Signed by Governor Jeff Colyer

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds for the Department of Education and Board of Regents for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $26 million for increased State Foundation Aid (Sec. 1).

• Appropriates $32.4 million for increased special education services (Sec. 1).

• Appropriates $4.19 million for the Mental Health Intervention Team pilot program (Sec. 1).

• Appropriates $5.99 million for supplemental state aid (Sec. 1).

• Requires transfering $1.5 million from the KSDE into the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) to provide treatment and services for students who are uninsured or underinsured (Sec. 1).

• Appropriates $500,000 for the mentor teacher program (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that beginning in school year 2023-2024, the Base Aid for Student Excellence (BASE) will increase by the average percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (Sec. 2).

• Amends the definition of a “preschool-aged at-risk student” to allow districts to expand their programs to include 3-year-olds (Sec. 2).

• Requires each school district to adopt a Local Option Budget (LOB) equal to 15 percent of the school district’s Total Foundation Aid (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that any resolution adopted by a school board before July 1, 2017 that authorizes an LOB in excess of 30 percent will be void (Sec. 4).

• Repeals a provision that authorizes school districts to expend capital outlay funds on utilities and property and casualty insurance (Sec. 15).

Full Bill Text