The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Hutchinson Schools - Terry Bruce

A Hutchinson Educator Predicted That Brownbacks Cuts To Education Would Affect Children Directly. There's just no way we can cut
that much more and not (affect student programs). [Hutchinson Interim Superintendent Jan Strecker] said it would mean that some teachers and
staff would lose jobs, which in turn would affect children and classrooms. [Hutchinson News, 1/14/11]

School Superintendents Opposed Brownback Proposal. Hutchinson Interim Superintendent Jan Strecker said she was very disappointed.
Buhler Superintendent David Brax called the cut in aid devastating. Haven Superintendent Patrick Call said his district would have to look at
reconfiguring schools or perhaps even revisit a contentious issue from a year ago -- closing a school. And Fairfield Superintendent Mary Treaster
said that after closing two elementary schools this year, she's not sure where her board will look to cut more. Nearly all predicted that education
programs would have to be cut and teachers and other staff laid off. [Hutchinson News, 1/14/11]

Brownbacks Education Cuts Exacerbated Rising Class Size, Closing Schools, Staff Layoffs And Cancelled Sports And Field Trips.
Schools are starting to close -- including one in the Haven school district, Mount Hope Elementary, a relatively new school built just 14 years
ago. Teaching positions have been cut -- by 7.4 percent statewide between the 2005-06 school year and last year, the latest for which numbers are
available. Class sizes are higher. In the Hutchinson school district, 47 jobs have been eliminated in three years, and some kindergarten classes
now have as many as 29 students. And all of that evidence is not to mention cuts in field trip and sports travel budgets and other intangibles
nonetheless not going unnoticed by students and parents. And -- something that affects everyone -- property taxes have been raised in seemingly a
majority of school districts. [Hutchinson News, 10/21/11]

A Local School District Identified Brownbacks School Funding Plan As The Worst Possible Scenario For Its Finances In The Coming
Year. Hutchinson USD 308 has identified four revenue scenarios that could play out for the 2012-13 budget, with a $758,000 difference between
the best and worst scenarios. [] The worst scenario would include adoption of Gov. Sam Brownback's school finance plan, which would
award no additional state funding for the district, and no increase to the LOB. [Hutchinson News, 2/28/12]

USD 308 makes cuts, raises taxes to offset aid losses [Hutchinson News, http://bit.ly/1nLUdHU]

School districts have tried to offset state budget cuts by increasing property taxes and decreasing jobs [Hutchinson News, http://bit.ly/
1CSytnu]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Garden City Schools Larry Powell

USD 457 may lose $4M [Garden City Telegram, 1/16/11]

Cutting Per Pupil Spending Would Hurt Economic Development. Kansas law calls for every child to have an equal opportunity for a good
education. Cutting per-pupil classroom spending would mean changes in the way Kansas children are taught. It also would tarnish the image of a
state interested in growth. There's no doubt education fuels economic development, which Gov. Sam Brownback also cited as a
priority. [EDITORIAL: Garden City Telegram, 1/31/11]

Jobs on the line at USD 457 [Garden City Telegram, 2/19/11, http://bit.ly/1tKVyG7]

District approves property tax increase, job cuts [Garden City Telegram, 2/22/11]

Local school officials: Current aid not enough [Garden City Telegram, 1/17/13]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Southeast Kansas Schools Caryn Tyson

State budget cuts could hit USD 234: Proposed reductions in state aid could hit USD 234 smack in the general fund. District Business
Manager Tiffany Forester discussed the possibility of cuts in state aid for the remainder of the 2010-11 school year and for the 2011-12 school
year at Monday's board meeting. If the governor's proposals are approved, base state aid per pupil would drop from $4,012 to $3,937, resulting in
a loss of $137,762 in funding for USD 234 this year, she said. A drop in state aid per student by another $157 next year to $3,780 would result in
a loss of $463,072 in funding for the district during the 2011-12 school year. This means the district faces a possible loss of $600,834 over the
next two years. It also won't receive federal economic stimulus funds that had been budgeted the last two years. [Fort Scott Tribune, 2/9/11,
http://bit.ly/1pQAiqR]

