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Brownback and districts at odds over cuts and reserves

“Overall, Brownback noted in his statement on the funding change, even with the cut schools are receiving $177 million more this year than last. “That increase in large part was driven by a Kansas Supreme Court ruling that called for the state to increase public school funding. “The midyear cut, however, hits schools after their budgets and payroll obligations are established for the year…The current school year’s contingency funds — including about $8.3 million in Kansas City, Kan., $5.6 million in Shawnee Mission, $9.7 million in Olathe and $11.2 million in Blue Valley — would be needed to...
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Legislators fail to hear opposition testimony

From Kansas PTA: Kansas PTA supplied testimony in opposition to SB171 which would make school board elections partisan. Opponents got less than 20 minutes to testify while those in favor of the bill got nearly an hour to testify. Legislators should be willing to hear both sides of the issue and not push through their own agenda. Is your legislator hearing from you on these issues? Kansas PTA believes in non partisan elections. Kansas PTA also believes in transparency in government and more than 24 hour turnaround time to prepare testimony on these very important bills being rushed...
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USD 470 faces cuts

Here’s the perspective in Ark City. “The newest cuts have left USD 470 approximately $174,000 shy of its previous budget numbers for the 2014-15 school year, school board members learned at their regular meeting. “While the school district has $180,000 in contingency funds, district Superintendent Ron Ballard said he is hesitant to use those funds because the district might need that money well into the next school year. “If it is passed, an additional bill, SB 71, could cost USD 470 yet another $126,000 in funding, Ballard indicated.” http://www.arkcity.net/news/top_story/usd-addresses-financial-impact/article_e6bcfc00-b1b3-11e4-9dad-9b27d0796c78.html...
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