“Count all the money,” is the current refrain by Kansas legislators when it comes to spending on education.
In a recent call from Sen. Caryn Tyson, she referred to a document that states Iola schools spend $12,320 per pupil — about three times the recommended amount.
And Marmaton Valley! My goodness, it spends $14,391 per pupil. Humboldt, $12,890.
In a discussion with Craig Neuenswander, former USD 257 superintendent and now director of finance for the State Board of Education, he said the figure is more than misleading “and includes everything and the kitchen sink.”
Included are such things as transportation, food service, buildings, supplies, KPERS, maintenance and operations, school counselors, nurses, attendance and resource officers and security staff, libraries, technology support and programs, services for special ed students, salaries for administrators and teachers, aides, classroom materials, new construction, repairs, equipment and debt.
If a similar formula were used nationwide, Kansas provides about $1,000 less per student compared to our neighbors in Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and Minnesota.
THE GOOD news, and yes it exists, is steps are being made to address the Kansas Employment Retirement System, of which K-12 teachers belong as well as other public employees of the state, cities and counties, and those at community colleges and technical colleges.
KPERS is short about $10.3 billion because of 19 consecutive years of underfunding by legislators unwilling to ensure the program’s sustainability.
Beginning in 2015, total state aid to the school portion of KPERS has been increased by $156 million, or 78.6 percent.
Legislators like to tout this as an increase to education, but it’s no more than a pass-through to the KPERs account and cannot be used for regular operating expenditures.
“It’s not in their bank accounts more than five minutes,” Neuenswander said.
Another good program — but in jeopardy — is the Legislature’s aid to districts wanting to build new schools or renovate existing structures.
With the line item for capital outlay kaput, money in the capital improvement category is in high demand for the retirement of bonds and interest for new construction.
The program works by helping districts finance construction or renovations based on their property wealth.
