School Finance bill passes with worrisome policy changes

Your LNEA representatives returned from Topeka about 11:30 p.m. Sunday night, after a long weekend advocating for students and teachers. They were sleep deprived, but determined to make some changes at the capitol in November!

Your elected representatives attended the annual KNEA Representative Assembly in Topeka this weekend. They also participated in a rally held in front of Topeka High celebrating KNEA's 150th anniversary, and then marched to the Capitol to witness the Kansas Legislature considering the school finance bill. They spent much time, into the wee morning hours, observing the legislative process and lobbying for our kids. At issue was a finance bill designed to satisfy the Supreme Court order for equitable funding with several very worrisome "strings" attached, straight from the ALEC legislative agenda, for the legislature to consider. Increased funding dangled in front of them but only if they agreed to:

• Abolish due process rights for K-12 teachers
• Approve tuition tax credits for families sending their children to unaccredited private or charter schools
• $10 million in tax credits for corporations providing scholarships to leave public schools for those same unaccountable private schools.

This bill, created in conference committee from a Senate bill that the House refused to pass, was NEVER discussed in either house's education committee, never presented for public hearings, and had been rammed through by the Republican majority. By 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, after 12 hours of cat and mouse, the House defeated the bill because of these odious attachments. This required the two houses to craft another bill in conference committee. They took the House's bill and added provisions to make it almost identical to their first one (they did drop the tuition tax credits), and again it was rammed through, despite strenuous objection from the Democratic minority. This time the vote was much closer, but we were unable to prevail. The House convened at 9 p.m. Sunday evening to consider the Senate's bill and passed it 63-58.

While of course we wanted the finance piece to pass, KNEA opposes the policy changes, straight out of the ALEC legislative agenda, which were attached.

If Governor Brownback signs the bill, it could hinder your right to advocate for your students, to call for safety in your schools, and to challenge people who aren't standing up for your kids, without fear of being fired with no reason given. It will also provide $10 million in tax credits to corporations to send kids to unaccredited private schools.

We'll have more information about what the law means for you once KNEA legal staff have had an opportunity to read it carefully--something that should have been possible before the legislature voted, but was not!

Teachers who gave all or part of their weekend, and lost a lot of sleep, are Ruth Striggow, Ginger Riddle, Dennis Dickson, Sharon Mueller, Pat DiFonzo, Linda Schukman, Michelle Smalls, Shelley Maas, and Trish Klima. (Emailed to members April 7)