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Minutes for SB45 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Excluding students who transfer to homeschools or nonaccredited private schools from the alternative calculation of graduation rates for virtual schools.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 12, 2025
Chairman Erickson opened the hearing on SB45. Assistant Revisor Tamera Lawrence, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave a brief overview of the bill. (Attachment 1)
Proponent testimony:
Cassandra Barton, Insight School of Kansas Head of School, reported Insight School of Kansas is one of 58 virtual schools or programs in the state which serve high school grade levels, 38 of which serve students outside of their district boundaries. Currently Insight has students from approximately 150 districts of residence other than the Spring Hill School District. This bill provides transparency of graduation rate performance. Under the current system, Kansas virtual schools are currently penalized when students transfer to homeschooling or nonaccredited private schools, as these students are still counted in the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. This bill would exclude such students from the calculation, similar if a student leaves one brick and mortar school to another. Insight believes this bill aims to provide a more accurate representation of virtual school performance and prevent undue penalties that could impact their accreditation status.(Attachment 2)
Opponent testimony:
Shannon Kimball, Government Relations Specialist, Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB), which member-adopted legislative policies support the authority of the State Board of Education over matters of accreditation, determining graduation requirements, and other areas outlined in the State Board's constitutional mandate:
Governing Schools - Authority of the Kansas State Board of Education:
- Support that goal under the Kansas constitution's charge for intellectual, educational, vocational, and scientific improvement and its balance of responsibilities in Article 6 to entities, each accountable directly to the voters.
- Support general supervision of public schools under the State Board of Education, including setting standards for accreditation, learning standards, graduation, and licensure.
Public virtual high schools in Kansas currently calculate graduation rates on the same basis as brick-and-mortar high schools in their school districts and across the state. If the Legislature believes that public virtual high schools should not be penalized in calculating their graduation rates for transfer students whose families choose to complete their education in an unaccredited high school or home school, then that change should apply to all public high schools in the state. (Attachment 3)
Opponent Written Testimony:
Cathy Hopkins and Danny Zeck, Liaisons, Kansas State Board of Education(Attachment 4)
Discussion followed.
The Chair closed the hearing on SB45.
