What's next for school finance

Posted Date: 03/31/2021

Now what?

Now that the House and Senate have passed budget and school finance bills, what are the next steps in the legislative process?

And more importantly, what can public school advocates do since these measures contain proposals that KASB opposes?

Both chambers are taking a long weekend for the Easter Holiday and return to work Tuesday. From that point on, there will be numerous House-Senate conference committees negotiating differences in House and Senate bills and then floor action for final votes in the run-up to the end of the regular session, scheduled for Fri. April 9. Then the Legislature will break until the wrap-up session starting May 3.

Here is what has happened over the past several days:

— On Tuesday, the House approved HB 2119, which contains school funding prescribed by the Gannon settlement but also several policies opposed by KASB and other education and parent groups. Those policies include starting a system that would allow any student deemed at risk of failing to qualify to use state school funds to try to enroll in a private school; expanding a program that allows tax credits to pay for private school tuition and restricting remote learning. Here is the link that shows how legislators voted on HB 2119.

— Also on Tuesday, the House approved HB 2397, which would cut the state budget two percent below Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget plan, including a two percent reduction in Gannon funding that was approved last year. KASB and numerous education advocacy groups also oppose this bill because of the funding cut. Here is that 73-52 vote.

— On March 17, the Senate approved its version of the budget — SB 267. KASB and education groups oppose this bill because it cuts $570 million in state school aid and high-density, at-risk funding to review during the wrap-up session to determine if those funds can be replaced by federal funds meant to address COVID-19 expenses in schools. Even if allowed by the federal government, supplanting state dollars with federal COVID funds would shortchange Kansas schools. Here is the link to the 24-13 vote.

Having two different House-approved school finance plans makes it unclear how the House will proceed in negotiating with the Senate. It is likely, however, all these proposals — the policies in HB 2119 and the funding in HB 2119, HB 2397 and SB 267 — will be hashed out in a conference committee and there will be further floor votes in the House and Senate on K-12 education.

That means there is still a lot of time in the legislative process to continue advocating on behalf of Kansas students and public education.

There are three major steps for education advocates going forward in trying to improve the Legislature’s final product.

First, please thank your state representatives and state senators if they voted against these bills. These bills have been supported by Republican legislative leaders who have been longtime critics of aspects of public education.

Second, if your representative or state senator supports these proposals, please let him or her know what your concerns are. Kansas students need public schools that are adequately funded and supported as we try to address all the issues students are dealing with during this pandemic year. Creating a two-tier system of education and reducing funds to public schools are steps in the wrong direction. If there is anything KASB can do to help, please let us know. Here are links to KASB testimony on HB 2119 and statement on SB 267.

Third, advocates should listen to the reasons why legislators voted for these bills and determine if you can address those concerns.

In addition, there are other legislative measures still under consideration that would affect schools, such as HB 2104, which would reauthorize the 20-mills statewide property tax rate for K-12 for two years and would provide some scheduling changes to help districts meet budgeting and tax rate deadlines. Please contact KASB if you need any further information or assistance at these email addresses mtallman@kasb.org, lfliter@kasb.org or srothschild@kasb.org.