Mrs. Janet Waugh
Chair
Kansas State Board of Education
715 N. 74th
Kansas City, KS 66112
Dear Chairwoman Waugh:
On behalf of the National Taxpayers Union's 4,500 members in Kansas, I urge you and your colleagues on the Kansas State Board of Education to exercise fiscal discipline and refrain from increasing taxpayer-funded aid to school districts in your proposal for the state's K-12 education budget for FY 2011-2012.
Education is critically important to Kansas. Countless studies show that a sound education is a major factor in fostering social stability, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. However, education is not the only function competing for the government's limited resources. Moreover, it is not a justification for spending more every year so that the state runs huge deficits and raises taxes to pay for the increased spending. Such a policy ultimately diminishes the economic opportunities for the very same young people who are attending schools in Kansas and are hoping to make their lives in the state.
State spending on education has risen substantially over the last several years, but there are questions about the return on that investment. Since 2005, total state aid to schools has increased by $1.26 billion. In fact, the state has provided $150 million more in aid than what the Supreme Court mandated in the Montoy v. Kansas ruling. Also, state aid per pupil has increased from $5,346 to $6,292 for FY2009-2010 and total school expenditures jumped by 30.2 percent. However, more than half of the students in Kansas attend schools that allocate less than 55 percent of their funds to instruction, according to the Kansas Policy Institute's research. Between 2000 and 2005, students' proficiencies in reading and math increased 23.5 and 35.4 percent, respectively. But between 2005 and 2009, these proficiencies only increased, respectively, 17.2 and 21.6 percent.
As the Board meets to discuss its budget proposal, our members hope you will find ways to better allocate existing resources. There are many viable options for the Board to consider, including mandatory efficiency audits, changes in administrative structure, and service sharing, which could save millions for Kansas schools. A prosperous future for our children depends on whether we choose prudent fiscal policies today.
Sincerely,
John Stephenson
State Government Affairs Manager
CC: Kansas State Board of Education