Voice For Liberty

Category: Wichita and Kansas schools

  • Northwest High prank, some underlying facts

    Northwest High prank, some underlying facts

    Instead of pranking, Wichita public school students and their leaders might consider a few facts.

    KSN News reported on an April Fools’ Day prank at Northwest High School in Kansas. The message is that the school is short of funds.

    The KSN news story reported: “Wendy Johnson, the Director of Marketing and Communications for Wichita Public Schools also said, ‘This appears to be someone’s effort at a humorous April Fool’s commentary on the funding crisis that public education is facing in Kansas.’”

    Also: “USD 259 Board of Education member Lynn Rogers called the prank, ‘very ingenious.’ Rogers says there was no harm done, but, the education funding issue is at its core, ‘no laughing matter. There’s some dark days for public education right now, and people have been very discouraged,’ Rogers said.”

    When looking at this story, I wonder how the pranksters — likely students at the school — developed an opinion of issues like school funding. Who told them there was a “funding crisis?” Is that an opinion high school students developed on their own, or is it an opinion spoon-fed to them? The quotes from school district leaders provide the answer to that question.

    It’s unfortunate that students are fed this opinion. Because when we look at actual numbers, the idea of a crisis doesn’t hold water. There is a lot of controversy over school funding in Kansas. Should teacher retirement fund contributions be included, or not? What counts as classroom funding? Should dollar amounts be adjusted for inflation, and at what rate? (Schools argue that their costs rise faster than the general price level.)

    Schools tell us that their largest expenditure is on personnel costs. Across the country, the portion of current expenditures going to salaries and benefits hovers around 80 percent. 1

    Enrollment and Employment at Wichita Northwest High School.
    Enrollment and Employment at Wichita Northwest High School. Click for larger.
    Looking at the number of school employees strips away most of the confounding factors and concentrates on the largest, and most important, cost schools face: Teachers and other employees.

    Enrollment and Employment at Wichita Northwest High School. Click for larger.
    Enrollment and Employment at Wichita Northwest High School. Click for larger.
    As it turns out, Wichita Northwest High School shouldn’t be complaining about a funding crisis. For one thing, enrollment at this school is falling, from 1,580 in 2009 to 1,399 in 2015, a decline of 11 percent. While the number of teachers and certified employees has varied, the ratios of students to these employees has been level or declining.

    Employment ratios in the Wichita school district. Click for larger.
    Employment ratios in the Wichita school district. Click for larger.
    For that matter, the ratios of students to teachers and certified employees for the entire Wichita public school district is on a long downward trend, with small interruptions.

    1. National Center for Education Statistics: The Condition of Education, Elementary and Secondary Education, Finance, Public School Expenditures. Available at: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cmb.asp. ↩
  • Kansas teachers union objects. Strenuously.

    Kansas teachers union objects. Strenuously.

    Here are a few items from today’s missive from Kansas National Education Association, the teachers union, along with commentary.

    KNEA says: “Jeff Melcher, the man who has fought to completely eliminate collective bargaining and other rights for teachers continued his war today with his bill intended to end teacher representation.”
    The bill simply mandates elections every three years on whether teachers are satisfied with their current representation, which is almost always KNEA or an affiliate. It’s not surprising the union is opposed to this. Accountability, after all.

    KNEA says: “Make no mistake, the intent of this bill is to end professional representation for teachers and leave them as at-will indentured labor.”
    Indentured labor! Government employees as indentured labor! By whom are teachers indentured? Other government employees (principals and superintendents)? What, do principals and superintendents get masters and doctors degrees in learning how to indenture the teachers that work for them? Why do professionals like these need a labor union to manage their relationship? Who would want to enter a profession where a labor union is needed to protect them from their bosses (or oppressors, as the teachers union would lead us to believe)?

    KNEA says: “In a very fundamental way, this war on teachers and schools is about selling off public schools to the highest corporate bidder and making a quality education a privilege not a right.”
    Here we see bashing of capitalism. You see, the teachers union believes that education can’t be run by the private sector. Never mind that charter schools and for-profit schools are successful in many areas of the country — but their teachers are not often union members. Second, with school choice programs the state still pays for students to attend private and charter schools. All that changes is parents have the privilege of choice for the children.

    KNEA says: “Would force the teachers to pay for state mandated elections.”
    No, the union pays for the elections.

