Funding
What’s all the fuss about funding? While throwing money at a problem doesn’t fix it, failing to adequately fund Kansas public schools has significant short and long-term consequences for all Kansans.
Funding cuts in Kansas
When adjusted for inflation, Kansas education funding has not returned to pre-recession levels, despite school funding litigation that has resulted in mandated funding levels. While we await a legislative response to the most recent decision in the Gannon case, it is important to understand that operating budgets for schools have been cut while Kansas schools have seen large increases in the number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches and English Language Learners as well as rising expectations for educational outcomes in our state.
Funding for operating expenses has been cut, and funding does matter.
Further Reading
http://www.kansas.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article192028729.html
https://kasb.org/0104-3/
http://tallmankasb.blogspot.com/2014/08/facts-about-kansas-school-funding-up.html
http://realprosperityks.com/policy/kansas-education-hole
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=4011
http://tallmankasb.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-is-real-state-of-kansas-school.html
http://www.shankerinstitute.org/images/doesmoneymatter_final.pdf
http://budgetfinance.smsd.org/pages/default.aspx
http://www.khi.org/weblogs/budget-blog/2013/mar/05/best-chart-education-spending/
http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=26pkds01u14%3d&tabid=1989&mid=5650
https://www.kasb.org/wcm/_Advocacy_Research/_CapitolUpdates/CapUpdate110212.aspx
http://parentsacrossamerica.org/what-we-believe-2/why-class-size-matters/
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/opinion/sunday/17kristof.html?_r=0