Wichita and Kansas schools

Kansas schools cut, yet fail to spend

November 18, 2010

Kansas schools have cut staff and teachers at the same time carryover fund balances have increased.

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Florida school choice helps public schools

November 17, 2010

In Florida, a tax credit program that funds scholarships that allow students to attend private schools helps everyone, even those who stay in public schools. Kansas should learn from this.

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Kansas school spending advocates sue; opportunity for reform is overlooked

November 11, 2010

As Kansas schools sue taxpayers for more funding, important issues of education in Kansas are being overlooked.

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School choice solution to Kansas school funding

September 23, 2010

In its search to find a solution to the problem of funding its government schools, Kansas is overlooking a sure solution: widespread school choice.

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Americans believe teachers should be paid based on merit

August 31, 2010

A Gallup poll finds that Americans overwhelmingly believe that teachers should be paid “on the basis of the quality of his/her work.” 72 percent of public school parents believe this.

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Again, citizens are uninformed on school spending

August 13, 2010

As has been shown in the past in Kansas and across the country, citizens are grossly uninformed about the amount of money public schools spend.

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School bailout about unions, not kids

August 11, 2010

The U.S. Congress is rushing to approve a spending bill to retain teacher jobs that are not in actual jeopardy, according to the Center for Education Reform.

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KNEA, Kansas teachers union, makes endorsements

July 14, 2010

The Kansas National Education Association (KNEA, the teachers union) has released the list of candidates it is endorsing in the August 3rd Kansas primary election.

If you’re thinking about using the teachers union as a source of voting recommendations, you ought to familiarize yourself with the teachers union and its activities. Then you can decide whether an organization with such a noble-sounding name is, in fact, working for the quality education of all Kansas schoolchildren.

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Kansas ‘pigs at the trough’ award goes to …

June 29, 2010

Dietz said that earlier this year, an organization had labeled schools as “pigs at the trough.” Saying she is speaking for herself only and not on behalf of any organization, Dietz noted that “Mark is our lead lobbyist for K-12 education, and Diane represents Wichita Public Schools.” She presented both with a memento that had something to do with pigs and oinking.

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Wichita teachers union uses meeting for advocacy, campaigning

May 27, 2010

Two weeks ago, while the Kansas Legislature was working on budget and tax issues, Larry Landwehr, president of United Teachers of Wichita, the union for Wichita public school teachers, addressed the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district.

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For Kansas school spending lobby, truth is frustrating

May 6, 2010

Today’s lead Wichita Eagle editorial complains that a Kansas public policy group’s position on school fund balances is frustrating.

It would be one thing if the findings made by the Kansas Policy Institute were false. But it has been found that these findings are true: Kansas schools have been spending down the funds in the way that KPI has said they could do.

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Kansas House committee considers school funds

May 4, 2010

Yesterday the Kansas House of Representatives Education Budget Committee heard testimony on HB 2748. The bill would give Kansas school districts flexibility in spending funds.

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Most Kansas students not ready for college

May 3, 2010

While Kansas high school students perform slightly better than the nation, only 26 percent of students that take the ACT test are ready for college-level coursework in all four areas that ACT considers.

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Kansas schools have used funds to increase spending

May 2, 2010

Although revenue to Kansas school districts has declined, schools have been able to increase spending by using fund balances. These fund balances have been the subject of controversy, with school spending advocates insisting that they can’t be used in the way that we now see they have been used.

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Andover schools label opponents ‘anti-education’

April 30, 2010

Are those who question or oppose the need for additional spending on Kansas schools opposed to education? Melinda Fritze, who is chair of the Andover Parent Legislative Council, says so

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Balance Kansas budget without raising sales tax

April 29, 2010

The following article is by Dr. Walt Chappell, a member of the Kansas State Board of Education. A version appeared in the Wichita Eagle. Chappell has offered testimony to the Kansas Legislature on many ways that schools can reduce spending and fulfill their mission at the same time

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Kansas school spending facts

April 27, 2010

In Kansas, we find that few citizens know the facts about school spending, and other government spending too. An advertisement placed in Kansas newspapers by the Kansas Policy Institute aims to increase Kansans’ knowledge of school spending by presenting a few questions along with the answers.

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Kansas citizens lack knowledge about school spending

April 7, 2010

When talking about Kansas school spending, few Kansans have accurate information. Those with children in the public school system are even more likely to be uninformed regarding accurate figures. But when presented with accurate information about changes in school spending, few Kansans are willing to pay increased taxes to support more school spending.

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Wichita schools, despite claims, find cost savings

April 3, 2010

Despite claims that school spending has been “cut to the bone,” USD 259, the Wichita public school district, found a way to save $2.5 million per year by adjusting school starting times, thereby saving on transportation costs.

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Study of teachers reports sharp differences in attitudes between public and private

March 23, 2010

The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice has published research that examined how teachers feel about their jobs. In particular, the study compared how public school teachers and private school teachers viewed their jobs and working conditions.

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Kansas school spending rally examined in video, story

March 19, 2010

This week Kansas school spending advocates gathered in Topeka for a march and rally at the Kansas Capitol. Kansas Watchdog’s Paul Soutar takes a look at some of the speakers’ claims and the underlying facts. Read the story and watch video at Debunking Myths in the School Funding Debate.

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Tax cuts are a cost, says Kansas teachers union

March 18, 2010

For those who believe in the principle of self-ownership, taxes are a violation of that principle. But to those who depend on government for their funding, taxes are viewed differently. Any move to reduce taxes is viewed as a cost to government. People who value economic freedom, however, view tax cuts as the government allowing citizens to keep more of what is rightfully theirs.

