The Myth About Fully Funding Public Education
Here are the straight up facts about the Kansas K-12 budget.
HB2512 constitutionally fully funds schools in Kansas. However, it neglects to fully fund special education.
Rep. Jarrod Ousley introduced an amendment to add $68 million to the budget to fully fund SpEd.
And 58 Representatives voted YES to fully fund Special Education - including our current representative, Mike Dodson.
22 minutes later… After Speaker Ron Rykman wrangled his caucus members in, I presume, the House held a second vote on the Ousley Amendment.
And guess who voted against the $68 million funding of Special Education?
—>That’s right. Mike Dodson.
Not funding Special Education hurts school district budgets on the whole. By not fully funding Special Education, the 70 House Reps above must not pat themselves on the back for funding schools.
USD 383 School Board Member Kristin Brighton raised this issue last month. It’s important to understand that school districts are working with budgets that are balanced on a tightrope. The slightest tip to one side can shatter it .
The state budget has a $1.5 billion surplus with 26 consecutive months of in-the-black revenues. (Additionally, the state can boast a $1 billion rainy day fund.)
The state of Kansas can afford to fund special education.
Let me put it this way, the state of Kansas CANNOT afford to neglect funding SpEd.
Rep. Mike Dodson should’ve stayed with his first vote on the Ousley Amendment and stood up for Manhattan’s USD 383. Instead, he followed party politics.
We deserve better.