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Brownback cuts KPERS, sweeps Kansas Endowment for Youth funds, cuts DCF

We note the irony in the administration’s recent claims of increasing school funding based on including catchup payments to the underfunded KPERS, while now claiming that despite cutting $41 million in KPERS payments, K-12 education has been left untouched. Will this underfunding continue and be used as a pretext to claim that we simply can’t afford KPERS and will need to gut it altogether? We’re also disturbed by the amount of cuts to programs for children. And we note that this plan is just the first step. The numbers look worse for 2015-16. “[Budget Director Shawn] Sullivan signaled...
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Video-Profitship Cashing in on Public Schools

We’re sharing this link to a video posted by our counterparts at Texas Kids Can’t Wait, who like us and other public education advocacy groups, have come to realize there is a game being played, and what’s best for our children is not the priority. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opcHQ_v6PuU&app=desktop...
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Florida charters not making the grade, no model for KS

Here is yet another example of why Florida is no model for Kansas, and Kansas should not change its laws to make it easier to open charters. This isn’t efficient use of taxpayer dollars. “Records show 12 charter schools have shut down in the last five years in the Broward school district, leaving more than one million dollars in taxpayer money unaccounted for. In Miami-Dade, failed charter schools did not return almost $1.5 million and in Palm Beach, the figure is $800,000. “’It’s not right. Somebody needs to step in and take a look at this and reevaluate...
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Kansas legislators attend ALEC conference

Is your legislator on this list? What bills for attacking public schools will they bring home? “Besides Merrick and Wagle, the other 16 House members listed by Legislative Administrative Services as attending this week’s ALEC meeting, all House Republicans, are: John Barker, Abilene; John Bradford, Lansing; Susan Concannon, Beloit; Erin Davis, Olathe; Willie Dove, Bonner Springs; Bud Estes, Dodge City; Ramone Gonzalez, Perry; Dan Hawkins, Wichita; Kyle Hoffman, Coldwater; Marvin Kleeb, Overland Park; Jerry Lunn, Overland Park; Charles Macheres, Shawnee; John Rubin, Shawnee; Ronald Ryckman Sr., Meade; Sharon Schwartz, Washington; Troy Waymaster, Bunker Hill.” Others may have attended...
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