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January 30, 2008

KNEA testifies in House Tax Committee

KNEA lobbyist Mark Desetti testified on HB 2467, a bill that would provide an income tax credit to offset property tax increases for Kansans over age 65. As written, the bill would allow every Kansan over age 65 - regardless of ability to pay property taxes - with an income tax credit equal to the dollar increase in their residential property taxes for any given year.

Desetti, speaking for both KNEA and KASB, did not advocate passage or defeat of the bill but instead asked legislators to consider stepping back and appointing an independent commission to review the entire Kansas tax system. Such a commission would make recommendations to bring the system back into balance among various tax sources and establish a system that would provide long-term revenue stability that is fair to both citizens and businesses.

While HB 2467 would have no direct impact on school districts - the schools will collect the full property tax levy and the taxpayer would receive a "rebate" from the state via an income tax credit - there would likely be an indirect impact. Reduced income tax revenue to the state would reduce money available for school finance and other state programs. If state increases in school funding were unable to keep up with rising costs, school districts would have to turn to the local option budget to make up the difference, driving up local property taxes and creating a snowball effect on the revenue impact to the state.

KNEA and KASB have also long advocated for means testing in any tax relief for seniors. While some seniors on fixed incomes might have difficulty meeting rising property tax levies, there are others who can easily afford to pay their taxes. Tax relief should be targeted to those who need it

House Education Committee considers special ed funding report

The House Education Committee heard from the Division of Legislative Post Audit on their special education funding study. You will remember we reported earlier that the audit found wide disparities in the reimbursement percentage districts receive for special education excess costs.

While state statute says districts will receive 92% reimbursement of the excess costs, the reality is that there is a range from less than 50% to over 200%. Since the reimbursement is distributed on a set per teacher basis, districts with more students per teacher or teachers who earn higher salaries actually receive a smaller reimbursement. These tend to be larger districts that have more flexibility in grouping students and pay higher salaries.

Rep. Pat Colloton (R-Leawood) asked for a bill to be introduced that would hold harmless anyone receiving more than 92% but freeze their funding while directing any new funding to those districts receiving less than 92%.

Senate Ways and Means Committee hears education recommendations

Rochelle Chronister, chair of the 2010 Commission, came before the Senate Ways and Means Committee today to review the Commission's report and recommendations.

Of primary interest to KNEA was the recommendation to increase Base State Aid Per Pupil (BSAPP) for 2008-09 by an additional $41. BSAPP under the three year school finance plan is set to increase by $59. The 2010 Commission would like that to be $100. Their intent is to provide additional funds immediately to push up teacher salaries. The State Board of Education is also asking for the additional $41 for 2008-09 and has recommended a $200 increase on BSAPP for the 2009-10 school year for the same purpose.

Following Chronister was Dale Dennis of the Kansas State Department of Education who came to present the State Board's recommendations. Dennis pointed out that Kansas ranks 37th in teacher salaries and it would take about $4000 per teacher to reach 25th and more than $8000 per teacher to reach the national average.

Senator Chris Steineger asked how much it would cost to give every teacher a $500/month pay increase which would take Kansas to about 13th in the nation. The response was "approximately $200 million." Not surprisingly, there was no motion to introduce such a bill!

The teacher shortage is on everyone's mind but so far the legislature is long on looking at data and short on considering solutions. KNEA has produced a document for policy makers on addressing the teacher shortage in a comprehensive fashion. Among our recommendations addressing the issue are compensation and benefits for all teachers, providing quality support programs for new teachers, quality professional development for continuing teachers, support for pre-service programs at both the high school and college level, and working to cease negative attacks on the teaching profession and public schools.

Senate Education Committee talks KAMS

KAMS is the Kansas Academy of Math and Science and SB 404, a bill which would allow the admission of nonresidents and set tuition and fees for students at KAMS, had a hearing in the Senate Education Committee today.

The academy was created just a couple years ago and it was recently decided to house it at Fort Hays State University. The intent is to allow a core group of very gifted math and science students to spend their last years of high school at Fort Hays earning both a high school diploma and university credit.

Senate Bill 404 would allow the Kansas Board of Regents to set tuition and fees for attendance at KAMS. The tuition and fees would then be paid by the student’s home school district (where the child would be counted for school funding purposes). The student’s state assessment scores would also be counted in the home school district for accountability purposes. The payment could not exceed the amount the school district received from the state as base state aid for that student.

The bill also would allow nonresidents of Kansas to attend. Those students would have to pay the full tuition and fees by themselves.

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