Requiring enrollment under the Kansas school equity and enhancement act to be determined using the current school year or the preceding school year.
Impact
The enactment of SB386 is expected to have significant implications for education funding across the state. By updating the criteria for enrollment calculation, the bill aims to enhance equity in funding distribution among school districts. This is particularly important for ensuring that districts accommodating at-risk students receive equitable resources. The requirement for districts to consider current enrollment could provide a more immediate reflection of student needs, accommodating shifts that might not be captured under previous models reliant on prior year data.
Summary
Senate Bill 386 seeks to modify the Kansas school equity and enhancement act by changing how school district enrollment is determined. This bill mandates that enrollment figures for funding and other considerations should be based either on the current school year or on the preceding school year. Furthermore, it introduces specific criteria for school districts that have closed buildings in the previous school year, requiring them to utilize the current school year's enrollment numbers when reporting. This change is aimed at providing a more accurate assessment of student populations, particularly in districts experiencing considerable fluctuations due to school closures.
Contention
However, the bill has not been without controversy. Critics express concerns that determining funding based on updated enrollment figures may lead to instability in funding flow for some districts. Particularly, rural districts that may experience a sharp decline in enrollment could face sudden budget adjustments that impact educational equity. Overall, the debate centers on balancing the need for accurate and timely funding assessments against the risks of abrupt financial changes that might arise following closure decisions.
Notable_points
SB386 passed in the Senate with significant support, yet it reflects ongoing tensions within education policy regarding the definition and purpose of school funding. Advocates for equitable education see this as a step forward, while opponents write about the complexities of school funding structures, which might potentially disadvantage some districts in the long run.
Requiring enrollment under the Kansas school equity and enhancement act to be determined using the current school year or the preceding school year and requiring any district that closed a school building in the preceding school year to use the current year enrollment count.
House Substitute for SB 73 by Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice - Requiring school district enrollment to be determined using the current school year or preceding school year enrollment under the Kansas school equity and enhancement act.
House Substitute for SB 83 by Committee on K-12 Education Budget - Making appropriations for the state department of education for FY 2024, establishing the sunflower education equity act to provide education savings accounts for qualified students, requiring school districts to provide a salary increase to all licensed teachers and defining enrollment of small school districts as the highest enrollment from the preceding four years under the Kansas school equity and enhancement act.
Expanding the tax credit for low income students scholarship program act to allow students enrolled in underperforming school districts to be eligible for a scholarship.
House Substitute for SB 113 by Committee on K-12 Education Budget - Making appropriations for the department of education for FY 23, FY 24 and FY 25; establishing the mental health intervention team program; authorizing certain students to participate in activities regulated by the Kansas state high school activities association; requiring school districts to post certain enrollment and academic information on school district websites; revising school district open-enrollment procedures; authorizing local school board members to receive compensation from their school district; authorizing current-year student enrollment for determinations of state foundation aid; continuing the 20 mill statewide tax levy for schools; amending the school districts that qualify for and the amount that school districts are able to levy pursuant to the cost-of-living weighting.
Authorizing students attending public schools with low proficiency scores and certain private elementary and secondary school students to participate in the tax credit for low income students scholarship program.
House Substitute for SB 387 by Committee on K-12 Education Budget - Making appropriations for the department of education for FY 24, FY 25 and FY 26 and enacting, revising and abolishing certain statutes relating to the educational system.
House Substitute for SB 73 by Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice - Requiring school district enrollment to be determined using the current school year or preceding school year enrollment under the Kansas school equity and enhancement act.
Requiring enrollment under the Kansas school equity and enhancement act to be determined using the current school year or the preceding school year and requiring any district that closed a school building in the preceding school year to use the current year enrollment count.
House Substitute for SB 83 by Committee on K-12 Education Budget - Making appropriations for the state department of education for FY 2024, establishing the sunflower education equity act to provide education savings accounts for qualified students, requiring school districts to provide a salary increase to all licensed teachers and defining enrollment of small school districts as the highest enrollment from the preceding four years under the Kansas school equity and enhancement act.
Authorizing students attending public schools with low proficiency scores and certain private elementary and secondary school students to participate in the tax credit for low income students scholarship program.
House Substitute for SB 387 by Committee on K-12 Education Budget - Making appropriations for the department of education for FY 24, FY 25 and FY 26 and enacting, revising and abolishing certain statutes relating to the educational system.