Tag: Kansas State Board of Education
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Kansas school test scores, in perspective
We hear a lot about how Kansas shouldn’t strive to become more like Texas, especially regarding schools. But how do schools in these states compare?
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Electing Kansas legislators: Education issues
Before Kansas voters can decide who should represent them in the state Legislature, we must have accurate information. This is especially important when it comes to which candidates will make responsible decisions about how to improve our schools, writes Dr. Walt Chappell.
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At Kansas Board of Education, some questions aren’t allowed
At a meeting of the Kansas Board of Education, chair David Dennis uses his authority to bury topics the public school bureaucracy doesn’t want mentioned.
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Kansas schools receive NCLB waiver
Kansas schools have received a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
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Harm of NCLB to be eclipsed
The disaster of the No Child left behind law is about to be joined by Common Core Standards, writes Dr. Walt Chappell, member, Kansas State Board of Education.
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In Kansas, public school establishment attacks high standards
When a Kansas public policy think tank placed ads in Kansas newspapers calling attention to the performance of Kansas schools, the public school establishment didn’t like it. The defense of the Kansas school status quo, especially that coming from Kansas Commissioner of Education Diane DeBacker, ought to cause Kansans to examine the motives of the…
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Kansas education data collected but not shared to inform policymaking
Would you purchase a refrigerator without comparing models and reading reviews? How about buying a car without a test drive or a home without an inspection? If you’re a taxpayer or parent of a school-age child in Kansas, that’s what your elected representatives have done with public education that spends more than half of the…
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Kansas Speaker: Schools don’t spend all they have
Based on choices that many school districts have made in response to legislation giving them flexibility to spend fund balances, Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives Mike O’Neal questions whether a school funding crisis actually exists.
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Kansas school funding formula is badly broken
If the school funding formula is consistently providing more money than necessary to operate schools, we should put the money where it’s really needed or give it back to taxpayers.
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Kansas school spending: the deception
Kansas school spending advocates like Mark Desetti of the Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) use only a small portion of school spending when making presentations, letting them be accurate and deceptive at the same time.
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Wichita school fund balances again an issue
The issue of school fund balances in Wichita and Kansas is a serious issue that deserves discussion. At the same time, we need to make sure we don’t lose sight of Kansas school issues that are even more important. But school officials need to be held accountable for their deception of the public, most notably…
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Wichita school board: critics not welcome
A recent meeting of the board of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, provided insight as to the insularity of the board members and district staff, and as to how little meaningful discussion or debate takes place at board meetings.