Tune in for the latest from Leah and Shannon at the Statehouse!  This week, they cover House Sub for SB 387, enrollment count and literacy bills in the Senate and the conference committees that will begin meeting next week.  Listen now ..read more

In this episode, Leah & Shannon discuss the recent Day at the Capitol hosted by KASB, which brought together advocates from across the state to meet with their legislators and share their stories about the successes of public education. They also discuss the upcoming debate over the K-12 Education Budget bill and how the legislature is trying to attempt to give the façade of a fully funded special education by diverting local tax dollars through SB 387.  Listen now ..read more

In this episode, Mark is joined by administrative staff from the Haysville and Salina school districts to discuss chronic absenteeism and how they have been working to reduce the rate. During the COVID pandemic, chronic absenteeism was reaching all-time highs; now that we are on the other side, districts must work diligently to bring students back into the classroom. Listen as these districts share their methods and insights on how they have successfully reduced chronic absenteeism rates and continue to do so. Read Mark's article here: Haysville and Salina Reduce Chronic Absenteeism Using Pa ..read more

This week, Leah and Shannon discuss the controversial voucher bill, SB 509, which received overwhelming opposition compared to supporters. They also talk about the continued SPED funding shortfall, and how the upcoming K12 Education Budget Committee may affect funding in the future, plus much more.  Listen now ..read more

Unlock the secrets behind Derby USD 260's educational success! Dive into our latest podcast as we dissect their robust needs assessment process, linking it to strategic planning and accreditation. Explore how data-driven decisions, strong teacher support, and student engagement led to impressive improvements in state test scores. Tune in now for a closer look at Derby's innovative approach to student and district improvement! Access some of Derby's Resources that they use for Building Needs Assessments here ..read more

Catch up on the latest from the Kansas State House with The Advocate! Leah and Shannon discuss Thursday's SPED Funding briefing in the Senate Education Committee, setting the record straight about SPED funding, totaling a $432 Million shortfall in SPED funding for districts across the state. The team also covers SB 509, another attempt to create voucher programs in Kansas, and much more.  Listen now ..read more

It was turnaround week in the legislature with two big bills not making it out of the Senate Education Committee, including SB 437, the KEEP program bill, and SB 465, providing additional capital outlay for safety, security, and ADA compliance.  Also, listen in to learn about recent developments on SB 469, an ESA voucher bill recently "blessed" by the legislature.  Listen now ..read more

Leah and Shannon covered HB 2738 this week, which received a hearing in the House K12 Education Budget Committee. HB 2738 would change how funding is counted and then falsely assert that the legislature is more than fully funding special education.  They also discuss bills testified on by KASB in the House Education Committee. These bills included legislation prohibiting cell phones in school buildings during the school day and another that would set up a book rating system by the legislature rather than keeping the issue to local control.  Tune in now to catch up.  ..read more

Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball have had a busy week of hearings and testifying against several controversial bills making their way through the legislature.  Some of these bills include provisions that can allow almost anyone to challenge the accreditation status of any public school in Kansas, as well as a bill that could cut at-risk funding to districts.  Looking forward, next week is set to be just as contentious with several high-profile bills being heard, including a bill on banning cell phones in school buildings, and one on censoring books.  Submit testimony to k.12.b ..read more

This week, Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball discuss a busy week of testimony given by KASB at the K-12 Education Budget Committee. KASB testified on several bills, including HB 2514, which deals with open enrollment amendments, HB 2506, concerning virtual student participation in extracurricular activities, and many more. Tune in now ..read more