A presentation from the Kansas Association of School Boards took place Tuesday evening, with the focus on getting accurate information on school finance out into the public ahead of the political campaign season.
Several charts were presented comparing Kansas to the national average in terms of graduation rates, local economic impact related to school funding and trends that will impact public schools moving forward. Mark Tallman, Associate Executive Director for Advocacy says overall there is positive momentum in the area of achievement. He says lawmakers also are starting to help turn around declines in school funding over the last two years by adding more dollars.
Emporia was just one of many stops on the KASB Advocacy Tours and Tallman says a lot of what they’re hearing from education advocates is a need to address teacher shortages.
Among some of the figures shown, KASB says although funding has increased since 1990 to add staff, expand programs and upgrade facilities, it did not take a larger share of tax-payer income. Total school spending has averaged slightly over 4.5 percent of total personal income; state and local operating budgets only 3.5 percent and since 2009, KASB says both measures have fallen below average.
The Kansas Supreme Court is expected to rule by June 30 on the constitutionality of the Legislature’s latest attempt to add more than $500 million into public education.
