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In regards to state equalization funding for school districts in the state of Kansas, Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, was quoted in the October 2 edition of the Kansas City Star as saying, "Brownback wants to overhaul the formula, and that scares me to death in terms of what that means. I quite frankly think it means that we're going to pass the buck on to local school districts."
In the same article, the Kansas City Star reported that in a press statement from Sherriene Jones-Sontag, a spokeswoman for Kansas gubernatorial candidate Sam Brownback, that Brownback wanted to create a new formula that provides a suitable education, provides for equalization and "gives school districts more local control, such as extending the teacher tenure track from three to five years and allowing more alternative teacher certification options."
Brownback, the leading candidate for the governorship of Kansas, has been quoted on more than one occasion as saying that he wants to "change the school finance formula in the state of Kansas," and for school districts to take "local control" of how they raise money for capital projects.
Due to Brownback's unwillingness to define what "change the school finance formula in the state of Kansas” and for school districts to take "local control" means, people of the state of Kansas, including Kansas House Democrats and Democratic candidate for the governorship of Kansas, Tom Holland, have come to the conclusion that this is an attempt and an opportunity for state Republicans to push funding responsibilities onto local school districts.
Steve Adams, superintendent of the Piper School District, was quoted by the Kansas City Star as saying, "To throw out the formula and disequalize it like I've heard from some, like some suggest, it's going to hurt segments of kids across the state."
As we can see, Dodge City is not the only community in the state of Kansas where people believe or are saying that state matching funds in the very near future may no longer be available to help aid school districts in capital projects.
From eastern Kansas to western Kansas, from the average Kansas citizen to Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley, people are saying — and rightly so — that state matching funds may be no more.
Fact: State matching funds for Kansas school districts could disappear with a new school finance formula.
Fact: There are more kids in the USD 443 school district than ever before.
Fact: Grades K-6 have more kids per grade level than at any other time in the history of the school district.
Fact: Ford County is the least economically stressed county in the United States.
Fact: Dodge City continues to grow, with no signs of a decrease or flattening of the population any time in the near future. During a CNN interview, it was stated, "Our biggest problem is finding workers and having houses available for them." That tells you all you need to know in regards to the growth of Dodge City.
The continuous growth in business and industry in Dodge City, and with an influx of workers there is going to be an influx of families, and with an influx of families there is going to be a need for housing and schools for their children.
Fact: Due to state equalization, Ford County taxpayers have spent millions of dollars in tax money helping other communities build their new schools. It is now time for other Kansas counties to help us pay for a new school of our own.
If there was ever a time in the history of Dodge City to build a new school, now is the time!
EDITOR”S NOTE: Letters concerning the upcoming election are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22.
In regards to state equalization funding for school districts in the state of Kansas, Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, was quoted in the October 2 edition of the Kansas City Star as saying, "Brownback wants to overhaul the formula, and that scares me to death in terms of what that means. I quite frankly think it means that we're going to pass the buck on to local school districts."
In the same article, the Kansas City Star reported that in a press statement from Sherriene Jones-Sontag, a spokeswoman for Kansas gubernatorial candidate Sam Brownback, that Brownback wanted to create a new formula that provides a suitable education, provides for equalization and "gives school districts more local control, such as extending the teacher tenure track from three to five years and allowing more alternative teacher certification options."
Brownback, the leading candidate for the governorship of Kansas, has been quoted on more than one occasion as saying that he wants to "change the school finance formula in the state of Kansas," and for school districts to take "local control" of how they raise money for capital projects.
Due to Brownback's unwillingness to define what "change the school finance formula in the state of Kansas” and for school districts to take "local control" means, people of the state of Kansas, including Kansas House Democrats and Democratic candidate for the governorship of Kansas, Tom Holland, have come to the conclusion that this is an attempt and an opportunity for state Republicans to push funding responsibilities onto local school districts.
Steve Adams, superintendent of the Piper School District, was quoted by the Kansas City Star as saying, "To throw out the formula and disequalize it like I've heard from some, like some suggest, it's going to hurt segments of kids across the state."
As we can see, Dodge City is not the only community in the state of Kansas where people believe or are saying that state matching funds in the very near future may no longer be available to help aid school districts in capital projects.
From eastern Kansas to western Kansas, from the average Kansas citizen to Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley, people are saying — and rightly so — that state matching funds may be no more.
Fact: State matching funds for Kansas school districts could disappear with a new school finance formula.
Fact: There are more kids in the USD 443 school district than ever before.
Fact: Grades K-6 have more kids per grade level than at any other time in the history of the school district.
Fact: Ford County is the least economically stressed county in the United States.
Fact: Dodge City continues to grow, with no signs of a decrease or flattening of the population any time in the near future. During a CNN interview, it was stated, "Our biggest problem is finding workers and having houses available for them." That tells you all you need to know in regards to the growth of Dodge City.
The continuous growth in business and industry in Dodge City, and with an influx of workers there is going to be an influx of families, and with an influx of families there is going to be a need for housing and schools for their children.
Fact: Due to state equalization, Ford County taxpayers have spent millions of dollars in tax money helping other communities build their new schools. It is now time for other Kansas counties to help us pay for a new school of our own.
If there was ever a time in the history of Dodge City to build a new school, now is the time!
EDITOR”S NOTE: Letters concerning the upcoming election are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22.
