Tag: Wichita and Kansas schools
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Kansas school spending outpaces inflation
Kansas school spending per pupil far outpaces inflation. According to the government school lobby, however, it’s still not enough, as shown in Kansas Education Lobby Always Prowling for Tax Dollars.
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Should Wichita Identify Superintendent Finalists?
When USD 259, the Wichita public school district, draws criticism from the Wichita Eagle’s Rhonda Holman, you know they’ve really done something wrong. Her column of today (Identify finalists for superintendent) requests that the Wichita school district make public the names of the finalists in its search for superintendent. Her request is likely to remain…
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Kansas Education Lobby Always Prowling for Tax Dollars
In Topeka, the Kansas Association of School Boards rarely misses an opportunity to reach deeper into the taxpayer’s pocket. The same goes for the Kansas National Education Association, the teachers union.
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Few States, Including Kansas, Set World-Class Standards
The federal No Child Left Behind legislation sets the standard that all children should be proficient in reading and math by 2014. While a federal law, it’s left to the states to set the standard as to what proficiency means, and to test for it. As you might imagine, there is considerable variation between the…
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Kansas school funding: Can the education lobby be believed?
As the State of Kansas seeks to work its way out of a difficult budget shortfall, some groups aren’t willing to make the same sacrifice that is being asked of others. The biggest offender — both in terms of dollars and shrillness — is the public school lobby in Kansas.
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Do Kansas Budget Cuts Pose a Threat to Wichita Education?
Representative Jim Ward, Democrat from Wichita and former Wichita school board member, stated in a KAKE Television news story “If you cut $10 million, you’re now cutting into the bone, the marrow, and you’re going to have a significant impact on the ability to deliver education.” The $10 million Rep. Ward refers to is the…
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Kansas Public Schools: Draconian Cuts?
As Kansas prepares to make spending cuts to balance the budget in face of declining revenue, special interest groups roll out the horror stories of what funding cuts will do. A public school advocacy group in Kansas is sending emails with this message: “A 3-5% cut in school funding will force school districts to make…
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Is 65 Percent the Solution?
At the Kansas Education blog, a post titled Is 65 Percent the Solution? examines some of the arguments and policy considerations surrounding the popular proposal that schools must spend at least 65 percent of their funds in the classroom. Whatever that — “in the classroom” or on “instruction” — means. And that’s part of the…
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Wichita Construction Company Contributes; Hopes Schools Will be “Big”
Sunday’s Wichita Eagle contains a profile of Rick McCafferty, executive vice president of Key Construction. (A Conversation with Rick McCafferty January 18, 2009) In this article, Mr. McCafferty is quoted as saying “Schools are going to be big for us. Obviously we are pleased that Wichita passed its school bond issue.” Quite an understatement, I’d…
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Wichita School Board Races Need Candidates
Here’s a letter from citizen activist John Todd, encouraging residents of USD 259, the Wichita school district, to consider running for and serving on its board. As of this morning, one incumbent and one other person have filed. With the passage of the $370 million dollar bond and with USD 259?s budget in excess of…
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Official Reaction to Possibility of State School Bond Funding Cuts
The possibility that the State of Kansas might eliminate aid to school districts to help the pay for bond issues is causing quite a stir at USD 259, the Wichita public school district. (See Kansas Budget Problems Threaten School Bond Aid for background.) It seems that the district is letting Linda Jones, chief financial officer…
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Changing Rules Now Bad, Says Wichita School Board President Lynn Rogers
“It amounts to changing the rules in the middle of the game,” said Wichita school board president Lynn Rogers. “And it’s really bad policy.” This is the Wichita Eagle reporting his remarks to the possibility that the State of Kansas might stop the aid to school districts that helps them pay for bond issues. Mr.…