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The legislature is looking at making $279 million from this year’s budget before June 30, but legislative leadership is saying we have a spending problem not a revenue problem and blaming the national economy. “Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, blamed the projected shortfall on economic uncertainty nationwide… “For his part, House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, has been unwilling to budge on the income tax cuts. “‘The new revenue estimates only highlight the continuing need to protect core services while streamlining state government,’ Merrick said in a statement. ‘We do not have a revenue problem, we have a spending...

USD 413 is encouraging its community to get in the game. “Also during the meeting, [Retiring USD superintendent James] Hardy presented a letter for board members to sign addressing the underfunding of Special Education programs. The letter will be sent to this area’s state senator and representative about the need for increased state funding of special education school programs. “Hardy used a metaphor involving a pie made of money that never changes size, even if demands for funding increase. That is happening in Kansas, as the number of students with special needs grows. “”It may not be growing...

Cuts to education, whether they are called policy changes, efficiencies or reforms are on the horizon. “The new revenue estimates released Monday revealed that Kansas would burn through about $380 million in reserves and still need to cut $280 million to balance its current budget for fiscal year 2015, which ends next June 30. “The problem continues in 2016 when revenues are projected to run $436 million short of expenditures, the estimates show.” Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article3729756.html#storylink=cpy...

This article shows how too many of our legislators think-that schools have plenty of funding and the ALEC agenda reforms are what we need, while Goddard Superintendent Justin Henry says, “Four years ago, we took some steps across our district to respond to the recession.”…Like many districts, Goddard cut programs, increased class sizes, shortened the school year, pulled down cash reserves, continued charging for full-day kindergarten and raised fees, some significantly. Goddard’s technology fee for seventh- through 12th-graders in 2011, for example, was $25 a year; in 2012, it went up to $95 a year. “‘Now we’re probably...