“Topeka Unified School District 501 on Friday announced a series of actions including cuts to summer school and canceling field trips to reduce spending in response to a mid-school year budget cut ordered by Gov. Sam Brownback. “A letter directed to USD 501 parents and staff and signed by superintendent Julie Ford was posted to the district’s Facebook page. In the notice, Ford stated Topeka schools would lose $822,933 during the next four months because of the mandated cuts… “‘We are following Senate Bill 71, which could impose more cuts this school year,’ Ford wrote. ‘We continue to...
Read more
Leave a Comment Blog
Link between opposing teachers unions and ALEC education reform
Why does the bill on the PNA (teacher negotiations) authored by ALEC task force member and paid KPI lobbyist Dave Trabert and the minority of the efficiency commission appear to be receiving more legislative support than the bill supported by the majority of the efficiency commission, KASB, the superintendents association and the teachers unions? If you think this is all about “efficiency”, please watch this video. Many of you are new to our page, so if you don’t know who ALEC is, please peruse our page and our website and realize that the Kansas legislature has many ALEC...
Read more
Leave a Comment Questions to ask about legislative newsletters
The session is underway and many legislators are sending newsletters. Do you receive your legislators’ newsletters? We find it interesting the way many of our “pro-public education” legislators talk about education funding. Does your legislator lump all funding (state, federal, special ed, capital) together and refer to rising spending without also referring to local projects underway (approved by members of the community) or increases in numbers of students who are poor or in need of English Language Learner services? Is your legislator referring to Governor Brownback’s allotment as a “decrease in an increase” without acknowledging that much of...
Read more
Leave a Comment Local control missing in SB 171 discussion
We hear a lot about local control being an important Kansas value and one legislators say they will work to protect when they are running for office, but as we have watched the events of this week, we wonder if some have forgotten that. Why were the few proponents of SB 171 (moving local elections and making them partisan) allowed the vast majority of time to testify, leaving time for only 2 opponents? Why were proponents of the bill apparently given the opportunity to testify via Skype or phone and not opponents? The hearing was scheduled with little...
Read more
Leave a Comment