  • Kansas teachers union opposes bill that empowers teachers

    Kansas teachers union opposes bill that empowers teachers

    Kansas National Education Association, the state’s teachers union, opposes a bill that empowers teachers.

    A bill in the Kansas Senate would give teachers an ongoing voice in determining who represents them in their relationship with their employer. The bill is SB 469, titled “Recertification of professional employees’ organizations under the professional negotiations act.” It would require that the Kansas Department of Labor hold an election each year in each school district regarding whether the current representation should continue. These elections, in effect, would be referendums on the teachers union, by the teachers. (Update: The bill has been revised to call for elections every third year.)

    kansas-national-education-assocation-knea-media-response-team-logo-01As you might imagine, Kansas National Education Association and its affiliates like United Teachers of Wichita are not happy that teachers might have an annual opportunity to judge the union, and in a way that has consequences.

    We’ve known for a long time that the purpose of teachers unions is to advance the narrow, parochial interests of teachers instead of Kansas schoolchildren, parents, and taxpayers. Now we see that the leadership of the union is more concerned with the existence of the union and their highly-paid jobs. Who cares what teachers think?

    As it turns out, the union believes it knows what teachers think. In a message, the Kansas teachers union writes: “So, in short, anyone who works in our schools — board members, superintendents, administrators, and teachers — all oppose the bill.” I’d like to know how the union knows that everyone opposes the bill. The union might be surprised to learn there are teachers who are opposed to the union. These teachers, as professional employees, might not like working under rules more suited for blue-collar labor. These teachers might not like being paid according to a schedule that pays bad teachers the same as the good. They might not like being associated with an organization that promotes a false assessment of Kansas schools that is harmful to Kansas schoolchildren. These teachers might like to work in a charter school, something that the teachers union fights. There are even more reasons why Kansas schoolteachers might not like being associated with the Kansas National Education Association and its affiliates like United Teachers of Wichita.

  • In Kansas, teachers unions should stand for retention

    In Kansas, teachers unions should stand for retention

    A bill requiring teachers unions to stand for retention elections each year would be good for teachers, students, and taxpayers.

    The bill is SB 469, titled “Recertification of professional employees’ organizations under the professional negotiations act.” It would require that the Kansas Department of Labor hold an election each year in each school district regarding whether the current representation should continue. These elections, in effect, would be referendums on the teachers union, by the teachers. (Update: The bill has been revised to call for elections every third year.)

    That’s a good thing. The teachers union monopoly ought to stand for retention once in a while.

    The bill has an estimated cost of $340,000 annually, including the hiring of 4 employees. But this is a situation ideally suited for outsourcing to one of the many companies that can perform this work. It would undoubtedly be less expensive and would not require the hiring of employees to do a job that is seasonal in nature.

    Further, the professional employees’ organization (union) that represents each district ought to bear the cost of the elections, if they want to continue representing a district.

    How effective has the teachers union been in advocating for teachers? In particular, teachers in the Wichita public school district ought to be wondering about the benefit of its union. The contract for this year did not include a pay increase, although the teachers do get some additional time off as the school year was shortened by two days. (Which makes us ask: Where is the concern by the board or teachers for the welfare of the students?)

    Wichita public school salaries and change. Click for larger.
    Wichita public school salaries and change. Click for larger.
    As far as performance over time, since 2008 teacher salaries in Wichita rose by 2.6 percent. Salaries for principals rose by 8.1 percent over the same period. Statewide, the increase in teacher pay was 7.7 percent, and for principals, 10.9 percent.

    On top of that, the Wichita teachers union takes credit for providing benefits that aren’t really benefits, such as when it promoted that only United Teachers of Wichita members would receive a copy of the employment agreement. In reality, it is a public document that anyone has the right to possess.

    There are many reasons why Kansas schoolteachers might be unhappy with their current union representation, including:

    Creating an adversarial environment for public schools in Kansas. Instead of cooperating on education matters, the union foments conflict with taxpayers.

    Forcing professional employees to work under rules more suited for blue-collar labor.