Funding major issue for local USD 234 board: Current board member Justin Meekssaid he is a "huge advocate of education" and called the
school funding issue and its effect on school districts a crisis. I'm a huge advocate of education, he said. I would call it a crisis. I think the
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governor and legislature are purposely looking at forcing school boards to raise taxes ... I'm a business owner ... They're trying to make us raise
our taxes." [Fort Scott Tribune, 4/8/11, http://bit.ly/1rX48l5]

Osawatomie USD 367 faced nearly $400,000 worth of cuts under Brownback: "Also at the meeting, French told board members that the
district could stand to lose at least $134,007 this year and an additional $276,336 next year based on reductions in the Kansas per-pupil state
school-funding rate recommended by Gov. Sam Brownback." [Louisburg Herald, 4/20/11, http://bit.ly/1uwA51p]

More cuts for USD 257 (Iola): USD 257 has 254 employees, including 108 teachers and 10 administrators. Most likely, those numbers will be
pared when the 2011-12 school year starts. According to budget proposals made by Gov. Sam Brownback and an analysis by the Kansas
Department of Education, the local district may lose as much as $145,000 during the spring semester and another $413,000 next school year in
state aid for general operating funds. [Iola Register, 1/18/11, http://bit.ly/1qLP3zg]

USD 416 (Louisburg) to face further cuts in 2011 [Louisburg Herald, 1/19/11 ]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Southeast Kansas Schools Jake LaTurner

Board talks budget cuts: Depending on the Kansas legislature's decision regarding balancing the state budget, the district faces a possible loss
of $137,762 in funding for the remainder of this year due to a reduction in base state aid per pupil, and a possible loss of $463,072 next year due
to additional declines in BSAPP as proposed by Gov. Sam Brownback. The district also won't get federal economic stimulus funds that had been
budgeted the last two years. [Fort Scott Tribune, 3/8/11, http://bit.ly/1qLPf1t]

Brownbacks Budget Cuts Directly Increased Class Size, According To School Officials. Based on Gov. Sam Brownback's
recommendations, the Pittsburg School District could lose close to $1 million over this year and nextIf we reduce further, we're going to
seriously impact out student class size, Brown said. [Joplin Globe, 3/17/11]

USD 250 (Pittsburg) to face $1.1M in cuts: Superintendent Destry Brown told the Board of Education Monday night that the district will see
cuts of about $600,000 in base state aid per pupil, about $250,000 in cuts due to lower enrollment figures, and about $230,000 from state funding
for new facilities in waiting. Those cuts will drop the districts cash reserves from about $2.5 million to about $1.4 million. The district this year
lost about $300,000 in funding. [Pittsburg Morning Sun, 5/10/11, http://bit.ly/1rWH31R]

Education isn't failing, funding is: Using the simplest statistic possible straight up cash USD 250 Pittsburg, for instance, has been cut
hundreds of thousands of dollars in state aid. In two years, the number is close to $1 million in state aid. [Pittsburg Morning Sun, 8/21/11, http://
bit.ly/WJGWIy]

Pittsburg school district dealing with cuts: "'Right now we're at funding levels that are less than they were in 1993," says Pittsburg School
District Superintendent Destry Brown." We were told that we would be losing about $700,000 altogether.' That breaks down to a little more than
$200 in cuts per student - about a 5% decreaseThe school district has also raised it's mill tax levy by less than one mill, which will generate
$150,000 this school year, to help offset some of those budget cuts." [KOAM TV, 10/12/11, http://bit.ly/1AziGpL]

Galena Superintendent said Governor Brownback and his tax-cut allies turned their back on rural schools. After Brownback took office
in 2011, he and legislators cut the state's basic aid to schools by nearly 6 percent to help close a budget shortfall and prop up the teachers' pension
system. In 2012, Brownback won passage of $3.9 billion personal income tax cut plan designed to stimulate the economy. School districts
complained about the impact of the spending cuts and said the tax money was needed for bolstering schools. After the reductions, classrooms
became more crowded and staffs were trimmed. Districts across the state dropped after-school programs and increased activity fees paid by
parents. "They turned their backs on us," said Brian Smith, superintendent in the southeast Kansas town of Galena, where the district teaching
staff dropped from 70 to 58. In Galena, superintendent Smith now doubles as a student counselor. "We had cut teachers. We had cut
maintenance staff. We had cut food-service personnel," he said. "I felt like I had to do something, too." [Associated Press, 1/16/14, http://bit.ly/
1uqg25D]

