Blog

Legislative leaders “cool” to funding all day kindergarten

This is beginning to sound familiar. The governor says he supports something with wide popular support, but legislative leaders block it. We saw it most recently with higher ed funding. Brownback said he supported maintaining funding, but the legislature cut it. Is it happening again with full-day kindergarten?http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2014/jan/10/legislative-leaders-cool-brownbacks-state-funding-/ (See also,http://cjonline.com/news/2013-12-29/people-have-mixed-response-all-day-kindergarten-kansas in which House and Senate Ed Committee leaders Kasha Kelley and Steve Abrams express reservations.)...
Read more Leave a Comment

The truth about charter schools

The next time you hear we need to expand charter schools in Kansas to give “choice” to poor children, think of the examples in this story. “’This whole movement has gotten way out of control – it has morphed dramatically – especially the punditry and resultant public policy surrounding charter schooling. Sadly, I’m reaching a point where I now believe that the end result is causing more harm than good.’ Recently, Stan Karp of Rethinking Schools wrote, ‘Nearly every teacher dreams of starting a school. I know I did. But I also know the charter school movement has...
Read more Leave a Comment

From the New York Times: What’s the matter with Kansas schools?

Kansas school funding issues are attracting national attention, for the wrong reasons. Read and share. “A victory for the parents would be heartening, but if it comes, would Governor Brownback and legislative leaders uphold the right to education guaranteed to Kansas school children? The signals thus far are not promising. If the Kansas Supreme Court orders restoration of the funding, legislators are threatening to amend the state’s Constitution by removing the requirement for “suitable” school funding and to strip Kansas courts of jurisdiction to hear school finance cases altogether. And if the amendment fails, they have vowed to...
Read more Leave a Comment