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Class sizes aren’t accurately depicted in compilations of data

Here’s some information on class sizes in the SMSD which highlights the danger of relying on compilations of data. Some have asserted that the student teacher ratio in SMSD is 15 to 1, but that fails to recognize that music, PE, art, speech and other teachers are in that number. Those teachers are important, not extra, but that doesn’t mean our children are learning math in a class of 15. One of the hot topics in the ongoing debate over class size right now is what the actual Class Sizes are. For parents – we know how big...
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What’s included in “education funding”

How many times have you heard “public education takes up over half the state’s budget” Even this week it was commented on this page that it is up to 70%. It is at 63% The state has shrunk the pie (state budget) by reductions so education takes up a larger slice. Do you know the agencies that fall under education? K-12 Department of Education Board of Regents Fort Hays State University Kansas State University KSU-Vet Medical Center KSU – ESARP Emporia State University Pittsburg State University University of Kansas KU Medical Center Wichita State University Kansas Historical Society...
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Shawnee Mission School District faces flat funding without restoring cuts from previous years

The Shawnee Mission School District will start the school year with a budget that generally avoids the deep cuts of previous years, but also doesn’t leave room to restore those losses. The schools are getting no additional per pupil state support and are not allowed any additional property tax increases to raise local funds. http://pvpost.com/2013/08/14/shawnee-mission-schools-budget-flat-for-new-school-year-20415...
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