Chetopa-St. Paul school district had nothing left to cut in 2011 except personnel: Reductions of millions for school districts in the last three
years have left most districts with nothing to cut, except more personnelLoss of personnel for districts means moving back into situations that
in past years proved in some studies to be detrimental to student learning, such as split-level classrooms and higher student-to-teacher
ratios. [Parsons Sun, 3/15/11, http://bit.ly/1AzUzY7]

USD 505 (Chetopa-St. Paul) Board of Education approved an early retirement incentive to cope with Brownback cuts: The board will
offer a one-time, this-year-only retirement incentive that will include two years of Blue Cross Blue Shield premium capped at the current level
plus a $3,000 lump sum payment, superintendent Kim Juenemann said. [Parsons Sun, 3/15/11, http://bit.ly/1AzUzY7]

Baxter Springs Superintendent said school finance litigation is due to funding cuts, not the formula. Baxter Springs Superintendent Dennis
Burke said he takes issue with a statement Brownback also released when he announced his proposal. In it, Brownback said the current formula
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was broken and his plan would end a cycle of litigation. The reason its in court is because they never funded it adequately, Burke said,
referring to the State Legislature. That makes us sound like petulant children. I have a little bit of an issue when he says the current formula is
broken. Had it been funded, no district would be in court. [Joplin Globe, 12/18/11, http://bit.ly/1uLn4jW]

Galena Superintendent had grave concerns about Brownback plan for schools because it shifted the burden to the local level. Galena
superintendent Brian Smith said he needs more information, too, but already there is enough detail to raise red flags. I have some very grave
concerns, Smith said. He said the governors plan appears to try to take the heat off the Legislature to fund schools and places the burden on local
school boards. Well probably be in good shape for a year or so, but well struggle without raising property taxes in future years, Smith said. He
said the Kansas Constitution gives the Legislature the responsibility to fund schools and to fund them equally. He said poor districts such as
Galena, with already high property taxes, could suffer under the new formula. Smith said theres nothing wrong with the current school funding
formula that adequate funding wouldnt solve. [Joplin Globe, 12/18/11, http://bit.ly/1uLn4jW]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Southeast Kansas Schools Jeff King

USD 445 in Coffeyville worked to cope with budget cuts, reducing expenditures by 6% from the previous year. The state budget cuts, as
well as the appeals currently taking place make for uncertain times. These issues are not easily solved and could potentially go on for multiple
years. The challenge is to continue to have a budget that works, meets the needs of our students and staff, and if cuts are necessary, that they
impact the classroom education the least. With the loss of the base state aid per pupil, the amount of funds has decreased in all areas reported
from the previous year. There is a slight decrease in the amount of instruction due to cuts being made. This would include salaries, supplies and
materials to be used in the classroom. The overall total expenditures were reduced 6% from the previous year. [2011-2013 USD 445 Profile
Information, Kansas State Department of Education, http://bit.ly/1qGFGlN]

USD 503 (Parsons) faces cut in budget: The USD 503 Board of Education was presented with a budget proposal for the 2011-12 school year
Monday that reflected an overall decrease of more than $730,000 from the 2010-11 budget. [Parsons Sun, 7/19/11, http://bit.ly/ZhgNTk]

USD 504 Oswego Superintendent says Brownbacks school finance bill not conducive to quality education. Pulled from retirement to
serve again as superintendent of USD 504 for one year, Terry Karlin saidhe is not pleased with the Legislature beholden to the far right in
signing the bill. [Parsons Sun, 4/22/14, http://bit.ly/1nMhl9n]

Erie USD 101 Superintendent said Brownback bill dishonest: The Kansas Legislature pushing through the bill, and Brownbacks signing the
bill and his statements, have left a bad taste in the mouths of many districts in Kansas, Erie USD 101 Superintendent Steve Woolf said. I
appreciate honesty, and I appreciate integrity and because I appreciate those things, I do not appreciate this bill, Woolf said. The way it was put
together is smooth politics. If politics in Kansas was a game, it was beautifully played, but its not a game. [Parsons Sun, 4/22/14, http://bit.ly/
1nMhl9n]

