We received a question via message this morning regarding how SB 16 affects special education. We’re guessing other people have the same question, so we’re sharing our edited answer here. SB 16 removes the goal of the state funding 92% of excess special education costs. Although the legislature hasn’t been funding special education at that level, removing the goal signals that they have no intent of even aspiring to achieve that funding. They’re basically moving the goal post and reducing the evidence that the state is underfunding education. Education advocates would no longer be able to point to...
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March 26 Action Alert – House Sub for SB16 and Sub for HB 2395
Despite the fact that 0 districts and 0 education advocates voiced support of the bad education policy bill (House Substitute for SB 16), it gained favorable approval 63-60 after 11:30 pm last night. It takes 63 votes to pass a bill in the House, so please contact your legislator and urge him or her to oppose this bill. The final vote will occur sometime after 11 am today. The House will also debate the funding bill (Substitute for HB 2395) sometime after 11 am today. We oppose this bill as well. All that appears to be standing between...
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Leave a Comment CJ Online Article on School Funding Conflict
This plan will not and should not pass constitutional muster. They are already reneging on the promises they made just last year, and they’re basing it on a possible future recession. That is not adequate grounds. Anyone casting a vote for this bill should be absolutely prohibited from talking about the ongoing cycle of litigation. They’re working to ensure it. “The funding bill matches the court-ordered inflation adjustment proposed by Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat. However, the legislation wipes out $213 million from the five-year, $525 million addition the Legislature adopted last year… “Here’s the situation,” Holscher said. “We...
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Leave a Comment HB 2395 Vote Count
For a while, it looked like representatives in the Kansas House might do the right thing, but in the end, they went against the expressed interests and concerns of school districts and school advocates throughout Kansas. Why should it matter what we say? When leadership wants the bill, you pass the bill. Their committee chair seats matter more than doing the right thing. Despite all the hours that went into the drafting of the school finance bill last year, they just passed on final action (63-61 the bare minimum required to pass) a bill that didn’t even exist 2...
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