The K-12 Education Budget Committee passed a modified version of a bill creating a voucher program that allows parents to set aside a portion of public school funding to be used at unregulated private or home schools, which don’t have to be accredited.
A new education bill would funnel money into unregulated, unaccredited private schools, with lawmakers saying the legislation would protect parental authority.
When Buhler teacher Sam Neill gave lawmakers her opinion on educational issues in the state on Monday, she was told by a lawmaker that people like her were the reason no one wanted to become teachers.
The foundation of public education had been shaken by ideological attacks, complaints from legislators about the cost of state funding to K-12 education, demise of teacher tenure and concern about deficient salaries, a panelist said Monday.
The president of the Kansas Board of Regents believes greater investment of state tax dollars in need-based scholarships could play a key role in placing a university education within reach of more students.
After years of school districts shouldering the burden for special education costs, the governor announced a five-year plan to fully fund special education across the state.
A group of education deans from public universities in Kansas say the state needs to raise teacher pay, elevate the profession and offer student teachers a paycheck — rather than just another tuition bill — while they work in classrooms.
The number of K-12 students in Kansas classified as chronically absent from school surged to 24.5% during the 2021-2022 academic year as educators emerged from the darkest depths of the COVID-19 pandemic.
School districts have been forced to shoulder the burden of paying for special education services that are underfunded by the Kansas Legislature. Advocates say there’s a dire need for more money.
The Lawrence school board on Monday will hear a report on the district’s initiatives to support marginalized students and the outcomes of those efforts.