Brownback education plan left Erie teachers at the same salary schedule as 2009-2010: Our teachers are still working with the same
salary schedule theyve had since the 2009-2010 school year, with the exception of the 2010-11 and 2011-2012 school years. They had a 2
percent reduction in salary each of those years, Woolf said. [Parsons Sun, 4/22/14, http://bit.ly/1nMhl9n]

Parsons USD 503 Superintendent said Brownback education bill was a shell game: If you look at their numbers they are putting out, the
numbers look pretty impressive, but basically what they are doing is shuffling whos paying, not how much they are paying. ... And if enrollment
goes down, we wont realize any increase.As well, Martin said, taxpayers in the area are already being hard hit, so for the district to place a
greater financial burden on them to support the schools would not be right. [Parsons Sun, 4/22/14, http://bit.ly/1nMhl9n]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on McPherson Schools Rick Wilburn

Canton-Galva looks to consolidate two schools: "However, he said the district is aware of a proposal by Gov. Sam Brownback that would
prevent capital expense projects like this one to receive state funding. 'How it can affect the community in the future is really big,' Seidl said. 'We
look into the future as best as we can and try to provide the best thing for our kids, even though it is in the future." [McPherson Sentinel, 3/12/12,
http://bit.ly/WUT2Pr]

Superintendent: Budget collision course of disaster: McPherson USD 418 administrators are fearful the state tax cuts signed into law
Tuesday will have devastating effects on the district in the near future. Although Gov. Sam Brownback said the tax relief measureone of the
largest in Kansas historywill boost the economy, its impact on schools is a looming threat across the state. 'When the recession hit, we all
understood the cuts,' Watson said. 'But the state of Kansas had money. This didnt have to happen. Unless something changes, it looks like were
going to have budget cuts that could double the ones we had in the last several years,' Watson said. 'I think its a collision course for
disaster.' [McPherson Sentinel, 5/24/12, http://bit.ly/1uwgNtd]
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School districts stand to lose thousands: Administrators in McPherson County and across the state are crying foul saying Brownbacks budget
strangles the states public education system and makes already tight budgets almost unmanageableUnder Brownbacks proposal, every school
district in the state will see a reduction in funds. Education saw a large portion of Brownbacks budgetary cuts...For McPherson USD 418, the
countys largest district with an enrollment of 2,299 students, that means a loss of $208,973. Canton-Galva USD 419, the smallest district in the
county, would lose almost $48,000. And that is just for the remainder of this fiscal year. Next year Moundridge USD 423, which has an
enrollment of 404 students, would see $109,000 less from the state. Smoky Valley USD 400 would lose $226,881. Every district in the county
would lose at least $140,000 from state funding. Brownback has said spending cuts are necessary to make the state financially
solvent. [McPherson Sentinel, 1/28/11, http://bit.ly/1um3UTk]

Brownback Proposal will change school funding, local officials concerned funds will be inadequate [McPherson Sentinel, 12/27/11, http://
bit.ly/1uwhm6k]

Budget cuts are forcing Marquette Elementary School to close now. Salina Officials of a central Kansas school district say they had no
choice but to close a small towns last remaining school, but thats little comfort to residents who believe their community is losing a way of life.
The Salina Journal reports more than 200 unhappy residents of Marquette packed a recent meeting where the Smoky Valley School Board voted
to close Marquette Elementary School at the end of the academic year. The school has 67 pupils in kindergarten through third grade and grades
five and six. Its fourth-graders were moved to a school in Lindsborg at the start of the year. Smoky Valley officials expect to save $400,000 by
sending Marquettes pupils elsewhere in the district. But many unhappy parents say theyll send their children to a different district
altogether. [Baldwin City Signal, 2/16/14, http://bit.ly/WPWbj7]

