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Special Ed Task Force finally meets, recommends phased-in funding increase

The Special Education and Related Services Funding Task Force voted to recommend the adoption of the Kansas State Board of Education’s plan for a phased-in increase to special education fund…The four Republican legislators on the task force all voted against increasing special education funding but were outnumbered by the rest of the members, which consisted of one Democratic legislator and people who work in various parts of the education system… “The Legislature’s own research department said that in the current fiscal year, schools are being shorted $173 million from covering the 92% of statewide excess costs as the...
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Kansas special education task force to convene — finally — for quick study of funding shortfall

This article provides helpful background to the SPED task force meeting that was held today. “The goal of the task force, required by a bill approved by the 2023 Legislature, was to figure out how best to comply with an older statute mandating that state funding cover 92% of the extra cost of providing services to K-12 special education students statewide. Currently, state aid was sufficient to address 69% of school districts’ excess special education costs. The balance must be made up by local school districts… “The gathering might not have occurred had a six-person majority of task...
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Two Kansas substitutes spoke out at school board meetings and got fired. Now they’re suing

“Over the past year, Daniels and Hoins addressed the board several times during the public forum portion of its regular meetings. They advocated for higher teacher salaries and building improvements and against the district’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, according to the lawsuit. “At a board meeting last August, the teachers spoke about what they said was the board’s lack of transparency, book banning, and ‘the need for the school district to help non-white students feel welcome,’ the lawsuit says. “They also urged board members to exceed the district’s so-called ‘revenue neutral’ tax rate, which would allow schools to...
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Plan to “discredit and defund” public schools in Texas, and here in Kansas too

We add spreading misinformation on test scores to Rep. Talarico’s list but he is absolutely correct about the “discredit and defund” two-step plan. It’s promoted in Kansas by various Koch-funded entities. Make sure your community members understand this. Watch this video here: https://www.facebook.com/RepTalarico/videos/698962275457102 Originally posted on Facebook on Nov. 19th, 2023....
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