SESSION OF 2025
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE
BILL NO. 45
As Amended by House Committee on Education
Brief*
Sub. for SB 45, as amended, would establish a statutory
calculation, for purposes of accreditation, of the four-year
adjusted cohort graduation rate for each school district and
any schools within the district, including virtual.
Graduation Calculation Rate
The bill would require, for purposes of accreditation, a
school district to calculate the four-year adjusted cohort
graduation rate for the school district and the district’s
schools, including virtual schools, and exclude students who:
●Transferred to and enrolled in the school or school
district after completing grade eight and who had
not earned sufficient credits to be expected to
graduate in the same school year as such student’s
cohort at the time such student first enrolled in
such virtual school; and
●Were enrolled in a virtual school but transferred to
a non-accredited private school in Kansas or
another state.
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*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
https://klrd.gov/ Repealed Graduation Calculation
The bill would repeal the current statutory four-year
adjusted cohort calculation for only virtual schools that is
found in KSA 72-3713.
[Note: The current calculation is similar to the one
described above but does not allow for the exclusion of
students in a virtual school who transferred to a non-
accredited private school.]
Background
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Education at the request of Senator Thomas.
Senate Committee on Education
In the Senate Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by a representative of the Insight School of
Kansas. The proponent stated that the bill would help virtual
schools by treating a student who transfers from the virtual
school to a non-accredited private school the same as if the
student had transferred between brick and mortar schools by
removing the students from the four-year adjusted cohort
graduation rate. The proponent said currently those students
remain as part of the cohort and so virtual schools are
penalized by graduation rates appearing to be lower than
they may actually be.
Opponent testimony was provided by a representative
of the Kansas Association of School Boards. The opponent
stated that the organization supports the authority of the State
Board of Education regarding matters of accreditation.
Additionally, the opponent stated that the bill would create a
double standard where virtual schools would be able to
calculate their four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates
2- 45 differently than allowed for brick and mortar schools when
calculating their four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates.
Written-only opponent testimony was provided by the
State Board of Education.
No other testimony was provided.
The Senate Committee amended the bill to make the
four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate applicable to all
schools, not just virtual schools, and to remove references to
“homeschooling” and placed the amended contents into a
substitute bill.
House Committee on Education
In the House Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by the Insight School of Kansas, who stated
that the graduation rates of Kansas virtual schools are
negatively impacted when students transfer to homeschooling
or non-accredited private schools, and these graduation rates
could impact the virtual school’s accreditation status.
Neutral testimony was provided by a representative of
the Kansas Association of School Boards, who noted the
State Board of Education’s authority to set accreditation
standards and requested that the Committee maintain parity
in how schools are treated for the purposes of accreditation.
Written-only opponent testimony was provided by a
representative of the State Board of Education, who indicated
the bill would require the calculation of two different
graduation rates for every school district in the state: one in
accordance with federal law and one under the bill.
No other testimony was provided.
3- 45 The House Committee amended the bill to clarify that
the graduation rate would be determined by excluding
students who:
●Transferred to and enrolled in the school or district
after completing grade eight and who had not
earned sufficient credits to be expected to graduate
in the same school year as the student’s cohort at
the time the student first enrolled in the school; and
●Were enrolled in the school but subsequently
transferred to a non-accredited private school in
Kansas or another state.
Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, the State Department of
Education indicates that enactment of the bill would have no
fiscal effect.
Education; K-12; graduation calculation; graduation rate; virtual schools
4- 45