Schools for Quality Education - Testimony before the Senate Education Committee on Senate Bill 450

Sep 22, 2026

Uploaded by Miles

Testimony to the Senate Education Committee on Senate Bill 450 from Schools for Quality Education (SQE), representing over 100 small rural school districts in Kansas. The statement supports adequately funding the current school finance formula and backing Senate Bill 450 to restore budget cuts for PreK-12 education. It highlights that the proposal preserves key weighting factors (low enrollment, at-risk, ELL) and stresses equalizing the LOB to prevent further inequity while removing restrictive access limits.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Schools for Quality Education 007 Bluemont Hall,1100 Mid-Campus Drive,Manhattan,KS 66506·(785)532-5886·www.coe.ksu.edu/sqe Testimony before theSenate Education Committee onSenate Bill450submitted by Mike McClellan,President BOE USD\#269,Damar-Palco-ZurichSchools for Quality Education Madame Chairperson and members of the Senate Education Committee.Thank youfor the opportunity to appear before you today as a representative of a small rural school tooffer testimony on Senate Bill 450,a bi-partisan effort to restore funding to PreK-12education.I am also privileged to speak on behalf of Schools for Quality Education,anorganization comprised of over 100 small rural school districts in Kansas. Schools for Quality Education (SQE)has adopted the following policy statement inregards to Funding Public Education: "SQE supports adequately funding the current school finance formula as definedin statute and outlined in the state constitution as the best way to equitably financeour student's education. Schools for Quality Education supports Senate Bill 450,as it will any legislation thatbegins the long awaited restoration of the budget cuts our members have struggled to livewith during the past three years.Importantly,we note that this proposal does not disturbthe present weighting factors,such as low enrollment,at-risk and ELL,that are critical toprovide high quality education to our students,regardless of their geographical location orzip code in Kansas. Senate Bill 450 targets the base state aid per pupil and increases it to $3,854 inschool year 2012-2013 and to $3,928 in school year 2013-1014.We feel that this provisiondemonstrates Kansas'resolve and sends a strong signal of its commitment to fund qualityeducation for our children. Senate bill 450 also increases the allowed LOB to 33%for school year 2012-2014 and to 35%for school year 2014-2015 and succeeding years.While we agree that districts Jeu&e 一一 3-1 that want to spend more for their children should be able to do so,we strongly believe thatit is critical that the LOB be equalized to prevent further disequalization.Withoutequalization of the LOB it becomes impossible for our poorer low valuation districts toraise their LOB.The LOB must be truly equalized. We also support the removal of the mandatory vote requirement to access an LOBabove 30 percent.The protest petition allowed in current law is retained for LOB increasesthat are above the statewide average. The effect of the past budget cuts caused our district to eliminate a full-time artsteacher,an at-risk aide,a 1/2 time Career/Tech teacher,a 1/2 time Physical Educationteacher and to employ a counselor at.6 equivalent of a position.The economic impact ofeliminating these positions pales in comparison to the quality of education we seek toprovide our students.As funding increases,Palco USD\#269 hopes to employ an MTSSteacher/coordinator/coach and then also to retain a full-time career and technicaleducation teacher.Palco students demonstrate significant at-risk behaviors and a full-timeMTSS coordinator will help teachers provide "best practice"strategies for teachers andhelp us to monitor student progress.As Kansas pushes to be a leader in the careerreadiness arena,being able to add another CTE teacher will allow our district to offer morerelevant pathways to the students we strive to serve.We note and applaud the fact thatthis committee has already sent legislation,Substitute for Senate Bill 393,to the House toimplement Governor Brownback's important career technical education initiative whiletaking into account the concerns of small rural districts,such as removing the restrictive 30mile limitation on secondary career technical education programs and retaining thecurrent vocational education weighting in the school finance formula.The funding that youprovide with Senate Bill 450 will allow us to be a better partner as we work together toprovide a quality education for all of our students.

FAQs

What is Schools for Quality Education (SQE) advocating regarding Senate Bill 450?

SQE supports Senate Bill 450 because it begins the long awaited restoration of budget cuts affecting PreK-12 education.

Which funding components does SQE emphasize will not be disturbed by the proposal?

SQE states the proposal does not disturb existing weighting factors such as low enrollment, at-risk, and ELL that are critical for high-quality education.

Why does SQE stress the need to equalize the LOB?

SQE argues that equalization is critical to prevent further disequalization and to allow lower valuation districts to raise their LOB.

Sep 22, 2026

Uploaded by Miles