Gathering powerful forces a weak economy, redistricting, the state revenue shortfall and House elections in the fall are expected to turn the 2002 legislative session into the worst in memory for the 304 Kansas school districts.
"I think we have a perfect storm developing this year," said Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence.
She was referring to "The Perfect Storm," the tale of six Gloucester fishermen killed when a trio of weather systems collided in the North Atlantic to produce a deadly, ferocious storm.
"Hopefully, we wind up better than the people in that movie did," Praeger said.
This budget-driven looming tidal wave will focus much of the state's attention on money, possibly leaving other important education issues to languish in the background. But the situation might spur action on issues education officials have been loathe to address for years.
Batten down the hatches
Randy Weseman, superintendent of Lawrence public schools, said the district was preparing for a severe decline in state aid. In response to Gov. Bill Graves' budget proposal to cut $158 from the state's $3,870 in per-pupil aid to school districts, a Lawrence budget committee is studying how to slash spending by $2.4 million in 2002-03.
Weseman tightened the district's budget last year by trimming $440,000 in administrative expenses. Lawrence school classrooms were shielded from harm, however.
"This year," Weseman said, "we will be getting into the heart and soul of our schools. That's the classrooms."
If the Legislature refused to raise taxes to raise money for education, Weseman said the result would probably be larger class sizes next school year. There may be fewer counselors and nurses in district schools, he said. All-day kindergarten programs at five elementary schools with a concentration of at-risk children may be eliminated. The list of potential cuts goes on and on.
"That's the reality of it," Weseman said. "I expect we will be a different school district in coming years."
These ideas get soaked
Rep. Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, said the state budget crunch could take the wind out of policy initiatives favored by local education officials.
"I think everybody is focused on the money," he said.
Here's a sampling:
School finance Rep. Ralph Tanner, R-Baldwin, said budget considerations would postpone the Legislature's rewriting of the flawed school-finance formula for as long as three years.
"If not for the downturn in the economy," he said, "we would have bit off a piece of school-finance reform. We can't do that now."
Weseman said the formula should be overhauled because tinkering by lawmakers over the past 10 years rendered it inequitable.
Special education Appeals from educators at the local, state and national levels to increase government funding of mandated special-education programs in public schools are less likely to be answered.
Lawrence's $13 million special-education program, designed to comply with state and federal regulations, isn't fully covered by state and federal funding. The district diverts $3.5 million from its general operating budget for special-education services.
"We are examining ways of being more efficient in it," Weseman said.
Health insurance Tanner plans to introduce a bill Tuesday that would make the state a partner paying insurance premiums for school district employees. In some districts with starting salaries around $24,000, a family policy costs more than $1,000 a month. Weseman said he expects a 25 percent increase in the Lawrence district's premiums.
Under Tanner's proposal, one-sixth of a school employee's health insurance premium would be paid by the state in the program's first year. That would cost an estimated $36 million. He'd like to increase state assistance over a three-year period to 50 percent of a premium.
"Yes, worthwhile," Praeger said. "But where are we going to get the money?"
Sun may shine in few places
The state's precarious financial situation may force lawmakers and public education officials to tackle sensitive topics they've avoided for years.
Here's a look:
District consolidation Weseman said lack of financial resources increases pressure to consolidate the state's 304 public school districts. While Lawrence has more than 10,000 students, half the state's districts enroll fewer than 600. Yet the state's school finance formula sends far more money per student to these smaller districts than larger, arguably more efficient, districts.
"That's not efficient," Weseman said. "I believe there should be some effort ... for consolidation."
He said it has always been politically difficult to make a dent in consolidation because it can take the wind out of rural communities.
"That's a highly politically charged issue," he said. "The Healy Eagles want to maintain their football team just like we do."
Tobacco funds Tanner said lack of interest among House and Senate members to increase taxes or expand gambling to raise more state revenue indicates that alternatives need to be sought. He said the state could issue bonds to raise millions of dollars for education programs and other needs. Bonds would be "securitized," or paid off, with money Kansas receives from settlement of a lawsuit against major tobacco companies.
"We need to focus on what we can do, short of a tax increase, to enhance revenues," Tanner said.
Bureaucracy Time-consuming, expensive and sometimes conflicting administrative mandates from the Legislature and the Kansas State Board of Education are pushing districts to a breaking point, Weseman said.
"We oppose any additional process mandates without appropriate funding and resources," he said. "Our teachers need to be teaching kids, not filling out forms."
Tanner said challenging issues facing the Legislature this year in education and other areas made him question his decision to become a lawmaker.
"It's going to be a terrible thing to be a legislator," he said. "Hell, I asked for this job. I need to remember that."
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