Smoky Valley Superintendent cites budget cuts as cause of Marquette Elementary closure. Monday evening the Smoky Valley school
board voted 7-0 to begin discussion of closing the Marquette Elementary school. Superintendent Glen Suppes says the decision was made
because of budget cuts and the smaller population of the elementary school. He said they had been trying to save the elementary school for years.
The school would bus the students to an elementary school in Lindsborg. The fourth grade class already attends school there. Many parents of
students at the school went their as students themselves. They worry about the change. "They get one-on-one attention I don't think they are going
to get anywhere else," mother Kelly French said. The superintendent says most of the staff from the school should be able to keep their jobs, but
advises there will be some job loss in the district. [KWCH, 1/14/14, http://bit.ly/X3rGXr]

Education spending cuts caused Marquette Elementary to consolidate. Residents of Marquette are rallying around their school as education
funding cuts threaten the future of the communitys middle school. Smoky Valley USD 400 must find about $530,000 in spending cuts to makes
it budget solvent for the next school year. The board will likely use some of its contingency fund and the approved 1-percent increase in the local
option budget will net about $71,000 for the district, leaving a funding gap of $460,000. A list of potential cuts and changes has been released,
among those cuts is moving the seveth and eighth-grade students at Marquette Elementary School to Lindsborg Middle SchoolMarquette
residents see closing the junior high school as a step closer to losing the entire school, something many say will significantly impact the entire
community. [McPherson Sentinel, 4/19/11, http://bit.ly/1svUZ19]

Marquettes principal blamed budget cuts for the schools closure. n Marquette, a town of about 640 people in northwest McPherson
County, the news Tuesday that the town's elementary school received a Governor's Achievement Award was bittersweet, acknowledged Principal
Darryl Talbott. That's because the Smoky Valley USD 400 school board started taking steps earlier this month to close Marquette Elementary
School. Board members unanimously voted to post legal notices and schedule a special hearing for Feb. 10 at Smoky Valley Middle School in
Lindsborg, where they will formally vote on closing the school. Talbott said 38 of the school's 74 students took the reading and math state
assessments last year. "We met the standards last year for most of the test and maybe only had a couple of kids who didn't," he said. "We're doing
some good things, and we're going to miss that because of budget cuts." [Hutchinson News, Feb. 2014, http://bit.ly/1wkx2wp]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Dodge City Schools Garrett Love

Area superintendents fire off at proposed budget cuts "The Globe talked with superintendents form Bucklin and Spearville school district to
gauge their responses to Brownback's budget proposal and find out what it means for their districts. USD 459 in Bucklin stands to lose a little
more than $114,000 from Brownback's proposed cuts to base state aid per pupil. Landis said if Brownback's proposed budget is approved, USD
459's school board has three options: Increase the mill levy to 4.05 mills to keep all programs at the status quo; Use contingency funds to replace
part of the reduction and increase the local option budget to 2.5 mills; Keep the mill levy the same and reduce programs and positions." [Dodge
City Globe, 1/15/11, http://bit.ly/Zh8pmx]

USD 443 (Dodge City) superintendent takes on budget proposal: Gov. Sam Brownback promised to increase funding to education during his
Jan. 13 State of the State speech in Topeka. Since then, area superintendents and school officials across Kansas have expressed distaste for the
proposed budgets implications for Kansas schoolsUSD 443 superintendent Alan Cunningham tried to shed some light and answer that
question Tuesday afternoonIts a little bit of what I think other people have referred to as smoke and mirrors, Cunningham said. [Dodge
City Daily Globe, 1/20/11, http://bit.ly/1otHnye]
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The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Winfield/Wellington Abrams, Knox

Brownbacks budget is bad for rural Kansas Governor Sam Brownback's proposed budget is a blockbuster. It could be especially disruptive
for the quality of life in rural Kansas. The budget would seem to work against Brownback's declared desire to see individuals return to counties
that have lost population...This budget is especially harsh on rural Kansas, perhaps primarily because of its unintended consequences. We expect
our elected lawmakers to improve significantly on the governor's proposal. [Winfield Courier, 1/14/11, http://bit.ly/1lWfDHd]

Kansas schools face more cuts, devastating to rural schools: Breaking a deadlock between lawmakers, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has
elected to shave $56.5 million from the states budget to balance for 2011. The largest piece of the cuts will come from state aid to public schools
and could mean bad news for those locally. Those kind of cuts are not good news for any school district in Kansas, the cuts will be especially
devastating to rural districts, like some in Sumner County. At this point in time it's going to effect everybody, throughout the entire state of
Kansas, said Wellington USD 353 Superintendent Rick Weiss. He's [the governor] coming after everybody, especially public
schools. [Wellington Daily News, 3/17/11, http://bit.ly/1wfZOOV]

