Category: Wichita and Kansas schools
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Kansas school spending advocates ramp up
Today the Kansas Legislature returns to Topeka for a session that must deal with the difficult realities of the Kansas budget. Constituencies that depend of government spending have been making their cases for their programs to be spared cuts. The public school lobby is perhaps the most vocal. Kansas Families for Education is a group…
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Wichita BOE can still do right for voters
Regarding the decision two weeks ago to award a bond construction project to an out-of-state company, even though a local company submitted a less expensive bid: It wasn’t a promise, but several op-ed pieces by the interim superintendent and school board president last year reminded Wichitans of all the jobs created by the bond issue…
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Wichita-area school superintendents make flawed case
Sunday’s Wichita Eagle contains an op-ed piece by several Wichita-area public school superintendents that calls for the Kansas Legislature to spare K-12 education from budget cuts. The piece starts with a recognition of the importance of education. I don’t think that anyone will disagree with this assertion. From then on, however, there’s little that I…
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Kansas teachers union doublespeak not hard to decode
Reading the Kansas National Education Association’s — that’s the teachers union, also known as KNEA — report Under the Dome is becoming an exercise in decoding doublespeak. Today’s issue, which you can read by clicking on Under the Dome Today for April 23, 2009, contains some 417 words that hope for something to happen, without…
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KNEA’s attitude towards Kansas taxpayers
The Kansas National Education Association — that’s the teachers union — shows again that it has little respect for Kansas taxpayers. The issue of Under the Dome for April 17, 2009 reveals this organization’s appetite for tax revenue is large, and they’re always on the prowl for more.
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Kansas school test scores: can they be reconciled with national tests?
In the Kansas Education Summary dated January, 2009, Kansas Commissioner of Education Alexa Posny wrote this summary: “Across all of Kansas, the percent of students reading at the proficient level or above has risen from 59% in 2000 to 84% in 2008. This is a 25% gain. Math has risen from 50% to 81%, a…
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At Wichita school district, it’s always kids first, sometimes
At a recent meeting of the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, board member Connie Dietz affirmed the district’s policy of always putting kids first. At least in words, that is. Scolding a member of the Kansas State Board of Education, she said “This board always, always puts children first. And don’t…
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Wichita BOE’s Rogers: Kansas taxes are not high enough
According to Lynn Rogers, president of the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, the problem in Kansas is that our taxes are not high enough. According to sources in the meeting, Jeff Turner, CEO of Spirit AeroSytems, made a remark about how there may be no reasonable way the state can deal…
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Wichita school board chooses not to keep business local
Paul Driver of ATG Sports wonders why the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, is about to award a construction contract to an out-of-state company when a local, cheaper alternative is available. The district’s clear message during the bond issue campaign last year was that the construction business would be good for…
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Dr. Chappell asks the Wichita school board to NOT sell bonds
Ffter seeing the way several members of the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, treated Kansas State Board of Education member Walt Chappell at last Monday’s meeting, I contacted him. I was curious as to what his rebuttal would be to the scolding he received from board members Connie Dietz and Betty…
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Wichita school board video shows why members should not be re-elected
On Monday March 30, 2009, Walt Chappell, who was recently elected to the Kansas State Board of Education and whose district overlaps some of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, spoke before that district’s board. The hostile reaction by board members, which you may view on video that I captured, is remarkable for the…