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Minutes for HB2410 - Committee on K-12 Education Budget
Short Title
Creating the Kansas school equity and enhancement act
Minutes Content for Thu, Mar 23, 2017
Chairperson Campbell called upon Jason Long, Senior Assistant Revisor, Office of Revisor of Statutes, to review HB 2410. An updated memo, not as broad in nature as the one presented to the Committee at the last meeting, was distributed. (Attachment 2)
Representative Huebert made comments and asked questions about future spending increases beyond the first two years of the proposal. Representative Rooker cited there was an incorrect number either in the memo or the bill itself. Revisor, Jason Long, stated the error was in the memo and he will provide a corrected memo. A corrected memo was distributed by e-mail to Committee member and is attached. (Attachment 3) Representative Rooker also asked questions about the timing and longevity of LOB elections under HB2410.
Representative Trimmer asked about the $4 million decrease in transportation spending under HB2410 and clarification on the way state foundational aid would operate under HB2410. Representative Schwab, Karleskint, Winn, and Helgerson also had questions and comments for Revisor Long and Researcher Penner regarding specific provisions of HB2410.
Chairperson Campbell requested Mr. Dale Dennis, Deputy Commissioner, Kansas State Department of Education, to provide information on student attendance losses. Those runs are available online and printed copies will be available tomorrow.
Representative Aurand presented, for clarification, a new graph illustrating the division of the proposed Local Foundation Funding. (Attachment 4)
Chairperson Campbell opened the hearing on HB 2410. There were no oral proponents and one written-only proponent, Mr. Zeke Rash, Principal, Kansas Connections Academy, whose testimony is attached. (Attachment 5)
Appearing as an oral neutral conferee was Mark Tallman, Associate Executive Director for Advocacy, Kansas Association of School Boards. (Attachment 6) Mr. Tallman stated that the focus of helping underperforming students should be on those specific students and not just on specific districts. Following this point, Representatives Rooker asked about the recent US Supreme Court ruling on special education, to which Mr. Tallman noted that special education student rights under federal law are not linked to federal funding. Representative Schwab noted that Mr. Tallman had presented few, if any, objections to the structure of HB2410, just its overall funding. Mr. Tallman, in response to his question, noted that KASB finds reinstituting the former COLA weighting acceptable.
There were no other neutral oral or written-only neutral testimony provided.
Presenting oral opponent testimony was John Bergin, a Kansas Association of Career and Technical Education Member and Agricultural Educator, Mission Valley, USD 330. (Attachment 7) Representative Aurand asked a question.
Chairperson Campbell asked the Committee to hold their questions until all the remaining conferees had finished with their testimonies.
Dr. Cory Gibson, Superintendent of Valley Center School District, USD 262, was also an oral opponent to HB 2410. (Attachment 8)
Another oral opponent was Richard Proffitt, Superintendent, Chanute, USD 413. (Attachment 9)
Appearing as an oral opponent was Destry Brown, Superintendent, Pittsburg, USD 250. (Attachment 10)
Chairperson Campbell allotted time for questions to the conferees. Representative Huebert asked Dr. Gibson about ways to reduce capital expenditures, especially for small districts. Representative Rooker asked Mr. Proffitt about the unique situation facing Chanute and asked Mr. Dennis from the State Department of Education if he would provide a comparison report of those districts that applied for extraordinary needs grants. Representative Aurand asked a follow-up question to Mr. Dennis.
There were three written-only opponent testimonies submitted from the following:
Dr. Shelly Kiblinger, Superintendent, Hutchinson, USD 308 (Attachment 11)
Travis Riebel, Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy Director, USD 308 (Attachment 12)
Tracy Bourne, Superintendent, Renwick, USD 267 (Attachment 13)
Chairperson Campbell thanked all the conferees for appearing before the Committee.
The hearing on HB 2410 will continue tomorrow.
Representative Aurand announced that the House Education Committee will meet 15 minutes after the House K-12 Education Budget Committee adjourns.
The next meeting of the House K-12 Education Budget Committee will be Friday, March 24, 2017.
The meeting adjourned at 3:32 p.m.