State education cuts are decimating classroom budgets. Wellington superintendent Rick Weiss said the [Kansas Star Casino] funds for
parents and teachers is significant. With recent cuts in state aid to education, classroom budgets have dropped to an average of between $200 and
$500, limiting the ability of schools to offer students enhancements, supplemental materials and technology. Probably in every school in Kansas,
those are the first types of things that would go, he said. [Wichita Eagle, 8/10/12, http://bit.ly/1lZ5g5h]

USD 353 (Wellington) begins budget cuts: During the budget news and review segment of the meeting, USD 353 Superintendent Rick Weiss
addressed the Board and the standing room only crowd with the latest numbers coming down from the Kansas legislature. He said a $503,000
budget reduction, split between the 2010-11, and the 2011-12 school years, is accurate. He said it is possible that these kind of cuts can be
expected for the next few years. And if we have at least three to five more years of this kind of situation, then we can expect this to become an
annual event, Weiss said about the special meeting. Which is not what any of us signed on, at the beginning of our careers for. He told the
Board that, during upcoming meetings, they can begin to look at administrative salaries. The board will also be able to recommend a two to five
percent salary reduction for classified personnel making more than $32,300 per year." [Dodge City Daily Globe, 5/17/11, http://bit.ly/1otJAJQ]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Pratt Schools Mitch Holmes

Governor Brownbacks proposals will pare $500,000 from local school budgets: If Gov. Sam Brownbacks proposed budget is approved by
the Kansas Legislature, the Pratt school district will lose $369,000 in state aid and Skyline will lose nearly $150,000A plan is already in place
to close Haskins Elementary School at the end of this year, at a savings of about $100,000. Collapsing of staff relative to the closure has already
occurred. [Pratt Tribune, 1/19/11, http://bit.ly/1xK2BS6]

Educators disagree with Brownbacks fix of funding system: Gov. Sam Brownback unveiled a plan last week that includes sweeping changes
in the way the state funds public schools, fixing a system that he termed as broken. Local superintendents, as well as many across the state,
believe the current K-12 education funding formula is not broken, but has never been funded as intended. And they are wary of the governors
plan that would shift more of the burden back on local taxpayersDr. Glen Davis, superintendent for USD 382, has questions about what
happens when the hold-harmless agreement goes away. Keeping aid steady from a budget balanced through heavy cuts is not a positive. Last
year our budgets were terrible, Davis said. When youre at rock bottom and they say well keep you there is not good news. We need to be
moving forward to recoup some of the things lost. [Pratt Tribune, 12/21/11, http://bit.ly/1um8NM3]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Salina Schools Tom Arpke

Local schools face more cutbacks: As for next year, Winter said he plans to wait and see what the Legislature does with the proposed budget
before trying to decide what cuts to make. In the Ell-Saline School District, the proposal would mean about $59,000 in cuts this year, and
$123,000 next year. [Salina Journal, 1/15/11 http://bit.ly/1p8i18o]

Discussion of ed funding ignites at public forum: Ken Kennedy, director of operations for the Salina School District, asked local lawmakers
the final question of the forum, asking whether lawmakers had suggestions for what spending districts should cut, and how soon they'll know how
much money they're getting for the 2011-12 school year. Sen. Pete Brungardt, R-Salina, fielded the question first, saying it would likely be May
before the Legislature passes a final budget -- and that more cuts are likely. 'It's clear the trend has been down,' Brungardt said, adding that after
accounting for inflation, school districts now have about the same funding as in 1990. [Salina Journal, 3/27/11, http://bit.ly/1ty4dYG]

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School board expresses concern to legislators about Brownback education proposal: The quality of students education should not depend
on where in the state they live, and the quality of their teachers should not be determined online, Salina school board officials told local
legislators and a representative of the state Board of Education during a public meeting Saturday. Both issues are concerns Salina school officials
raised with Gov. Sam Brownbacks Excellence in Education Act introduced to the Senate this week. [Salina Journal, 1/28/12, http://bit.ly/
1wfVKOx]

