ATTENTION LAWMAKERS: SB 83 would be a win for teachers, families, and ALL students!
A “YES” vote on SB 83 provides your constituents with:
- Teacher pay increases to help with retention and shortage issues – adjusting for inflation, spending per student increased 25% between 2003 and 2020, but teacher pay declined 1%
- $72 million in special education funding
- Education Saving Accounts that expand access and choice to families
Why the urgency for school choice legislation now?
- There are more kids below grade level in Kansas than are proficient in reading and math. State and local officials won’t even admit there’s a crisis, let alone deal with it.
- The low-income kids who benefit most from choice are in dire straits. Only 9% are proficient in math in Kansas City and Wichita.
- Legislators provided more than $5 billion in incremental funding since 2005 to help at-risk students, but a state audit found most of the money wasn’t being spent as required in state law.
Opponents talk about what’s fair for the school system, but they won’t talk about kids. They won’t say how many years it will take to get kids to grade level without choice.
Parents want more of a say
In a recent SurveyUSA poll, 84-percent of the respondents agreed with the statement that “Parents should have the primary say in the education of their children.” While 72% supported ESAs as an alternative for students who are in schools that do not meet their academic needs.
The current system is leaving tens of thousands of students behind each year, and parents are counting on you to forge a new future for all Kansans.