Reminder: Sat. May 28, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. KDP Chair Joan Wagnon will be in Linn County at the La Cygne Public Library Swan Room. 206 Commercial St. Plan to join us!!
Refreshments will be provided.
All Democratic and Independent voters are encouraged to attend this informational gathering.
For more information, please call: 913) 795-4574.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Kansas Democratic Party Chair Discusses Drastic Cuts to Public Schools
Joan Wagnon calls on Governor Brownback and House Leadership to stop shortchanging our kids
TOPEKA, KS - Kansas Democratic Party Chair, Joan Wagnon held a press conference today highlighting the real world impact of cuts to public schools being discussed in the State Legislature. The following are her remarks as prepared for delivery:
I’ve been traveling the state for two months now, and every audience asks , “What is happening to our public schools.” It is very difficult for the ordinary citizen to decipher all the conflicting information coming from this legislative session. They are hearing that programs they care about are slated for reduction or elimination. By next fall when school starts again, many of these cuts will be in place and parents will see the impact on their children.
The results of these cuts generally fall into these categories:
Higher pupil-Teacher ratios
Less face time for students with teachers
Reductions in programs. Schools have already cut 1600 licensed and unlicensed personnel, and more cuts will come with the FY2012 budget. Coaching staff are being cut as well as guidance counselors, arts, music and other programming.
Increased school fees
Reductions in Transportation services
Delaying Purchases
Particularly concerning to me are the budget cuts to the early childhood education programs such as Parents as Teachers, and PreKindergarden. These programs have already seen a 17% reduction in funding, and if the House has its way, more cuts will come. If we want to reduce dropouts and improve reading skills as the Governor has suggested, then kids need to be identified for early assistance. Not funding early childhood education programs solely to preserve an ending balance is unconscionable. The Senate’s approach to lower ending balances has kept some of the more egregious cuts from happening.
The Department of Education provided me some information about the Base State Aid per Pupil and how that has changed over the years since the first formula was instituted.
School Year BSAPP
1992-93 $3,600
2005-06 $4,257* (Statutory BSAPP)
2008-09 $4,400
2009-10 $4,012
2010-11 $3.937
2011-12 $3,780 (Governor’s recommendation)
If we were to fund schools at the statutory requirement of $4,257 it would require an additional $474 million. And when you consider that the sales tax increase enacted in 2010 drops back down in FY2014 to 5.7%, and the transfer to the highway fund will increase, there will be another $308 hole in the State General Fund two years from now that will make it very difficult to increase the BSAPP.
The legislative Division of Post Audit found, ”…a strong association between the amounts districts spend and the outcomes they achieve … a 1.0% increase in district performance outcomes was associated with a 0.83% in spending – almost a one-to-one relationship.” Districts that spent more had better student performance.
Clearly, these numbers tell me Kansas is going in the wrong direction in funding its schools.
Throughout this legislative session, the emphasis has been on economic development and job creation. But, without a strong public school system, all the tax incentives will be meaningless. Certainly, the trend to reducing the tax base through exemptions, credits and outright repeal of tax sources has been a major contributor to the school funding chasm that grows larger each year.
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. These BSAPP numbers don’t leave much room for appreciating our teachers by paying them an adequate wage for the work they do with our children. Kansas ranks 39th in teacher salaries.
Kansans want good public schools. They want the legislature to make education a priority.
It is one thing to decide in a committee to cut this or that; it is quite another to look a child in the eyes and say they can’t participate in a program because their parents can’t afford the fees. Or to look a hardworking, compassionate teacher in the eye and tell them they no longer have a job.
For many rural schools this will be a death knell. They are already pinched as tight as possible and further cuts jeopardize their survival.
Now is the time to contact legislators and express your priorities before these decisions are finalized. As a Democrat Leader in this State I am appalled at the state of funding for public schools. As a former legislator and Secretary of Revenue I understand the fiscal constraints as well as anyone but Governor Brownback and the House Leadership are shortchanging our public schools, and it’s time to stop!
TOPEKA, KS - Kansas Democratic Party Chair, Joan Wagnon held a press conference today highlighting the real world impact of cuts to public schools being discussed in the State Legislature. The following are her remarks as prepared for delivery:
I’ve been traveling the state for two months now, and every audience asks , “What is happening to our public schools.” It is very difficult for the ordinary citizen to decipher all the conflicting information coming from this legislative session. They are hearing that programs they care about are slated for reduction or elimination. By next fall when school starts again, many of these cuts will be in place and parents will see the impact on their children.
The results of these cuts generally fall into these categories:
Higher pupil-Teacher ratios
Less face time for students with teachers
Reductions in programs. Schools have already cut 1600 licensed and unlicensed personnel, and more cuts will come with the FY2012 budget. Coaching staff are being cut as well as guidance counselors, arts, music and other programming.
Increased school fees
Reductions in Transportation services
Delaying Purchases
Particularly concerning to me are the budget cuts to the early childhood education programs such as Parents as Teachers, and PreKindergarden. These programs have already seen a 17% reduction in funding, and if the House has its way, more cuts will come. If we want to reduce dropouts and improve reading skills as the Governor has suggested, then kids need to be identified for early assistance. Not funding early childhood education programs solely to preserve an ending balance is unconscionable. The Senate’s approach to lower ending balances has kept some of the more egregious cuts from happening.
The Department of Education provided me some information about the Base State Aid per Pupil and how that has changed over the years since the first formula was instituted.
School Year BSAPP
1992-93 $3,600
2005-06 $4,257* (Statutory BSAPP)
2008-09 $4,400
2009-10 $4,012
2010-11 $3.937
2011-12 $3,780 (Governor’s recommendation)
If we were to fund schools at the statutory requirement of $4,257 it would require an additional $474 million. And when you consider that the sales tax increase enacted in 2010 drops back down in FY2014 to 5.7%, and the transfer to the highway fund will increase, there will be another $308 hole in the State General Fund two years from now that will make it very difficult to increase the BSAPP.
The legislative Division of Post Audit found, ”…a strong association between the amounts districts spend and the outcomes they achieve … a 1.0% increase in district performance outcomes was associated with a 0.83% in spending – almost a one-to-one relationship.” Districts that spent more had better student performance.
Clearly, these numbers tell me Kansas is going in the wrong direction in funding its schools.
Throughout this legislative session, the emphasis has been on economic development and job creation. But, without a strong public school system, all the tax incentives will be meaningless. Certainly, the trend to reducing the tax base through exemptions, credits and outright repeal of tax sources has been a major contributor to the school funding chasm that grows larger each year.
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. These BSAPP numbers don’t leave much room for appreciating our teachers by paying them an adequate wage for the work they do with our children. Kansas ranks 39th in teacher salaries.
Kansans want good public schools. They want the legislature to make education a priority.
It is one thing to decide in a committee to cut this or that; it is quite another to look a child in the eyes and say they can’t participate in a program because their parents can’t afford the fees. Or to look a hardworking, compassionate teacher in the eye and tell them they no longer have a job.
For many rural schools this will be a death knell. They are already pinched as tight as possible and further cuts jeopardize their survival.
Now is the time to contact legislators and express your priorities before these decisions are finalized. As a Democrat Leader in this State I am appalled at the state of funding for public schools. As a former legislator and Secretary of Revenue I understand the fiscal constraints as well as anyone but Governor Brownback and the House Leadership are shortchanging our public schools, and it’s time to stop!
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