“But by shelving Kansas’ school funding formula and replacing it with block grants that freeze state aid levels for the next two years, lawmakers are actually throwing schools behind, said Mark Tallman, associate executive director for advocacy at the Kansas Association of School Boards. “This state is not keeping up with inflation, he said, and even if it did that much, it wouldn’t be enough. “’Not only do costs go up, but we also add to what we expect education to do,’ Tallman said. ‘We want reduced class sizes, full-day kindergarten instead of half-day, and new programs.’ “Communities...
Read more
Leave a Comment Blog
KASB rebuts governor’s claims on KS teacher salaries
“This data indicates that both Missouri and Kansas salary amounts have been consistently below the national average since 1970. It also indicates that for 1990 and 2010, Kansas’ average teacher salary was above Missouri’s. However, the data for the two most recent years shows Kansas and Missouri with virtually identical average teacher salaries; with Missouri showing a slightly higher salary in both years. “This is contrary to Gov. Brownback’s assertion that ‘Kansas average teacher salary has increased every year since 2010, and last school year totaled $54,907. This compared to Missouri, where teachers have experienced two pay cuts...
Read more
Leave a Comment Block grant cuts into operating budgets
“‘Oh, I think it’s a war on public education, that began ten, twelve, fifteen years ago. It’s been very incremental, and it’s been erosive to the point, maybe it’s one of those things, you may not notice it. Like rust on a car, you don’t realize it and all of a sudden my gosh, look what’s happened’ [says Steve Wentz of United Teachers of Wichita]… “[USD 259 CFO Richard] Freeman also points out the block grant presents a number of challenges… “’We estimate cost increases of approximately $14 million this year, including operational costs of $2.8 million, and...
Read more
Leave a Comment WI legislator reports from ALEC San Diego meeting
Wisconsin legislator Chris Taylor reports from ALEC’s San Diego meeting. “As if not to be undone, public education provokes as strong of ALEC ire as the EPA. “Their strategy on privatizing public education continues to evolve, and is now more focused on co-opting middle-income families by convincing them that public schools are failing their children. “Charter schools seem to be the current craze, perhaps because their private school voucher scheme, directed at low-income children, failed to increase academic performance as they promised. ALEC thinks they have their answer in the independent charter school scheme, which creates another school...
Read more
Leave a Comment