School Funding Archives - Kansas Policy Institute

Reports of Budget Surplus Ignore Imbalance 0
- Tax & Spending
- November 15, 2018
The State of Kansas is heading towards a cliff despite reports of budget surplus and campaign rhetoric. State budget analysts show Kansas deficit spending next year, and empty reserves by 2022. This is due to current levels of spending outpacing tax revenues. Something will have to give as the legislature and incoming governor decide how
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Per-Pupil funding tops $14,000 in Kansas 0
- Education
- November 9, 2018
The Kansas Department of Education says per-pupil funding will set another new record this year at $14,116, exceeding last year’s record of $13,620. Total funding is expected to be $6.75 billion this year. The information shown in the table below was provided by Deputy Commissioner Dale Dennis. Most of the increase comes from state funding
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Schools misinterpret ‘efficiency’ in WestEd study 0
- Education
- November 1, 2018
The WestEd school funding cost study commissioned earlier this year by the Kansas legislature has been cited by some education officials as saying school efficiency is very high, meaning there is little room to reduce costs in the state’s 286 school districts. But that’s a misinterpretation. Dr. Lori Taylor, lead author of the study, graciously
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KC Star made false accusations about school funding 0
- Education
- October 26, 2018
A recent Kansas City Star editorial said, “when adjusted for inflation, spending per-pupil in 2018, at $8,771, is right about where it was in the 1990s.” No explanation was provided for that obviously false claim, but it was attributed to a school lobbyist. Data from the Kansas Department of Education (KSDE), however, says school funding
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Kansas Freedom Index provides legislative transparency 0
- Tax & Spending
- October 22, 2018
Speaking at a gathering of legislators and policy experts from multiple states recently, I was asked why the Republican-dominated Kansas legislature raised taxes last year instead of making government more efficient. In response, I asked, “What’s a Republican?” We all had a good chuckle, but the sad truth is that party labels don’t mean much
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Considering a constitutional amendment on school funding 0
- Education
- October 15, 2018
There’s no constitutional amendment on the November ballot but it’s one of the major issues facing whoever gets elected. Kansas Policy Institute does not support or oppose candidates for public office, but we do provide educational information to the public about key economic and education issues facing Kansans. Our 2018 Voter Issue Guide is intended
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