undergraduate enrollment and graduation rates last school year.

The latest progress report from the KCPE says enrollment in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System in the fall of 2024 was 84,122 students, a 6.8 percent increase from fall of 2023. Undergraduate enrollment at Kentucky public universities was 99,233 students in fall of 2024, an increase from the previous year of 3.9 percent.

The progress report also shows that more students entering two-year or four-year institutions are completing a degree or credential within three to six years. KCTCS’s three-year graduation rate hit 47.2 percent, a 3 percent increase, and the six-year graduation rate for public universities hit 61.2 percent, which the KCPE says is an all-time high.

While gains were seen in enrollment and graduation, the affordability of public universities saw a decrease. The average amount of unmet financial need for university students climbed to $10,225, a 9.2 percent increase. An 11-percent drop in FAFSA completion rates was also seen, which the KCPE attributed to the launch of the federal government’s new FAFSA system.

You can view the full report at cpe.ky.gov.

Don’t forget to head out to the Historic State Theater for their Summer Movie Series, which continues Tuesday afternoon and evening.

“We try to make it very affordable for families, and it’s great fun,” said Priscilla Scarborough with the City of Elizabethtown’s Events staff. “The movie selection this year has been great because it is ‘The Summer of Sequels.’”

Tuesday’s movie is Moana, with showings at noon and 7 p.m. Other movies on tap for the summer series include Moana 2, Sing 1 and Sing 2, Paddington 1 and Paddington 2, and Inside Out 1 and Inside Out 2.

Admission is only $1 with special concessions available.

“We like to call them ‘the world famous $3 Kids Pack,’ so that gives you this fantastic little tray with popcorn, a beverage, and fruit snacks,” Scarborough said.

Tickets and more information are available at www.thestate270.org.

Public comments are still being accepted on the latest update to the Radcliff-Elizabethtown Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Public Involvement Plan.

Radcliff-Elizabethtown MPO Coordinator Jake Zimmerer says a Public Involvement Plan update is required every four years.

“It’s just a brief and not super long, but not super short, plan of what all of our efforts are going to be to involve the public in the transportation planning process over the next four years,” Zimmerer said.

The public comments period on the plan update is open until June 30.

“We’re hoping to just let anyone and everyone look over the plan and say if what we’re doing is adequate,” Zimmerer said. “Are we actually able to reach out with you? Do you have any recommendations for additional stuff we could do to keep the public involved in the process? Any feedback from essentially anyone in our region is helpful and we’ll try to incorporate it into the plan.”

After reviewing the update at www.radcliff-elizabethtown-mpo.org, interested participants can send their comments to Zimmerer.

“All they have to do is email me, jake@ltadd.org, with recommendations and comments, and I’ll work it in any way I can,” Zimmerer said.

A link to the update can also be found on the Radcliff-Elizabethtown Metropolitan Planning Organization Facebook page.