Brownback will veto any tax increase. The latest by the Rep legislature had them meeting the shortfall with increases on liquor, cigarettes, etc without any income tax raises. They will lose $100 million in federal funding since they are no longer in compliance. That cannot be reversed in the future. From 2008-14, in total state funding per student, adjusted for inflation, Kansas has a 14.8% cut in educaton. In 2015, education cuts were $50 million in 2015, $128 million proposed for this year on a $350 million budget shortfall. The shortfall will increase to $550 million next year. Another $200 million in education cuts for 2018? What will be the shortfall in 2019 and education cuts? Since most of those cuts prior to this year have been K-12 and still is, this year begins cuts to higher education.
In March, for the fifth month out of seven, Kansas lost revenue - $11 millon. In addition to education cutting programs, the state shows that 2.316 educators retired in the 2014-15 school year and 740 teachers left the profession and 654 left the state. The year before the numbers were 491 and 399 respectively. The loss of state and federal funding means that more of the revenue losses have to be made up by local taxes and on the backs of homeowners, though that is not really possible. Kansas home property values tanked with the recession in 2008 and have just now gotten back to pre-recession levels. That means less local tax and business revenue and homeowners' primary investment has no appreciation. Homeowners with two incomes, with one related to teaching, have to make tough choices on spending and future jobs.
In addition to education job losses and educators leaving the state or profession, the job losses for March are from the private sector as business leave Kansas. Due to teacher shortages, Kansas K-12 schools have had to shorten the school year, cut more programs, increase tuition for K-12, reduce state aid for students and hire substitute teachers for K-12 since they cannot fill current jobs. Fewer students are entering the profession and more choosing others since teachers are not getting raises and further education funding cuts loom.
Then there will be federal funding cuts for education under Trump. Overall, the Department of Education would take a hit of $9 billion, or 13.5 percent. Title II funding of $2.4 billion under the Every Student Succeeds Act for professional development and class-size reduction, would be eliminated, as would the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which is a $1.2 billion investment in community schools, before- and after-school programs, and summer programs.
Higher education support also take a hit: Trump's budget eliminates $732 billion in federal funding offered through the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program. It maintains the level funding of the Pell Grant program, but raids the so-called Pell surplus, stripping $3.9 billion from those reserves, which could be used to help more low-income students.
At the state level, Indiana schools, for instance, forecasts a $56 million loss in federal funds.
In Kansas, Brownback is sticking with his philosophy and the Republican legislature is saying that is not realistic. Recently, he submits his budget proposals as "drafts" which do not fall under Freedom of Information laws. So, any discussions on those by the legislature avoids transparency or feedback from citizenry.
Interesting articles:
Starving the Beast in Kansas (by K. Williamson, National Review)
Full Kansas meltdown: revenue woes, no school funding plan, transgender bigotry (KC Star)
Kansas Underfunded Education And Cut Tenure. Now It Can’t Find Enough Teachers To Fill Classrooms. (Huffington Post)
“In the next three years I think we’ll have maybe the worst teacher shortage in the country — I think most of that is self-inflicted.”
After Nearly a Decade, School Investments Still Way Down in Some States (Ctr on Budget and Policy Priorities)
Brownback balances budgets on the back of teachers (Ks Nat'l Teachers Assoc)
