By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Despite many K-12 education bills being introduced in the Kansas Legislature this session — many being fueled over debates of parents rights and private school funding — not many of the bills are gaining traction in Topeka.
The deadline for consideration of all bills by both chambers is March 23, and most of the education bills have not made it out of committees.
Hays USD 489 superintendent Ron Wilson last week gave an overview to the school board of the education bills that are under consideration. The Hays Post updated the status as of Wednesday. The Legislature was in adjournment and is supposed to be back in session today.
For another year, a bill was introduced in the Legislature that would create educational savings accounts for students to attend private schools.
The state treasury has said they don't have the manpower to administer the program, Wilson said.
"You have to understand that a lot of these bills are not Kansas-driven," Wilson said. "These are driven nationally, and you'll see similar bills all across the nation that are very similar."
Wilson described the bill as an attack on public education.
This bill is still in the House K-12 budget education committee.
"We have to be aware of what's going on," Wilson said, "aware of the legislators we vote into office and what they're supporting."
Another piece of legislation that has been nationally driven is the parent bill of rights.
Wilson called it a "crazy bill."
The bill asks that parents retain the role as the primary educator. The bill would require school districts to establish a portal where parents could review all materials, activities and curriculum that are used in classrooms.
The bill includes punishments in the form of fines for teachers if they failed to comply.
It would also prohibit schools from non-renewing a teacher's contract for refusing to teach against certain beliefs or practices.
Wilson said he was hearing the bill does not have enough support to pass. It is currently in the House committee on K-12 education budget.
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However, Wilson noted sometimes legislators will try to tack legislation onto spending bills at the end of the session.
"You are always nervous because there are people in chair positions that are trying to support these bills," he said.
A couple of pieces of legislation would address virtual education.
SB499 would require a second student count for virtual school enrollment, increasing certain virtual school state aid amounts and providing for additional state aid for certain students who transfer to virtual schools.
The Legislature is also considering different weightings that would dedicate more dollars to virtual education, Wilson said.
SB499 had a hearing in the education committee on Feb. 21, but has never been referred to the full chamber.
HB2512 also addressed virtual students. It would provide an alternative calculation of graduation rates for virtual schools and prohibit virtual schools from offering or providing any financial incentive to entice students to enroll.
This bill would reduce competition between virtual schools, Wilson said.
"It's not necessarily about making money for your school district," Wilson said. "Some district's that was what there No. 1 priority was. It's all about helping kids."
HB2512 would also authorize virtual school state aid for students who are credit deficient. That bill has been referred to the House K-12 education budget committee.
A bill that would have allowed home school students to participate in activities regulated by the Kansas State High School Activities Association was heard by the K-12 Education Committee, but was never heard by the full House and therefore died.
The bill would have also made people employed by KSHSAA mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect.
HB2466 would have required a computer science course of all Kansas high school graduates. The Kansas National Education Association, the Kansas State Department of Education and the United School Administrators of Kansas testified against the bill during a committee hearing. Opponents generally stated concerns with provisions in the bill requiring students to pass a computer science course as a requirement for graduation.
The House committee amended the bill taking out the graduation requirement as well as $2 million in funding to implement the program.
The revised bill was sent to the Senate and was referred to the education committee in that chamber.
Wilson said Hays already offers computer science.
SB362 would require local school boards to look at school needs assessments and state assessments in the budget process.
Wilson said the Hays school board already does this. This bill had a hearing on March 1 in the committee on K-12 education budget.
Another bill would have diverted at-risk student funding for a merit-based teacher pay program.
Wilson said merit-based pay is difficult to manage. An assessment has to be created to determine who would receive the merit pay.
"There are so many variables that determine student success," he said. "It's also putting a lot of pressure on building administrators to determine who gets the money and who doesn't. We want to feel like it's one big family and one big team. If it feels like its a big competition for money, it doesn't always end well."
That bill has also not left committee.