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Kansans, including governor, rally for school spending, taxes

March 16, 2010

Today in Topeka supporters of more taxes for Kansas public school spending marched from the headquarters of Kansas National Education Association (or KNEA, the teachers union), to the Kansas Capitol, where they heard from speakers including Governor Parkinson. The crowd, braving the windy and cold weather, was estimated at 1,000 by the Topeka Capital-Journal.

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As Kansas teachers union rallies, schools stagnate under its rules

March 16, 2010

Today in Topeka about one thousand supporters of higher taxes for more Kansas public school spending rallied at the Kansas Capitol. Their march on the statehouse started at the headquarters of the Kansas National Education Association (or KNEA, the teachers union), and KNEA president Blake West spoke at the rally. It’s quite ironic that the teachers union would be so involved in a rally for the improvement of Kansas schools, for as the following letter from the March 12 Wall Street Journal tells us, the teachers union has been a primary factor in the destruction of public education, in this case, the Topeka public schools.

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Kansas school spending lobby impossible to satisfy

March 15, 2010

A new report by the Kansas Policy Institute provides some insight into the voracious appetite of the Kansas school spending lobby for taxpayer dollars: There’s never enough.

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Kansas school leader: pay cuts and audits not the solution

March 15, 2010

At a meeting last week of the Kansas Senate Assessment and Taxation committee, a Kansas school superintendent said cutting his pay and auditing his district are not the answers to Kansas budget problems.

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Kansas school district consolidation, reorganization testimony heard

March 15, 2010

Last week the Kansas House Education Budget Committee heard testimony on HB 2728. The key provision of this bill is that Kansas school districts would be required to have a minimum of 10,000 students. It also requires conforming to a common chart of accounts, and that school finance information be placed on the internet.

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Wichita school board discusses job reductions, incentives

March 9, 2010

At yesterday’s meeting of the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, heard descriptions of district policy on how a reduction in force — layoffs, in other words — world be accomplished if the district decides to use this method of reconciling its budget.

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Americans uninformed about school spending, study finds

March 8, 2010

When asked about levels of spending on public schools, Americans are likely to vastly underestimate the amount that schools spend.

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Kansas school spending advocates on the numbers

March 8, 2010

Next week there’s going to be a march on the Kansas statehouse asking for more spending on Kansas schools. In support of the march and the plea for more spending, a group has created a website titled Adequate Yearly Funding.

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Kansas school consolidation, information reform bill introduced

March 6, 2010

A bill has been introduced in the Kansas House of Representatives which would require consolidation of small school districts and increase the ability to manage schools through common accounting standards and information availability.

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Kansas schools fail to make cut for grants

March 5, 2010

Last year Secretary of Education Arne Duncan created a program named “Race to the Top” which would make grants to states that are willing to make certain reforms. Two such reforms prominently mentioned by Duncan and President Barack Obama are charter schools and merit pay for teachers.

We now know that Kansas was not selected to receive a grant, at least not in the first round. Kansas had applied for $166 million.

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Wichita schools present case for spending to public

March 2, 2010

Last night USD 259, the Wichita public school district, held two meetings with the public seeking ideas on how to deal with a budget shortfall. I attended the meeting at Southeast High School.

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Artificial turf meets Wichita public schools board

March 2, 2010

Here’s a citizen-contributed report from one of last night’s meeting of the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, with the public seeking ideas on how to deal with a budget shortfall. There were two meetings, one at Southeast High School, and one at West High School. This is a report from someone who attended the meeting at Southeast. “Artficial turf” or “Astroturfing” refers to a political tactic where an established and organized political group — say the Wichita school spending lobby — creates a false impression of grassroots concern and interest in an issue.

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Wichita school employee-student ratio drops

March 1, 2010

For the 1998-1999 school year, there were 8.55 Wichita public school employees for each full-time equivalent enrollment. For 2007-2008, that number dropped to 6.74 employees per student. That’s an increase of 21% over a period of nine years.

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Wichita schools: why so many employees?

February 28, 2010

Tomorrow evening USD 259, the Wichita public school district, is holding two meetings seeking input from the public on budget matters.

Perhaps someone will ask a few questions about why spending has been increasing so fast. The number of students for each employee would be a good question. The chart below shows the trend for the number of students (full-time equivalent) for each certified employee.

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Wichita schools seek public input on budget priorities

February 28, 2010

On Monday, the Wichita public schools board of education will be holding two meetings seeking input from the public on school budgets.

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Andover schools advocacy website not complete, accurate, or balanced

February 25, 2010

The Andover Parent Legislative Council has created a website and wiki in support of the Andover, Kansas public school system (USD 385). This site, titled Andover Parent Legislative Council, is described as helping Andover schools “through legislative advocacy.” Andover parents wishing for complete facts and a balanced approach will need to supplement their research with other reading.

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Kansas school spending study finds $717 million in potential savings

February 22, 2010

A new study on K-12 spending in Kansas concludes that schools statewide are spending as much as $717 million more than is necessary, and that implementing the “best practices” of more efficient districts could eliminate the need to raise taxes or cut spending on other essential services.

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Missing from Kansas school financing debate

February 16, 2010

As Kansas struggles to find funding for its public schools and other functions of government, we’re losing an opportunity to examine our schools and see if they’re performing as well as they should, both financially and academically. Here are some issues not being discussed:

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Kansas school spending advocates exaggerate employment losses

February 11, 2010

Yesterday I reported how Kansas school spending advocates lie about facts in order to score political points with their constituencies. Today we again see how the school spending lobby distorts facts, this time in a very substantial way concerning an important matter.

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