Update from KASB

It’s a busy time to be an education reporter.

In case you missed it, I’ve been busy this week attending meetings at USD 457 concerning budget cuts. Here are stories from Tuesday and Wednesday’s Telegram.

Also related to budget cuts: I get email updates from the Kansas Association of School Boards, often telling me about legislative updates in Topeka.

This information sparked my interest because it came up when I was reporting on the above stories this week. The bill would allow school boards to move the date in which they are required to notify staff that their contracts won’t be renewed.

Superintendents I’ve talked with think more cuts in state aid are coming. Is the state preparing for more cuts in the months to come?

From KASB:

The House Education Budget Committee held a hearing Tuesday afternoon on SB 362, which would allow school boards, by resolution, to move the date from May 1 to June 1, they are required to notify teacher and administrators that their contracts will not be renewed.  The date for employees to inform school boards whether they wish to remain under contract would be moved from May 15 to June 15.  If boards take no action, they remain under the May 1 and May 15 dates.

KASB testified in favor of the bill, which reflects a resolution adopted by the KASB Delegate Assembly in December calling for more flexibility in the notice date.  The bill was also supported by the United School Administrators and lobbyists for the Blue Valley USD 229 and Wichita USA 259 school districts.  However, the bill was opposed by the Kansas National Education Association.  KNEA’s opposition means the state teachers’ association is opposing a bill which supporters say is primarily designed to benefit teachers.

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Schools for Fair Funding to file new lawsuit.

Here’s some information from lawyers representing the organization Schools for Fair Funding, a group of more than 70 school districts that are suing the state over education funding.

The group had asked that a previous case be reopened. Today the Kansas Supreme Court denied that request, and the lawyers said they will instead mile a new lawsuit.

If you recall, Garden City USD 457 joined Schools for Fair Funding in December after a 4-3 vote by the Board of Education.

Here’s more information from the lawyers:

Today, a Motion to Re-open the Montoy school funding case was denied by the Kansas Supreme Court. The Supreme Court did not act on the merits of the case and simply found that the better procedure would be for the schools to simply file a new lawsuit rather than finish the previous Montoy suit. Schools For Fair Funding filed the motion in an attempt to save both time and resources over the filing of a new lawsuit. The schools will now take the steps necessary to file a new school funding suit.
Schools For Fair Funding, a coalition of 72 Kansas school districts representing 163,375 school children, together with Salina U.S.D. 305 and Dodge City U.S.D. 443, filed the motion with the Kansas Supreme Court on January 11, 2010 and asked that the Court re-open the Montoy vs. State of Kansas lawsuit concerning school finance. The case was dismissed in 2006 upon Legislative adoption of a three-year plan to increase school funding. The motion was filed as a result of the recent education funding cuts. Thus far the cuts have exceeded $300,000,000. The motion asked that the case be re-opened and remanded back to the trial court to determine two issues: (1) Was the unconstitutional school finance system remedied by the Kansas legislature’s funding increases in 2005 and 2006? and (2) Are the current education funding cuts constitutional?
John Robb, general counsel for Schools For Fair Funding, said “We are disappointed in the ruling but certainly not deterred. The problem still exists. Kids are still being shortchanged. The constitution still requires suitable funding for education. Today’s ruling was a procedural one which will just slow us down a bit.”
Alan Rupe, trial counsel for Schools For Fair Funding, said “It was a long shot. There was no statutory procedural mechanism to re-open a closed case. And there was very little court precedent to support re-opening the case. But the school districts and Schools For Fair Funding are committed to fight for their schoolkids’ right to adequate funding. The future of public education demands a new lawsuit.”
The 2010 Commission, an advisory body appointed by the legislature, sums it up well: “the Commission believes we cannot sacrifice a generation of Kansas students because the economy is weak. It is time for the legislature to take steps to ensure that the revenue and funding policies of the Legislature allow every Kansas student to achieve his or her full potential.”

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Deerfield meeting tonight

There’s a community meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Deerfield to discuss the option of Deerfield USD 216 going to a four-day school week.

Look for a story about the meeting tomorrow from Rachael Gray, another Telegram reporter.

Here’s a few paragraphs from a a story I wrote in August:

It’s an option because having Deerfield schools closed an extra day would save money during a time of cuts in state aid to public schools.

Jon Ansley, superintendent, and Amy DeLaRosa, principal of Deerfield Elementary School and a member of the committee studying the issue, estimated the district could save between $40,000 and $50,000 if classes are held four days a week.

The committee that is looking into the four-day school week traveled to a few different schools who are already operating on a four-day school week. Those schools are in Ashland, Weskan, Brewster and Holly, Colo.

The committee is expected to make a recommendation to the Board of Education in October, and the public’s input will be a factor into the recommendation, Ansley and DeLaRosa said.

What do you think? Do you think students benefit from having a three day weekend?

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School uniforms considered

I wrote a story last week about Deerfield schools considering going to a four-day week instead of a traditional five-day week.

While I was there, I also asked about uniforms, something that the district is considering.

A decision on a four-day school week will be recommended the Board of Education next month. School uniforms are merely being talked about, and no decision is expected to take place soon, according the the superintendent, Jon Ansley.

Ansley said the school district has thought about the idea of uniforms for years.

Ansley and Amy DeLaRosa, elementary school principal, said a parent survey was distributed during enrollment over the summer.

The results were split. At the elementary level, 43 said yes to uniforms and 48 said no. Middle school parents said 45 yes and 41 no. High school parents said 45 yes and 46 no.

Two of the students I talked to at Deerfield High School, Mikayla Bowser and Micheal Pepper, said they didn’t particularly like the idea of uniforms.

What do you think?

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