Topeka — Legislators made headway Tuesday on key components of elementary and secondary education measures, including a House bill targeting the mastery of basic skills by the end of third grade.
The House Education Committee finished its work on a $29.4 million bill focusing on kindergarten through third-grade proficiency in reading, writing and math. The bill is expected to be debated Friday by the full chamber, where it is believed to have the support of 63 of its 125 members.
House Education chairman Ralph Tanner, R-Baldwin, said the bill represents two months of work, taking into account the concerns and desires of many who want results for their investment in education.
"I expect this bill to pass," Tanner said. "That's not to say it will be a cakewalk. But we've had enough involvement from enough people so that we're essentially reading off the same page."
Also Tuesday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee endorsed a $2.3 billion public education budget, closely following the recommendation made by Gov. Bill Graves in his State of the State address. The committee added $68 million in new spending, which would raise base state aid per pupil by $50 from $3,820 to $3,870.
Sen. Steve Morris, R-Hugoton and committee chairman, said the committee endorsed changes to the budget, including deleting $500,000 for a study of technology infrastructure and $225,000 to study the definition of a "suitable" education. Morris said the education budget would be included in the Senate "mega" budget bill, which will include several state agencies.
Elsewhere, the House Taxation Committee held a hearing on House and Senate versions of a bill reauthorizing the statewide 20-mill levy for public education and a $20,000 homestead exemption to the levy.
The levy raises about $380 million in the current year. A mill is $1 of taxation for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The committee did not act on the bills. The Senate has already approved the mill levy and exemption bills.
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