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Minutes for SB144 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Making the high-density at-risk student weighting of the Kansas school equity and enhancement act permanent by removing the sunset.
Minutes Content for Fri, Feb 19, 2021
Chairperson Molly Baumgardner opened the hearing on SB144 - Making the high-density at-risk student weighting of the Kansas school equity and enhancement act permanent by removing the sunset.
Tamera Lawrence, Senior Assistant Revisor, Office of the Revisor of Statute, gave a brief overview.
Terrell Davis, Executive Director of Public Affairs, Wichita Public Schools USD 259, provided comments in support of this bill. Wichita Public Schools educates over 47,000 students of whom 37,000 or 74% meet one or more criteria to be defined as at-risk. This extreme level of need requires many layers of support and innovation. The goal is for students to be equipped for college, career, and/or life.
Currently At-Risk funds are used to provide smaller class sizes, programs for students from K to 12, intervention programs in both ELA and Math and extended day and extended year programs. Partnerships with local churches and organizations to provide tutoring in needed communities and impoverished neighborhoods have been developed.
The teachers, staff and administrators are dedicated to educating all students. Two former students were spoken of who are from the poorest and lowest performing schools in the state. Both were exposed to intervention programs, attended summer school, and extended day zero hour math class and were supported by outstanding staff and additional staff funded by At-Risk funding. Both are doing well as one is on the Dean's list at Newman University and the other is on the Presidential list at Southwestern College. Both are scholar athletes and benefited from opportunities provided by At-Risk funding.
By passing this bill, school districts can better plan for long term staffing and support services needed to serve students. (Attachment 1)(Attachment 2)
Written Proponent testimony was submitted by:
G. A. Buie, Executive Director, USA-Kansas and Kansas School Superintendents Association (Attachment 3)
Mark Desetti, Legislative and Political Advocacy, Kansas National Education Association (Attachment 4)
Dr. Mike Fulton, Superintendent, Shawnee Mission School District USD 512 (Attachment 5)
John Allison, Superintendent, Olathe Public Schools USD 233 (Attachment 6)
Dr. Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent, and Dr. Scott Mickelsen, School Board President, Topeka Public Schools USD 501 (Attachment 7)(Attachment 8)(Attachment 9)(Attachment 10)
Deena Horst and Ben Jones, Legislative Liaisons, Kansas State Board of Education (Attachment 11)
Donalyn Biehler, Superintendent, Herington USD 487 (Attachment 12)
Blake A. Vargas, Superintendent, Caney Valley USD 436 (Attachment 13)
Dan Frisby, Superintendent of Schools, Kismet Plains USD 483 (Attachment 14)
Bryce Wachs, Superintendent, Fort Larned USD 495 (Attachment 15)
Opponent Mark Tallman, Associate Executive Director, Kansas Association of School Boards, waved his time due to time constraints but stood for questions. (Attachment 16)
The Chair asked for the Committee to be provided the amount of funding for at-risk density at-risk in FY2019-20 and FY2020-21. The information was supplied by Craig Neuenswander, Deputy Commissioner of Education, Kansas State Department of Education. (Attachment 17)
There being no further Conferees, the Chair closed the hearing SB144.
