Education

10
Jun
By

More from Rep. Frank Miller

A press release from Kansas House Member Frank Miller, Republican from Independence. Further Regarding The Sebelius Court OrderJune 9, 2005 Thank you for your many responses to my last press release. I appreciate getting both those that agree with me as well as those that disagree with me. The responses are running about half agree and half disagree, however most of the “disagrees” are from educators. The pile of agree responses cut across a broad range of constituents in my district. As far as my meetings with individuals, the consensus is running almost 100% agree that the Sebelius Court has…
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10
Jun
By Bob Weeks

Base School funding on research, not feelings

On the surface, it would seem like smaller class sizes would produce better educational outcomes. Intuitively, this makes sense. Research tells a different story, however. Research by Harvard economist Caroline M. Hoxby titled "The effects of class size on student achievement: New evidence from population variation", The Quarterly Journal of Economics 115 :4 (2000), 1239-1285, which can be read here: http://www.economics.harvard.edu/faculty/hoxby/papers/effects.pdf makes a different conclusion. Some quotes from the study: I identify the effects of class size on student achievement using longitudinal variation in the population associated with each grade in 649 elementary schools. I use variation in class size…
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08
Jun
By Bob Weeks

Kansas Supreme Court Bypasses Voters Right to Representation

Following is a press release from Kansas House Member Frank Miller, Republican from Independence. I think he assesses the situation accurately. Supreme Court School Finance DecisionPress Release 6/6/2005 Kansas Supreme Court By-Passes Voters Right to Representation I am shocked and very alarmed that the Kansas Supreme Court by a unanimous decision would so boldly by-pass the authority of the legislature and directly appropriate funding for governmental functions. This is just another step in the dangerous abrogation of the Constitution and a further increase in the activism of our courts. Meaning – our courts across the Nation are taking over the…
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08
Jun
By Bob Weeks

Disgraceful decision will hurt Kansas

This is a reprise of a January 10, 2005 column, which is worthwhile to read again. Disgraceful Decision Will Hurt Kansasby Karl Peterjohn, Executive Director, Kansas Taxpayers Network The Kansas Supreme Court's school finance decision is deeply flawed both in substance and in procedure. This five page judicial edict (www.kscourts.org see case no. 92,032) announced January 3 is designed to pressure the legislature into voting for more spending for public schools without saying by how much. Many tax and spend advocates are now claiming the court is requiring a tax hike, but no such specific language is contained within this…
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01
Mar
By Bob Weeks

KNEA Tax Plan Would Hurt Kansas

From our friends at the Kansas Taxpayers Network. KANSAS TAXPAYERS NETWORK P.O. Box 20050 Wichita, KS 67208 316-684-0082 FAX 316-684-7527 www.kansastaxpayers.com March 1, 2005 Editorial For Immediate Release KNEA TAX PLAN WOULD HURT KANSAS By Karl Peterjohn The powerful and left-wing National Education Association's Kansas affiliate is working hard to raise your taxes. In a February Olathe News article Terry Forsyth, one of the Kansas National Education Association's (KNEA) lobbyists, is quoted claiming that there is no correlation between taxes and job growth. Obviously Mr. Forsyth seems unfamiliar with high tax and high spending states like New York that have…
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