110th District Rep. Travis Couture-Lovelady, R-Palco, voted in favor of the school funding bill. He believes the proposal, which adds $129 million in total state aid and adds policy changes effecting teacher tenure, was the right decision.
“This past weekend, the Legislature passed an important bill for Kansas education. HB 2506 invests an additional $130 million into K-12 schools, on top of the $3.8 billion in state and federal funds already invested in K-12 education in Kansas annually. USD 489 receives an additional $52,996 in base state aid and $160,783 in additional LOB aid,” he said in a statement. “The bill provides districts with greater flexibility on their local option budgets. Based upon community input and direction HB 2506 would allow for the possibility of an additional $64,731 LOB classroom fund for two years and $168,700 of total LOB increase per year in USD 489. As a direct result of the passage of this bill, Hays citizens will receive $103,969 of property tax relief. The bill also had important funding for Fort Hays State University. The KAMS Summer Academy would receive $316,853, and FHSU is granted bonding authority for a new Weist Hall.
“HB 2506 does not eliminate due process or prohibit tenure for teachers. It does remove the state mandate requiring tenure. However, any school district may voluntarily include tenure in its contracts. Local school officials will now have greater flexibility when dealing with employees’ not meeting performance expectations.
“Furthermore, the bill allows tax credits for donations to scholarship funds for low income at risk students trapped in underperforming schools. The bill also establishes the K-12 Student Performance and Efficiency Commission charged with studying and making recommendations to the legislature regarding opportunities to make more efficient use of taxpayer money in education. Finally, it allows for alternative teacher licensure for districts, especially in rural areas, to be able to have increased flexibility in hiring experts in a certain field to teach in subjects where they have expertise.”