By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

The vice chairwoman of the Kansas State Board of Education is touring central and western Kansas this week and said she is worried about the future of education in the Fifth District she represents.

Cauble was in Hays on Monday to meet with principals and school board members.  She said Hays’ lack of diversity in enrollment negatively affects state funding, as is the case for many schools in western Kansas.

“If we do not get a turnaround in dollars for the state, we might have to take another cut in January, and this board is going to be in some pretty painful decision-making situations, like my 1A, 2A, 3A schools. I have some schools I am really concerned if they can open their doors if we have another cut.”

Cauble, Dodge City, said state efficiency reports indicate the 258 school districts are being efficient with the funds received, but there is nothing left to cut.

“There is no money,” she said.

Cauble, a Republican, is supporting Democrat Paul Davis for governor in his race against incumbent GOP Gov. Sam Brownback.

“We need to pay attention to the Nov. 4 voting.  We need to make sure what we hear is the truth,” she said.

She added that, in the eight years she has been on the state BOE, there have been no mandates “handed down,” but not because they aren’t needed.

“We are really low on the credits we expect for high school students, but no one is going to mandate anything when there is no money to follow it,” Cauble said. “We are in severe need for money for education.”