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February 11, 2008

House Fed and State Committee continues child care talks

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee continued a hearing on HB 2003 and HB 2053 today. The hearing started last week but was suspended due to time limitations.

HB 2003 would allow licensed child care provider homes to care for twice as many children as allowed under the license before and after schools, on inclement weather days, and on holidays. HB 2053 would allow any county, city or school  district to become a child care licensing agency with its own standards and fee structures.

KNEA submitted testimony in opposition to HB 2053 arguing that the resultant tangle of conflicting standards would be confusing to parents and might lead to a competition to lower standards in the rush to simply license more providers.

Currently providers are licensed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and one set of standards applies across the state.

KDHE appeared today to testify in opposition to both bills. A subcommittee has been formed to examine these issues more closely.

Senate Education Committee takes up early childhood

The Senate Education Committee heard testimony today from proponents, opponents and those neutral on SB 407 and SB 408.

SB 407 would transfer the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program and the Early Head Start Program to the Kansas Department of Education. Currently, the Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program resides with the Children’s Cabinet and the Early Head Start Program is with the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

SB 408 would transfer the Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Program from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to the State Board of Education.

Those with testimony who resided out of town were given today to testify so they would not have to stay an extra day or drive through difficult weather conditions. More testimony will be heard tomorrow on both bills. In general the proponents were school district officials and the opponents and neutrals were from the program providers.

Senate begins discussion of Education Budget

The Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee on the Education Budget met for the first time today to hear from Dale Dennis of the State Department. Dennis shared with them the Department’s budget appeals. Among the highlights for the 2008-09 school year:

• An additional $25,830,000 to add another $41 on to base state aid per pupil. BSAPP is currently set to rise by $59/pupil. This would make it go up by $100/pupil.
• An additional $2,000,000 for the linear transition hold harmless provision for high density at-risk funding.
• An additional $8,000,000 to fully fund the professional development formula.

And for the 2009-10 school year, the Department is recommending an additional $200/pupil on BSAPP at a cost of $129,000,000.

KNEA supports all of these proposals.

Kansas Republicans rally around Huckabee

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee handily won the Kansas Republican presidential caucuses on Saturday in a symbolic but small rebuttal to Arizona Senator John McCain’s super Tuesday tidal wave.

Huckabee likely benefited from the withdrawal from the race of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Romney and Huckabee were apparently splitting much of the social conservative vote allowing McCain to dominate.

It’s still too early to see if this is a harbinger of rebound by Huckabee. McCain is well ahead in the competition for delegates.

Of a total 19,516 votes cast, Huckabee won 11,627 to McCain’s 4,587. The remaining 3,302 votes were split among 5 other candidates and “uncommitted.”

Republican participation was significantly less than the approximately 37,000 Kansans who participated in the Democratic caucuses. Turnout may have been dampened by McCain’s sold front runner status after super Tuesday.

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