Kansas House Committee Passes Massive Education Budget

The House K-12 Education Budget Committee passed a host of bills on to the full House for a vote, including HB 2512 which contains the appropriation for education funding in addition to a number of policy additions outlined below by the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB).

Funding

Contains Governor’s recommendations for funding, with the following differences:

• $100,000 for statewide dyslexia coordinator in KSDE funded by fees for all school districts based on FTE enrollment.

• Provides $100,000 for Communities in Schools grant in KSDE budget but provides no additional funding.

• Adds $5 million to restore school safety and security grants; same purposes as previous year except allows use for new school resource officer positions requires a dollar-for-dollar district match.

• Removes $1.5 million recommended by the Governor for transportation to career technical education programs.

• Specifies that the first priority for the $3 million increase in school mental health intervention team funding is to expand the program to districts that have not previously participated.

• Directs that up to $4 million be provided for statewide implementation of the Math Nation program for supplemental math services for grades 7-12. Any district with more than 50 percent of students scoring in Levels 1 and 2 on the 2019 state math assessment must participate in the program and contribute to the cost based on their grades 7-12 FTE enrollment. (It is estimated that almost all districts will be required to participate, and the cost would be equal to about $10 per pupil for all students, or about $17 per 7-12 student.

Policy Provisions

• Virtual school graduation rate. Add language that for purposes of accreditation, the State Board of Education is to calculate a four-year graduation rate that separates virtual school enrollment from non-virtual enrollment.

• Prohibiting virtual school incentives. Add language prohibiting virtual schools from providing financial incentives for enrollment.

• Virtual school funding for dropouts. Add a provision that amends virtual school funding to provide that certain students who are 19 years old or younger who have dropped out of school and enrolled in a virtual school part-time may be funded at a rate of $709 per credit hour passes. (This is the funding model for students over 19 years of age and provides higher funding than part-time enrollment for students under 19.)

• School budget needs assessment. Add provisions of SB 362 concerning school district needs assessments as passed by the Senate but specify that proficiency on state assessments is above level 2 (sometimes referred to as college-ready) rather than level 1 (sometimes referred to as grade level).

• KSHSAA mandatory reporters. Add a provision that the Kansas State High School Activities Association officers and staff are mandatory child abuse and neglect reporters but does NOT require allowing home school and private school students to participate in activities under the direction of KSHSAA.

• Required enrollment of part-time students. Add provision requiring school districts to admit part-time students, currently not required but allowed by most districts.

• Academic Achievement statement. Add provision from HB 2690 that is a legislative statement on education and academic achievement.

• Districts policies and programs for literacy. Add provision from HB 2690 called the Every Child Can Read Act, which directs school boards to measure student achievement, provide targeted interventions to promote student literacy, especially for students at or below third grade identified with a literacy deficit, provide communication with parents and make reports to the State Board.

• Academic achievement reports. Add a provision from HB 2690 specifying an annual report from the State Department of Education to report on academic achievement, including state assessment results and other measures. (It does NOT include provisions of HB 2690 concerning high-density at-risk weighting and legislative awards for merit pay.

• Educational opportunities outside the classroom. Add a provision from Substitute HB 2615 allowing districts to adopt policies to allow students to earn course credit in grades 6 through 12 in educational opportunities that occur primarily outside of the classroom but managed and directed by a licensed teacher, such as work-based, apprenticeships, internships, industry certification or community programs. It also allowed the State Board of Education to approve such programs to be applicable across multiple districts. (Such district programs are currently allowed; this would be a specific legislative recognition.)

• Private school scholarships age of eligibility. Add an amendment to the Tax Credit for Low Income Student Scholarship program for private schools that allows students to receive a scholarship if first applying at age 7 or under

Read the full report from our Kansas team.

Other education bills we are watching.

The Missouri General Assembly will gavel in next Monday afternoon after its annual Spring recess. After a sluggish first half, building denizens are hopeful the pace picks up for the remaining weeks of session. The acrimony amongst members of the upper chamber has stymied progress. As a result, the legislature has passed only one bill. Perhaps a much-needed break will result in refreshed perspectives.

We have no legislative news to report, however, read the weekly summary from GovWatch which includes all upcoming hearings and summarizes the latest news headlines.

This week, President Joe Biden signed a $1.5 trillion bipartisan omnibus spending bill that includes approximately $18.4 billion for early care and education programs.

The package includes:

• $11.037 billion for Head Start and Early Head Start
• A $289 million increase over FY2021, of which $234 million is a cost of living adjustment
• $6.165 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant*
• A $254 million increase over FY2021
• $290 million for the Preschool Development Grants program
• A $15 million increase over FY2021
• $409.5 million for IDEA Part B Preschool Grants
• An $11.9 million increase over FY2021
• $496.3 million for IDEA Part C Grants for Infants and Toddlers\
• A $14.5 million increase over FY2021

The spending package does not include funding for President Biden's previous proposals for universal prekindergarten, subsidized childcare, or training and support for early childhood educators.

*CCDBG sends federal dollars to states for childcare subsidies for low-income families, as well as funding for childcare providers.

Our Missouri update is the same as last week due to Spring Break legislative recess.

Click here to see where we left off last week.

Reports

See the current status of all Aligned Priority legislation.

See the status of all the bills we are tracking.

See all upcoming hearings on education-related bills.

See all the bills which we have testified "in support".

Cora Faith Walker and Linda Rallo raise their hands for kids at Busch Stadium in 2015.

Hundreds of mourners packed into the Friendly Temple Church, Youth Worship center this morning to say goodbye to one of Missouri's most loyal champions for children.

Cora Faith Walker passed away on March 11, 2022, at the age of 37 from a health complication.

Cora served as a founding board member of Raise Your Hand for Kids, an Aligned initiative that sought to increase Missouri's tobacco tax, currently the lowest in the nation, and use the funds for early health and education.

Without Cora's early involvement, the initiative would have never materialized into a real campaign. In addition to helping our team, Cora dedicated her life to public service, social justice, and health equity access. She fought for women, children, and the underserved in her community of Ferguson and throughout Missouri.

A statement from her family reads, "While we feel the loss of Cora deeply. we are comforted in knowing that Cora's community service empowers and impacts the lives of so many families. We know her work will continue through the service of others."

A pinned tweet on Cora's Twitter account sums up her approach to life:

Is it true?

Is it good?

Is it kind?

Is it useful?

Is it necessary?

If not, then feel free to keep it to yourself. I've got work to do.

May you rest in peace Cora, thank you for all the hard work you gave us during your beautiful life. We will miss your smile, your drive, and your friendship.

With love,

Torree Pederson

President

Aligned

Torree@WeAreAligned.org

(913) 484-4202

Linda Rallo

Vice President

Aligned

Linda@WeAreAligned.org

(314) 330-8442

Download our 2021 Annual Report.

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