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February 21, 2003

School District Consolidation is “Topic of the Week”

On Tuesday, the House Education Committee began a series of hearings on five bills dealing with school district consolidation. A long line of superintendents, school board members, and citizens from rural towns lined up to oppose forced consolidation of districts (districts represented at the hearing were Ashland, South Haven, Fowler, Axtell, Oxford, Weskan and Skyline). Committee members asked about numbers of students, distances from neighboring school districts, and administrator responsibilities. The hearings lasted for two days.

Bills being considered would have:

• HB 2195: Created county school districts in every county except Sedgwick, Wyandotte, and Johnson,
• HB 2209: Consolidated school districts in counties with fewer than 10,000 population,
• HB 2210: Consolidated school administration in counties with fewer than 10,000 population and consolidated districts with fewer than 125 students,
• HB 2253: Study and consolidate districts with fewer than 400 students and more than 200 square miles, and
• HB 2256: Study the feasibility of regional educational districts.

Hearings took two days. On Friday, the committee set about working HB 2210. After long discussion and a variety of amendments, the last of which would have extended the county administrative consolidation to every county, the committee voted to table the bill.

As of today, no consolidation bills have passed out of committee.

Senate Ed votes to give school counselors, psychologists privilege

KNEA testified in favor of SB 128, a bill that would extend privilege to school counselors and psychologists. A minor amendment was made to the bill and it was passed out of the committee with a favorable recommendation. The bill would grant privilege to counselors in their work with students who seek a confidential and trusted ear.

Ed Committee members asked to participate in Read Across America

On Monday, Mark Desetti and KNEA Vice President Blake West promoted the Reading Circle and Read Across America to the House Education Committee. On Tuesday the same presentation was given to the Senate Education Committee by Mark and KNEA President Christy Levings.

All the committee members were given Read Across posters, Reading Circle Catalogs and a hardcover primary grades book to be read and donated to a school in the legislator’s district. The committee members always take great delight in swapping out books – making sure they get one that fits their own personality.

Books and posters will be distributed to all other legislators next week. Both houses will be in recess on March 3 and available to read in schools back home.

Plenty of bills generate KNEA testimony

KNEA testified in opposition to:

• HB 2058, a bill which would cut off state aid for capital improvements,
• SB 47, to extend the moratorium on payments to the death and disability fund, and
• HB 2229, a bill that would allow anyone with a bachelor’s degree to teach after 10 contact hours of orientation.

KNEA testified in favor of:

• HB 2225, a bill to reduce the KPERS vesting period from 10 years to five,
• SB 78, a bill to exempt TIF districts from a school district’s assessed valuation, and
• SB 68, a bill establishing the helping schools license plate program,
• SB 128, a bill extending privilege to school counselors and psychologists.

KNEA Legislative Contacts

Blake West, President
Mark Desetti, Director, Legislative and Political Advocacy
Terry Forsyth, Director, Political Action

The KNEA Lobby Team consists of elected leaders and staff. The Lobby Team welcomes member feedback on issues before the Legislature and on this site.