The Kansas lawmakers have finally reached a deal on education funding after a long and arduous process. The conference committee worked tirelessly to finalize a plan that will benefit students across the state.
Leah Fliter, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Association of School Boards, described the bill as a compromise that includes more funding for special education, as proposed by the Governor. The plan will provide $75 million in state aid for special education students and will fund the base budget for Kansas public schools at approximately $528 million.
While there are aspects of the bill that may not be ideal for both sides, Fliter emphasized the importance of reaching a compromise to best serve the interests of public schools. One contentious issue in the bill is the mandate for school districts to transfer a portion of their local tax dollars into their special education fund. However, in exchange for this mandate, the Legislature agreed not to count that local tax money as part of the $75 million in special education aid.
Jim Karleskint with United School Administrators of Kansas also highlighted that the proposal includes funding to support at-risk students through an at-risk pilot program in 10 school districts across the state.
The plan will be included in an updated conference committee report for House Substitute for SB 387, and lawmakers are expected to address the bill when they reconvene in late April. Stay tuned for more updates on this crucial education funding bill.