Kansas lawmakers reach deal on education funding
TOPEKA (KSNT)- Kansas lawmakers have reached a deal on education funding. A conference committee finalized a plan early Saturday morning.
Nexstar's Kansas Capitol Bureau spoke with public education advocates following the meeting.
Leah Fliter, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Association of School Boards said the bill is a compromise. Lawmakers agreed to adopt more money for special education, as proposed by the Governor. Fliter said the proposal will be
"The conference committee reached an agreement... on a plan that will provide $75 million in state aid for special education students across the state of Kansas," Fliter said. "It also funds the base budget for Kansas public schools at about $528 million."
However, Fliter admitted there are parts that both sides aren't "crazy about."
"While there are pieces of this bill that are a compromise... we have agreed to the compromise to best serve the interest of public schools," she said.
"There's a portion of the bill that says school districts have to take a portion of their local tax dollars that is attributable to their special education waiting that they receive in the school finance formula... and they are mandated to transfer that amount of local tax dollars into their special education fund and spend it on special education... we would've preferred that not be a mandate... that that be local control. However, in exchange for that... the Legislature agreed that they would not count that local tax money as part of that $75 million. So, the $75 million in special education aid will come solely from the state Legislature... and they will not do the math maneuver that we were calling an accounting 'gimmick,'" she explained.
According to Jim Karleskint with United School Administrators of Kansas, the proposal also includes money to help at-risk students.
"There's an at-risk pilot that's also in it... we'll be working with 10 school districts across the state... to help support at-risk kids," Karleskint said.
The plan will be included in an updated conference committee report (CCR) for House Substitute for SB 387.
Lawmakers are expected to take up the bill when they return during the last week of April. Lawmakers are set to return on April 25.
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