Instead of simply doing an appropriations bill to comply with the Gannon decision, the House Republican leadership has written a 91-page bill (HB 2773) that reads like a list of ALEC policies. (1) It would provide for the ALEC expansion of charters and would establish an independent chartering board, with the governor appointing three members, the Senate president and House speaker each appointing two members, and the minority leaders of the House and Senate each choosing one appointee. (2) It creates a new income tax deduction for contributions to charter schools. (3) It would enact corporate tax credit scholarships....
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Eagle editorial: be wise on school funding
We agree with this editorial: “Shortchanging or stiffing the districts could invite further review – and trouble – from the same three-judge panel that ruled last year that state funding was unconstitutionally low. In the worst-case scenario, the panel would enjoin districts’ use of the LOB mechanism, costing them $1 billion statewide. That would be a disaster for schools, but also bad politics in a re-election year.” http://www.kansas.com/2014/03/20/3355531/eagle-editorial-be-wise-on-school.html...
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Leave a Comment Brownback recommends significant new funding to comply with Gannon equity decision
“Addressing inequities in school funding identified by the Supreme Court “will require significant new funding,” Gov. Sam Brownback said Wednesday in a statement. He did not say how much new funding, nor where the money would come from. The Department of Education and the Kansas Legislative Research Department have calculated equalization of these areas could cost $129 million.” http://www.kansas.com/2014/03/19/3355514_brownback-significant-new-funding.html...
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Leave a Comment Game On opposes bundling of Gannon equity funding with bad education policy
We oppose bundling of funding to comply with Gannon with ideological education policy. We also resent the begrudging attitude of legislators like Sen. Masterson: “If you’re a conservative person who doesn’t want to add the money we’re talking about, it’s kind of like value shopping,” he said. “If I’m going to spend this much money, I want to know what I’m going to get for my dollars.” http://m.ljworld.com/news/2014/mar/19/school-funding-fix-may-get-linked-other-policy-cha/...
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