    Working to deny Kansas teachers a choice in representation. 1

    Promoting a false assessment of Kansas schools that is harmful to Kansas schoolchildren. 2

    Forming a task force to promote a false grassroots impression of support for the teachers union, complete with pre-determined talking points on a secret web page. 3

    Encouraging party-switching to vote in primary elections to protect union members’ “professional interests.” 4

    Constant drumbeat for more school spending without regard to competing interests and taxpayers.5 and taxes to support it.6

    Opposing the introduction of a modern retirement system, instead preferring to saddle Kansans with billions of dollars in debt.7

    —
    Notes

    1. Weeks, B. (2013). Kansas teachers union: No competition for us. Voice For Liberty in Wichita. Available at: http://wichitaliberty.org/education/kansas-teachers-union-no-competition-for-us/. ↩
    2. Weeks, B. (2016). Kansas schools and other states. Voice For Liberty in Wichita. Available at: http://wichitaliberty.org/wichita-kansas-schools/kansas-schools-and-other-states/. ↩
    3. Weeks, B. (2014). Our Kansas grassroots teachers union. Voice For Liberty in Wichita. Available at: http://wichitaliberty.org/wichita-kansas-schools/kansas-grassroots-teachers-union/. ↩
    4. Weeks, B. (2012). KNEA email a window into teachers union. Voice For Liberty in Wichita. Available at: http://wichitaliberty.org/wichita-kansas-schools/knea-email-window-teachers-union/. ↩
    5. KNEA – School Funding . (2016). Knea.org. Available at: http://www.knea.org/home/366.htm. Accessed 8 Mar. 2016. ↩
    6. KNEA – Taxes and Revenue. (2016). Knea.org. Available at: http://www.knea.org/home/368.htm. Accessed 8 Mar. 2016. ↩
    7. Weeks, B. (2011). KPERS problems must be confronted. Voice For Liberty in Wichita. Available at: http://wichitaliberty.org/kansas-government/kpers-problems-must-be-confronted/. ↩

  • Docking survey produces misleading sentiment on Kansas school funding

    A Kansas policy institution asks Kansans whether they support more school funding. But surveys in Kansas and nationwide have found that citizens are woefully uninformed on the level of school spending, usually guessing far below the actual level.

    DOCKING SURVEY PRODUCES MISLEADING SENTIMENT ON SCHOOL FUNDING

    By Dave Trabert, Kansas Policy Institute

    The Docking Institute at Fort Hays State University released survey results last week purporting that Kansans think school funding should be increased, but that “finding” is based on a flawed survey concept.

    Experienced pollsters know that responses to questions such as “should funding for Kansas schools increase, decrease or remain the same” are only as valid as respondents’ grasp of the underlying facts. If, for example, citizens believe school funding is half or less than is actually provided, and if they’ve repeatedly (and falsely) been told that funding has been cut, it is quite predictable that many might say funding should be increased.

    Survey after survey has shown that Kansans are woefully misinformed on school funding.Docking 1st tableKansas Policy Institute commissioned three surveys over the years and each time, the leading response (plurality) for total funding and state funding of schools was roughly 50% less than districts actually received that year and very few people knew the actual funding level. Of course, one cannot blame citizens for being misinformed given that media, school districts and other special interests have carpet-bombed the state with false claims of funding reductions and implications that actual funding levels were much lower than reality. And those propaganda efforts were working; note that a smaller percentage of Kansans could accurately identify the real funding levels with each successive survey.

    Injecting some reality into the survey produces quite different results. The Docking survey said 77 percent of Kansans believe school funding should be increased, but the December 2015 SurveyUSA poll found that the majority of Kansans would not be willing to pay higher taxes for school funding (see Question #12). That finding was consistent across all geographic lines and with conservatives; self-identified moderates were willing to pay higher taxes but liberals were almost evenly split.Docking 2

    It’s no secret that Kansans are horribly misinformed on school funding, so media and special interests are well aware that simply asking Kansans whether school funding should be increased will predictably produce invalid results. But that won’t stop them from touting the misleading Docking results.

  • Wichita teacher salaries compared

    Wichita teacher salaries compared

    If Wichita public school teachers seem to be unhappy with their pay, there’s a reason why. The following charts show the average salaries for three classes of employees as well as the change over time. The increase in principal salaries is three times that of teacher salaries.

    Citizens may want to keep this in mind when the district says that it is doing everything it can to direct resources into the classroom. Teachers may want to question why they pay dues to United Teachers of Wichita — their union — when they don’t get better representation than this.

