National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for Kansas
Looking at Kansas school test scores as compared to the nation. (more…)
23
Mar
08
Feb
GDP by metropolitan area and component
An interactive visualization of gross domestic product by metropolitan area and industry. The Bureau of Economic Analysis, an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, gathers data about economic output, known as gross domestic product. The visualization I have created presents this data in tabular and graphic form. (more…)
20
Sep
Kansas school spending, through 2020
Charts of Kansas school spending presented in different forms. Recently Kansas State Department of Education released spending figures for the 2020 school year, that is, the school year starting in 2019 and ending in 2020. One of the most important charts shows state spending per-pupil, adjusted for inflation. It shows the total of state and local spending, which is useful because in 2015 the state made a change in the way revenue is allocated between state and local sources. It also shows base state aid per pupil, which is an important number as it is the starting point for the…
25
Feb
Kansas school employment
Kansas school employment rose for the current school year. Figures released by the Kansas State Department of Education show the number of teachers and certified employees rose for the 2019-2020 school year. The number of Pre-K through grade 12 teachers rose to 31,337 from 31,153, an increase of 0.59 percent. Certified employees rose to 43,305 from 42,861, or by 1.04 percent. [1. According to KSDE, certified employees include Superintendent, Assoc./Asst. Superintendents, Administrative Assistants, Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors/Supervisors Spec. Ed., Directors/Supervisors of Health, Directors/Supervisors Career/Tech Ed, Instructional Coordinators/Supervisors, All Other Directors/Supervisors, Other Curriculum Specialists, Practical Arts/Career/Tech Ed Teachers, Special Ed. Teachers,…
23
Feb
Kansas school salaries
Kansas school salaries, visualized. This is an interactive visualization of Kansas school salaries for superintendents, principals, and teachers, for each school district. To learn more about the data and use the visualization, click here. Following, an example from the visualization.
03
Feb
Wichita public schools, by the charts
Data from the annual report for the 2018-2019 school year for USD 259, the Wichita, Kansas public school district. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for USD 259, the Wichita public school district, provides a look at trends over the years. The document, along with those from previous years, is available here. Here are some highlights from the CAFR for the year ending June 30, 2019, known as fiscal year 2019. The CAFR was released in December 2019. (Click charts for larger versions.) The following chart shows data from the CAFR along with my calculations. I took two data series, "total…
26
Sep
In NAEP mapping study, Kansas shines
In a new edition of a study that assesses the stringency of state school assessments, Kansas performs well. States are free to create their own tests to measure the performance of students in their schools. There is variability in how stringently states construct their tests. The U.S. Department of Education, through the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), conducts the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) every other year. Known as "The Nation's Report Card," it is "the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas." [1. National Assessment of…
10
May
Wichita public schools, by the charts
Data from the annual report for USD 259, the Wichita, Kansas, public school district. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for USD 259, the Wichita public school district, provides a look at trends over the years. The document, along with those from previous years, is available here. Here are some highlights from the CAFR for the year ending June 30, 2018, known as fiscal year 2018. (Click charts for larger versions.) The following chart shows data from the CAFR along with my calculations. I took two data series, "total revenue" and "sum of state and local revenue," then divided by FTE…
22
Dec
Kansas tax credit scholarship program
An op-ed in the Wichita Eagle regarding school choice prompts uninformed and misinformed comments. An op-ed written by James Franko appearing in the Wichita Eagle explains the importance of the Kansas Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship Program. This is a program that awards scholarships to students to attend schools of choice. It is a small program. For the school year ending in 2018, 292 students received scholarships totaling $675,892.63. This represents one of every 9,606 dollars spent on Kansas schools. For each group of 1,632 Kansas students, one received a tax credit scholarship. Yet, this program is seen…
14
Nov
Kansas school salaries
An interactive visualization of Kansas school salaries by district and category. This visualization holds salaries of Kansas school superintendents, principals, and teachers. The visualization shows the average for each of these categories for each school district. The values are adjusted for inflation to the most current year values. Some data is presented on a per-pupil basis using full-time equivalent student counts. The visualization includes both tables and charts. The source of the data is Kansas State Department of Education for salaries and enrollments, United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for price levels, and author's calculations. Click here to access the…