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General fund income could be less than expenses for 4th year

Kansans need to remember this reality is part of the context of legislator decisions about school funding. “Next year’s state budget could be the fourth fiscal year in a row with less general fund income than expenses, former state budget director Duane Goossen noted. ‘Each year lawmakers have scrambled to fill the resulting gap, first by blowing through $709 million in reserves, and then by withdrawing record amounts from the highway fund and other funds,’ Goossen wrote in a blog post for the Kansas Center for Economic Growth. Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposed budget for next fiscal year has...
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Shanker Institute: Money does matter

This piece is more “academic” but worth the read for its overall conclusions, critique of oft-cited Hanushek and discussion of merit pay, class sizes and charters. “Many of the ways in which schools currently spend money do improve student outcomes. “When schools have more money, they have greater opportunity to spend productively. When they don’t, they can’t. “Arguments that across-the-board budget cuts will not hurt outcomes are completely unfounded. “In short, money matters, resources that cost money matter, and a more equitable distribution of school funding can improve outcomes. Policymakers would be well-advised to rely on high-quality research...
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Hervey County perspective on district consolidation bill

“’Your big savings is consolidating buildings, and there is not a single building (in Harvey County) that can absorb everyone’s students at this time,’ Alstrom said. ‘… (With this proposal) Your savings will come in firing four superintendents. I am not sure the work can be done by the one that is left.’ “Miller challenged the idea of significant savings from a reduction in administrative staff statewide. “’I would like to see the data to support that statement,’ Miller said. “’It is making the assumption that you would not have to increase staff in the largest district in...
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