Jim Karleskint
jimkarleskint@yahoo.com
Hope you have made plans to attend SQE at The Capital Day on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. We will have coffee, tea, and donuts/rolls available to legislators as they enter the building. We will meet & greet legislators in the basement hallway of the Capital as they enter that morning. If you can try to be there at 8 AM. Invitations were sent to legislators on Thursday.
Reminder when talking to legislators I would suggest that you ask the following: 1. Would you support removing the sunset provision on high density at-risk, which was a part of the school finance law the court approved. Note: This provision was recommended by a legislative post audit study to help school districts with a high-density at-risk student population. 2. Would you support funding the special education law as recommended by the Governor? Governor Kelly has proposed to phase in 92% of excess costs over a five-year period. In the Montoy Supreme Court case the legislature agreed to fund the special education law but has not done so since 2011. The 2006 legislature approved 92% percent of excess cost.
3. In the Gannon case the Kansas Supreme Court approved a legislative proposal to provide a cost of-living factor in the school finance law in order to keep funding up to date. Do you support this provision?
The past week has been a busy one. All committees are now hearing bills with testimony being offered from both sides. This past week House Education heard HB 2080. The bill would allow virtual schools to take virtual state assessments. They also heard HB 2143. This bill would establish requirements for school district bullying policies and procedures for investigating complaints. Still in House Ed there was HB 2139. This would create the crime of abuse of a sports official and provides for penalties for conviction.
Senate Education heard SB 82. This would require schools to establish policies and have concussion management teams in schools. Senate had several informational hearings this week on various topics. They get busier on bill hearings next week.
House K-12 Education Budget heard budget requests from School of the Deaf & School the Blind. They also had briefings this week. House Tax had a hearing HB 2108. This bill provides for a sales tax holiday for school supplies.
What to expect in Week 5
Next week looks to be a very busy week for education committees. Unfortunately, too much of the potential legislation being heard does not favor public schools in Kansas.
Monday, February 6, 2023
House K-12 Education Budget is hearing HB 2218. This would establish the Sunflower education equity act to provide education saving accounts for students. This is the 2023 Kansas Legislature version of vouchers for Kansas. This bill is being fast tracked. Was introduced on Tuesday, scheduled to receive a hearing on Wednesday to be completed on Monday, February 6, and due to a change in rules (which
requires testimony must be received 48 hours or 2 working days) testimony was required to be submitted by 3:30 on Thursday. And to make matters more challenging most school districts have Board meetings on the day of the hearing, which prevents Superintendents and Board Members from attending the hearing (coincidence?).
HB 2218 has numerous concerning points. Some of these are: Little to no public oversight of expenditure of Education Savings Account funds, little to no oversight for student achievement. The bill could lead to unregulated schools. The bill would allow ESA voucher accounts to remain active for at least 4 years after high school graduation. Would allow parents to receive funds for ESA’s and the state’s private school tuition program (double dipping). Other states that have adopted this type of legislation has seen countless examples of fraud and misuse of funds. PLEASE contact your legislator to oppose HB 2218.
Also, on Monday, February 6 House Education Committee, HB 2163. This bill would require due process procedures for a school district’s non-renewal or termination of a teacher contract.
Tuesday, February 7th
House Education-HB 2132-This bill expands eligibility for the Kansas Promise Scholarship program. Senate Education-SB 83-This is the same bill heard earlier in House K-12 Education Budget which provides for additional eligibility under the tax credit for low-income students’ scholarship program and increase the amount of tax credits for contributions made.
Wednesday, February 8th
(For those visiting the Capital these are committee meetings I would suggest you visit) House Education-HB 2236-This bill establishes a “parents’ right to direct” the education, upbringing and moral or religious training of their children, including the right to object to harmful and inappropriate educational materials. Also, not hold students accountable for material the parent finds objectionable. House K-12 Education Budget-The committee will hold an informational briefing on “School Funding: What you need to know”. I do not know who will be making this presentation.
Thursday, February 9th
House Education-HB 2138-This bill provides for giving additional state aid to certain school districts for students who obtain career technical credentials.
Senate Education-SB 66-This bill would enact the interstate mobility compact to recognize equivalent teacher licenses across member states. This bill could provide more teacher candidates for positions in Kansas by recognizing teacher licenses that were granted in other states. A candidate would not be required to have a Kansas license like the current policy.
We are to a point in the session that committees will be acting on bills previously heard. Often times amendments are included in committee bills in order to receive a favorable vote to move them from committee to be heard on the floor.
This summarizes the major education related bills to be heard next week. As always if you have questions please contact me. Hope to see many of you on Wednesday.