Salina school superintendent stated declining state aid is forcing cuts and preventing all-day kindergarten. "It's disingenuous to say all
these dollars are going onto the classroom because part of it is paying off bond issues, part of it is capital outlay, Hall said. Hall said the level of
base state aid reflects what state legislators think of education. "That's exactly what it is," he said. Twelve years later, we're at the same level.
What happens is you cut teachers, you cut programs, lose programs. He said it's one of two reasons the district doesn't offer all-day
kindergarten. [Salina Journal, 1/19/14, http://bit.ly/ZitWva]

Arpke supported consolidation in 2011: On education, Arpke said that consolidation, always a touchy subject, is ahead for some school
districts. "I think if they want what is best for their kids, and if they can look at it (what's best for the students) as a goal then I think it's more
doable," Arpke said of consolidation. "We have to work for what's best for the Kansas students. Student education is the goal." He also said that
with such technology as fiberoptics, larger school districts will be able to help the smaller districts with classes they can't afford to offer on a
yearly basis, such as French, German or Japanese language classes. [Salina Journal, 11/18/2011, http://bit.ly/1tDSyr8]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Hays Schools Ralph Ostmeyer

Another Kansas district considers Kindergarten fee The state doesn't pay for full-day programs, so some districts have started charging as
much as $250 to $300 per month to pay for them. The Hays School District has never charged extra. But the district is bracing for health
insurance increases and anticipates receiving about $1 million less from the state next year. [Dodge City Daily Globe, 2/22/11, http://bit.ly/
1Azqt6Z]

Hays School Board consider All Day Kindergarten fee, shorter school week, increased fees to cope with budget cuts: Board members
asked administrators to prepare a list of recommended reductions to the general fund in anticipation of state funding cuts for the 2012 fiscal
yearAll-day kindergarten would continue according to the recommendation, but parents would be asked to pay a $500 fee for each child
enrolled. The fee would be paid in two installments, with $250 due at enrollment and $250 in JanuaryThe $500 fee would be in addition to the
$100 materials fee currently charged for each student...The district receives state funding for half-day classes only. The remainder, $2,000 more
per child, to offer the all-day program, comes out of the general fund. The $500 fee would help offset the extra cost, Cain saidOther topics on
the agenda are a four-day school week and building use fees. [Hays Daily News, 2/20/11, http://bit.ly/1xK4K06]

Educators urge enormity of possible cuts: "Public education was another key issue throughout Tuesday's town hall meeting with state
legislatorsClass sizes are growing, and teachers no longer have sufficient funding to purchase necessary supplies, she said. Parents are facing
higher fees, students are being asked to do more fundraising, and some vacant positions are not being filled. 'Yet in light of all those cuts, we
expect (the students') test scores to go up, and that just seems unrealistic," she said. "We cut, cut, cut and yet, 'You do better. We expect you to
have better results.'" [Hays Daily News , 4/20/11, http://bit.ly/1wgihIe]

Budget cuts, hiring freeze prompt USD 489 staff to assume more duties: From the top down, Hays USD 489 has seen staff reductions, most
of them budget-related, and more employees are taking on more dutiesBecause of the district's hiring freeze, Roth said he will do some
reassigning That also will be after the board votes on whether to close Kennedy Middle School following the 2011-12 school year. Because of
the budget crunch, some administrators have taken on additional tasksThose extra duties don't bring extra pay, Roth saidTeacher transfers
have been used to fill vacancies in the classroomBecause of cuts through attrition, there will be eight or nine fewer teachers when school
resumesCutbacks and the hiring freeze also have impacted other employees such as secretaries and custodians. 'We're short in every building,'
he said. 'Everything has been cut. Athletics has been cut 15 percent.' [Hays Daily News, 6/02/11, http://bit.ly/1otOpD4]


The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Nemaha County Schools Dennis Pyle