    To access an interactive visualization of school salaries for all districts in the state, click here.

    Wichita public school salaries and change. Click for larger.
    Wichita public school salaries and change. Click for larger.
  • Kansas school salaries

    Kansas school salaries

    Kansas school salaries for superintendents, principals, and teachers presented in an interactive visualization for each district.

    Recently Kansas Policy Institute noted the discrepancy in salary increases for Kansas public school management as compared to teachers. See Pay raises to superintendents and principals far outpace those to teachers.

    In the article, David Dorsey writes: “A widely-shared solution to improving student outcomes is to put more money in the classroom. What does it say about the importance of student achievement to local school boards and administrations when pay increases are disproportionately higher to those who are not in the classroom?”

    And later: “Much has been documented about teacher shortages, especially due to those leaving after only a few years in the profession. One way to reverse that trend would be for districts to make spending choices that would support the commitment to keeping quality teachers.”

    Statewide, since 2009, KSDE data shows these cumulative salary increases:

    Superintendents: 7.9 percent
    Principals: 7.4 percent
    Teachers: 3.9 percent

    It’s also useful to look at individual districts. For example, for the Wichita public school district, there are these cumulative salary increases since 2009:

    Superintendent: 39.9 percent
    Principals: 4.7 percent
    Teachers: -0.8 percent, a decline

    The Wichita district has just one superintendent, so no matter how much the salary rises, it’s still the salary for just a single person and has a negligible effect on total district payroll costs. There are, however, 89 principals, so the increase for this category of employee matters much more.

    But you have to wonder: What about the teachers?

    I’ve gathered the data and present it in an interactive visualization. You may select any single district, or use district 999 for statewide totals. Click here to open the visualization in a new window. Data is from Kansas State Department of Education. Figures include fringe benefits. Visualization created using Tableau Public. There are several missing values which can make the percentage increase invalid for a single year.

    Kansas school salaries and change, statewide, through 2015. Click for larger version.
    Kansas school salaries and change, statewide, through 2015. Click for larger version.
  • Kansas school districts compliance with transparency law

    Kansas school districts compliance with transparency law

    Some Kansas school districts are not complying with basic transparency, even though there is a law, finds Kansas Policy Institute.

    School districts still not complying with transparency law

    By Dave Trabert, Kansas Policy Institute

    The Kansas Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Act — K.S.A. 72-8254 passed in 2013 requires every school district to publish specific budget information for the current school year and actual expenditures for the immediately preceding two school years, and stipulates that the report “shall be published with an easily identifiable link located on such district’s website homepage.” Unfortunately, some districts still fail to comply with this very simple transparency requirement.

    This table shows the results of a random sample of 40 districts’ web sites. The five districts in column 1 were found to be in compliance; the required report appears by title on the home page and the link goes directly to the report. Column 2 lists twenty-three districts that don’t link the report as required but do provide a generic link (e.g., “Budget Information”) that goes to a page where the report can be accessed with another link. The twelve districts in column 3 have nothing visible on their home

    This ongoing problem was brought to the attention of legislators and the Department of Education several times in 2014, and last year Senate Bill 188 was introduced to add a consequence for non-compliance; if not in compliance within 30 days of written notice, districts would be fined $1,000 per day until doing so. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 27-13 and was carried over to the House this year where it should be scheduled for a vote.

    Democrats and Republicans alike are calling for increased transparency this year. It will be interesting to see how many are willing to hold school districts accountable to existing transparency law.

  • Kansas school spending: Visualization

    Kansas school spending: Visualization

    An interactive visualization of revenue and spending data for Kansas school districts.

    This visualization has been updated to include recent data. See Kansas school spending: Visualization.

    The accompanying visualization holds both nominal dollar amounts and amounts adjusted to reflect 2015 dollars. Data includes state aid, local aid, federal aid, and total spending for each school district, both total and per pupil. The visualization includes both tables and charts.

    Spending and revenue data is from Kansas State Department of Education. Inflation-adjusted data calculated using Consumer Price Index, All items, 1982-84=100 — CUUR0000SA0 from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Visualization created using Tableau Public.

    Click here to open the visualization in a new window.

    An example from the visualization. This shows statewide spending, per pupil, adjusted for inflation. Click for larger version.
    An example from the visualization. This shows statewide spending, per pupil, adjusted for inflation. Click for larger version.