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July State Board News

Board Begins Budget Discussions

The 2007-2008 school year has barely begun, but it’s already time to discuss the FY09 state budget!  With a mid-September due date to the Governor looming, the State Board began deliberating their recommendations.

Some parts were easy: on an 8-0 vote [board members Bacon and Wagnon were absent from the meeting], the board agreed to ask the Legislature to fully fund the teacher mentoring statute and the inservice education/professional development statute.  Both programs have been in law for years and neither has been fully funded for quite a while, leaving USDs in the position of transferring money from their general fund to cover the mandated expenses.

In addition, the board voted 8-0 to support a linear progression model for applying the high-density at-risk weighting money.  Currently, if a district drops below 50%, they lose half their money and if they drop below 40% they lose all their money.

When it came to determining additional money to be added to the $59 per pupil increase already built  into the school finance formula [the last year of the 3 year plan that resulted from the school finance litigation], progress slowed.

All board members indicated that they understood the need to address teacher shortages by increasing teacher salaries.  They indicated interest in putting money onto the base so that USDs would have the greatest flexibility in how to spend that money.  They were not in agreement on how much to recommend.

Dale Dennis indicated that a $100 increase on the base would result in average teacher salary increases in the 4.5% range, similar to the range seen during the first year of the funding formula.  He predicted that the $59 increase would result in 3 – 3.25% increases.

A motion to add $41 additional dollars, bringing the increase to $100 on the base, failed 5-3, with Cauble, Gamble, Rupe, Shaver and Waugh voting yes and Abrams, Martin and Willard voting no.

The issue will be revisited at the August meeting.

Educators Appointed to Advisory Committees

Susan Reusser, Andover EA, was appointed to a 3-year term on the Professional Practices Commission.  This is the body that makes recommendations to the State Board regarding disciplinary actions relating to educator licenses.

Susan Myers, superintendent, USD 409, Atchison, was appointed for two years to complete a term on the PPC.

Pam Amott, United Teachers of Wichita, and Angela Bowman, Gardner-Edgerton NEA, were each appointed to 3-year terms on the Licensure Review Committee.  This body makes recommendations to the State Board regarding licenses of applicants who do not exactly meet the Kansas regulations.

Board Schedules Retreat

The State Board and new Commissioner Dr. Alexa Posny have scheduled a planning retreat for Thursday and Friday, July 26 and 27.  Beginning at 1:30 pm on the 26th and finishing early afternoon on the 27th, the Board will consider Dr. Posny’s stated priorities along with previously set Board goals.  In several speeches this month, Dr. Posny has identified one goal and five priorities:  Ensure success by 

1. intervening early

2. preparing students for life after school 

3. partnering with parents, businesses and communities 

4. recruiting and retaining educators 

5. advocating to improve results

The retreat will be at the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library.  Dr. Brenda Welburn, executive director of the National Association of State Boards of Education, will facilitate.

In other action, the State Board:

• recognized Norm Conard, Uniontown TA, a 2007 inductee into the National Teachers’ Hall of Fame
• recognized Teri Dow, USD 320, Wamego, 2006 finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching
• heard a presentation on the Visiting International Teachers program
• received revised content standards for reading specialists
• received revised internship standards for all advanced preparation programs
• received a report on requirements for virtual schools
• adopted recommendations from the Professional Practices Commission to deny 3 applications and to revoke 4 licenses
• adopted recommendations from the Evaluation Review Committee:
    *Washburn  University, accredited through 12-31-2011
    *Ottawa  University, 1 program approved with stipulation through 12-31-2011
    *Newman  University, 5 programs approved through 12-31-2011
    *McPherson  College, 13 programs approved through 12-31-2013; 3 programs approved with
         stipulation through 12-31-2008
    *Tabor  College, 1 program approved through 12-31-2009
    *Baker  University, 1 program approved through 12-31-2008
• adopted recommendations from the Licensure Review Committee
    *25 requests for license/endorsement approved
    *4 requests denied
• approved requests for bond elections from
    *USD 101, Erie
    *USD 232, DeSoto
    *USD 233, Olathe
• endorsed the formation of the Kansas Education Leadership Commission

The next formal meeting of the State Board of Education will be Tuesday and Wednesday, August 14 and 15, in Topeka.  Board agenda and materials should be available on the KSDE website on Monday, August 6.  The new materials, and all previous agendas and materials, can be found at http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=427

KNEA Legislative Contacts

Blake West, President
Peg Dunlap, Director, Instructional Advocacy
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.