During the recently concluded KASB Advocacy Tour, hundreds of Kansans expressed appreciation for the new school finance formula and investment approved by the Legislature and the Kansas State Board of Education’s Kansans Can vision.
The tour — dubbed “A New Day for Kansas Education” — drew more than 600 people in 27 locations in July and August.
At nearly every stop, attendees voiced support of new Kansas education initiatives, but also expressed concerns that the increased funding may not be enough, especially since total per pupil funding is lower now than 2009 when adjusted for inflation, and that leading the world in the success of each student will require patience.
Many of those in attendance said teachers need to be raised up, both money-wise and in respect for the profession. They also spoke about the difficulty in finding and retaining teachers, citing low pay, difficulty in getting young people to move to rural areas, increased duties and challenges and the feeling that teachers generally aren’t appreciated.
There was general support for the Kansans Can vision, although some questions about carrying it out and concerns about ensuring the success of students after they graduate high school. Many noted that some students face a variety of factors unrelated to their K-12 education that could impact how they are doing after graduation.
To help students find their passion, many said more counselors are needed, and to help students cope with challenges in their life, more social workers are needed. In nearly all stops, administrators noted how they are expanding early childhood and at-risk programs to help students be better prepared and to raise up those who are struggling the most.
Many comments were made about the need to increase partnerships between schools and businesses to help students know what kind of jobs are available and what kind of skills are needed in the workplace. More community buy-in was also seen as a way to foster more overall support of public schools.
Some conversations focused on the current political climate in Topeka and the need to stay informed and active for the 2018 election cycle when statewide and U.S. House and state House offices are up for grabs. There was concern about what the Kansas Supreme Court may do in the Gannon case — some saying an order of more funding could produce a public backlash against schools, while others said a stand-pat order could leave schools underfunded. There was fear expressed by some that moderate, pro-school legislators will face an onslaught of negative campaigning in the next election because of the tax increase.
Related to this, there was also recognition that school districts must be diligent in communicating with their communities how the new investment in K-12 is being used to help students.
Although there were general topics that seemed to arise at every stop, it was also true that every stop produced a new crop of questions or concerns, such as the rising cost of health insurance, the need to increase supports for foster children, changes to CTE, KESA and other topics.
Below is a summary of the top issues from the advocacy tour.
Post-secondary measurement
There were numerous questions, concerns and comments made about the Kansas State Department of Education’s new post-secondary achievement measure. These include:
· Concerns about the fairness of a measurement that will rely on the success of students once out of the K-12 system; and whether higher education institutions will be held accountable after two years.
· Concern that some students are left out of the calculation, such as military enlistees, some postsecondary secondary institutions; and training not provided by provided by postsecondary institutions.
· Concerns that the measurement will be used in a negative way against certain schools. While districts can provide additional information about the success of students two years after graduation, it will not be reflected in the “official” data provided by KSDE.
· Suggestions that students who complete high school in the first two years after the fourth year of high school should be included in the graduation rate.
Qualified, effective educators
Many meetings raised concerns about the shrinking pool of qualified applicants for teaching and school leadership positions, which are especially critical in certain geographic areas and subject areas. These concerns include both numbers and quality of applicants. Suggestions for addressing this issue include:
· Increasing the salaries of teachers, which have fallen behind inflation and are becoming less competitive compared to other states. The increased state funding for the next two years will help, but long-term funding to sustain competitive salaries is uncertain.
· Considering strategies to improve respect for the teaching profession.
· Further examination of alternative licensure and reciprocity of licenses with other states. There was some discussion that districts and teaching candidates may not be aware of multiple options already available.
Early Childhood Education
Strong support was addressed at many locations for continuing to expand resources for early childhood education. Funding for additional at-risk preschool positions was provided in the 2017 school finance bill. Other suggestions include raising pre-school teacher salaries, supporting Parents as Teachers programs, and sustainable revenue for programs under the Children’s Initiatives Fund.
Assisting at-risk and low-income students
As the new school finance law substantially increases funding for at-risk education programs based primarily on the low-income population of the districts, many meetings stressed the need to direct more resources to help children with high risk factors.
Frequently mentioned were the special needs of students in foster care or others dealing with childhood trauma and mental health issues. Suggestions included full funding for special education aid at both the state and federal level; and funding for more counselors, social workers and school psychologists.
Post-secondary planning, preparation and transition
With increased focus on how students do after high school graduation, many spoke of the need for programs that will help in the transition to post-secondary work, especially for students who represent the first generation seeking post-secondary degrees or credentials. Suggestions included support for career counselors and advocates to assist students and families in developing meaningful individual plans of study; expanding career technical education opportunities; and improved coordination with postsecondary institutions to prepare students for success.
Post-secondary affordability
Multiple meetings expressed concerns that increasing postsecondary educational attainment by Kansas students requires addressing financial as well as academic and planning issues. Specific concerns include:
· While postsecondary technical education programs are provided to high school students without tuition as a result of SB 155, the cost of fees, equipment and assessment are not covered and can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars, creating substantial barriers for low income students who do not qualify for federal student aid because they have not graduated from high school.
· Rising tuition costs may discourage low income students from attending and completing all postsecondary programs.
· Additional college costs may discourage individuals from receiving teacher training, both as a primary or second career.
Business and Community Partnerships
While many meetings reported successful and expanding partnerships with businesses and local organizations for internships, apprenticeships, mentoring and other education support, more will be needed, and could be encouraged with recognition and other incentives.
Public awareness
While schools address the new post-secondary success model, they also are receiving increased funding, living under a new school finance formula and new accreditation and accountability system. Continued explanation of all this change – both inside and outside the schools — will be necessary.
Officials repeatedly said many of the changes will require time, so communicating with the public on where school funding is being directed is crucial in maintaining community support. School leaders were quick to point out where businesses and local organizations were helping support the missions of the schools, noting that education was a community-wide effort.
Kansas advocacy tour news story links
- www.hutchnews.com/news/20170808/schools-moving-in-new-direction
- www.gbtribune.com/section/69/article/107167/
- www.gctelegram.com/news/20170802/kasb-shares-new-directions-for-education
- www.hdnews.net/news/20170802/kasb-voters-will-need-to-see-value-in-tax-increases
- www.salina.com/news/20170731/student-success-topic-at-education-meeting
- www.parsonssun.com/news/article_39c74a48-7266-11e7-aba2-670719901ee2.html
- www.morningsun.net/news/20170727/ed-talk—kasb-visits-greenbush-to-discuss-new-initiatives-in-education
- https://shawneemissionpost.com/2017/07/26/with-big-changes-coming-to-funding-vision-for-kansas-schools-its-time-for-boards-to-rethink-aspects-of-education-say-kasb-leaders-64755
- www.ctnewsonline.com/news/article_edc416fa-796b-11e7-af8f-1b21da0b3d90.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share
- www.kctv5.com/story/35968610/future-of-education-in-kansas-has-some-students-teachers-and-parents-uncertain
- www.kvoe.com/newsedit/19826-kasb-advocacy-tour-brings-to-focus-school-finance-accreditation
www.emporiagazette.com/news/article_767402e0-59a7-5616-924d-3a94abd653bc.html - www.hiawathaworldonline.com/news/kasb-advocacy-tour-stops-by-hiawatha/article_2126ff8c-d6cd-53cd-844b-0938d08db5ad.html
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