Sabetha Middle School is "ground zero" of USD 113's budget reductions, patrons say: "A retiring Sabetha Middle School teacher and a
Sabetha patron characterized SMS as Ground Zero in regard to USD No. 113s budget reductions, both those already implemented in the past
two years and those proposed for the next year and a half'My perception is that the Sabetha schools, and Sabetha Middle School in particular,
seem to be Ground Zero of places to find money,' Bill Kent said. Kent, eighth grade social studies teacher at SMS, is retiring at the end of the
2013-14 school year. 'By the end of this year, we have a net loss of three teachers,' Kent said. We are expected to do more and more and more
with less.'" [Sabetha Herald, 4/2/14, http://bit.ly/1uwlx1U]

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Paid for by Paul Davis for Governor, William A. Kassebaum, Treasurer.
The newly created Nemaha Central school district faces a financial cliff as consolidation incentives run out. In the past ten years,
decreases in both state funding and student enrollment had forced several districts across the State of Kansas to seriously consider the c word
consolidation. As incentive, the State legislators had passed a law allowing for a general fund budget freeze for a specific amount of time if
school districts chose to consolidate. In 2009, discussion began between USD 442 Nemaha Valley and USD 451 B&B about the possibility of
consolidation. Following approval by a majority of voters in each district in November, 2010, USD 115 Nemaha Central began on July 1, 2011.
According to State law the new district had a frozen General fund budget of slightly over $4.5 million for four years. This $4.5 million was based
on a weighted student Full Time Equivalency (FTE) of 1144.80. Although the actual head count of students was around 600, additional weighting
was added for low enrollment, vocational education, at-risk, new facilities, and transportation. The general fund budget for all Kansas school
districts is calculated using the weighted FTE times the Base State Aid Per Pupil (BSAPP). The BSAPP is subject to change each year and has
actually changed within the year based on the financial condition of the State. Because one of the reasons for consolidation was declining
enrollment, it is obvious that the weighted FTE will be less, maybe considerably less, once the new district comes out of the four-year
freeze. The actual weighted enrollment for the most recent school year was 942.2. Multiplying the 942.2 times the current BSAPP of $3,838
would result in a $3,616,164 General fund budget. Simple mathematics tells one that the district gained slightly over $890,000 this past year as a
result of the budget freeze. Consolidation, no doubt, comes with many challenges. School board members are faced with one tough decision
after another in the first few years. The most important challenge, however, is planning for the financial cliff that will result at the end of
the budget freeze. [USD 115, 6/30/14, http://bit.ly/ZiFK0z]

The Impact of Brownbacks Agenda on Concordia Schools Elaine Bowers

USD 333 considering consolidation with USD 334: "It was decided at the board of education meeting last night that the best option for USD
333 when considering consolidation would be for USD 334 to simply dissolve and that the Concordia district would then acquire the land or a
portion of the land." [Concordia Blade Empire, 5/10/11, http://bit.ly/1p8dRxi]

USD 333 needs $69,790 to balance the budget: After making $560,063 in cuts, USD 333 needs to find another $69,790 to balance the 2011-12
budget, superintendent Bev Mortimer told the board of education last night at its monthly meeting. Making the situation even more dire is the
additional $410,000 the district" [Concordia Blade Empire, 6/14/11 http://bit.ly/1nM3CPY]

USD 333 will do more with less state aid this year: "USD 333 must do with less state aid when its doors open to students Aug. 22,
superintendent of schools Bev Mortimer said during the public hearing on the 2001-12 budget at the board of education meeting last night.
Mortimer said that the state is only reimbursing school districts at a base rate of $3,780 per student instead of the legislature authorized $4,433
and that the district will lose another $113,176 because of more cuts in the state's participation int the local option budgets." [Concordia Blade
Empire, 8/9/11, http://bit.ly/YxLFPa]

USD 273 said Brownback plan for schools just creates more problems. Dr. Harrison feels will just create more problems for schools. The
Governor is proposing that every school district pay in 20 mills and have it passed back out to the schools equally. There are a lot of questions to
be answered on this, he said. USD 273 has a current General Fund of around two million dollars as of this year but that will be reduced next year
due to the loss of revenue that came in when part of the Jewell District merged with USD 273. While they knew this was coming it will still make
a difference in the available revenue when that happens. [KVSV, 1/10/12, http://bit.ly/1qrzKOg]

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Paid for by Paul Davis for Governor, William A. Kassebaum, Treasurer.