January 2020 Newsletter

From the Director’s Desk………..

Read the New Keystone Newsletter: January 2020

Another legislative session will soon be upon us.  Funding for special education continues to fall behind.  Funding is estimated to come in at 75% of excess cost, a long way from the required 92% set in statute.  Last year the Legislative Division of Post Audit completed a study of special education funding in Kansas and prepared a report evaluating special education costs.  There is a lot of interesting information in that report and two summative recommendations to the legislature.  The primary recommendation being for the legislature to provide the statutorily required funding. 

Money is available to support funding for special education.  As I wrote in December, the Kansas Legislative Research Division announced that there will be 32.9 million dollars available in the education budget this year, followed by 32.6 million next year.  See the KLRD memo here and KASB’s report here.

Special education is a critical component as we strive to ensure that “Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.”  Short changing special needs children can’t remain as the status quo.  Let’s work to make sure legislators take the success of all students seriously.

Thanks for all you do.  

Andy