There are two reasons to convene the task force. First is to demonstrate the need for adequate SPED funding. The second is to vet any plans to change it. Rep. Williams has made clear she would prefer to count the funding differently and/or change the formula. She should not be able to do this in the legislative session unless she vets it in this task force of people who are more knowledgeable than legislative committee members. The unwillingness to convene the task force once it became apparent she would not control the agenda is damning. We have repeatedly found that the K-12 Education Budget Committee meetings are not the best setting for robust enlightened discussion. (See comment below for video of Rep. Williams pushing for the passage of the legislation mandating the task force.)

We also note that the task force is only authorized to meet one day, and Rep. Williams has set the start time as 1:00 pm instead of the usual 10:00 am. Could we please stop the gamesmanship?

“This past spring, Kansas lawmakers largely punted on addressing the issue, opting to create a Republican-backed Special Education and Related Services Funding Task Force. Democrats [and public education advocates] generally agreed with the principle, but feared it would distract from attempts to fully fund special education.

“The task force is required under state law to study the existing formula for special education funding. It must conduct hearings with input from teachers, parents, state education department officials, the state board of education, other government officials and the general public.

“The task force is also mandated to submit a report on its work to the Legislature no later than Jan. 14. The report must include recommendations for legislative action.

“The statute detailed that House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, would designate who would call the first meeting. Then, the task force would choose its own chair and vice chair at that meeting. Williams doesn’t appear to have majority support, which would mean she couldn’t control the meeting agenda, who is invited to testify or preside over the recommendation process.

“On Tuesday morning, a six-person majority of the 11-member task force circulated a notice that they were calling a meeting for 10 a.m. Thursday at the Statehouse.

“The cited House rules, which specify that, if needed, the Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure will govern over any rules questions. That manual allows a majority of a committee to call a meeting “if the chair is absent or neglects or declines to call a meeting.”

“Not signing onto the call for a meeting were Williams; Erickson; Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg; Rep. Adam Thomas, R-Olathe; and Chris Wyant.

“By Tuesday afternoon, legislative staff had sent a notice that Williams had now called a meeting and scheduled it for Jan. 5. The task force is only authorized to meet once before the legislative session starts, so the Thursday meeting won’t happen.”

Read more from the Topeka Capitol Journal.

Originally posted on Facebook on Nov. 9th, 2023.