The state of Kansas has several obligations to a lot of people. But one very important (if not the most important) obligation the state has is to its children. To provide safety for them, opportunities for them, and education for them. When the state is in such dire shape financial that it is not providing the money that it owes its 295 school districts, it means that once again, the students suffer.
But that is exactly what is happening currently within our state. In the month of December, Kansas has delayed payment of $173 million to our school districts because of a “cash crunch.” Keep in mind this has nothing to do with the decision by Governor Parkinson last month to cut more funding from public education, this is money that the state already owes to the school districts. And if some districts don’t get this funding, they won’t be able to pay their faculty and staff. That sure gives them a good pat on the back from our legislatures in Topeka, eh?
To be fair, Deputy Education Commissioner Dale Dennis has said that the state will send funds to districts that need it to make payroll…this month. But what about the next month? Or the month after that? How does that give a good reassurance to our educators and administrators that they don’t need to worry about providing for their own families, let alone providing a good educational experience for their students.
Kansas officials had to delay November payments too and are predicting that we will be in the same boat in January and February 2010. School districts were supposed to receive $196 million on December 1st, but $98 million is being held back until the end of the month. Another $75 million for Special Education programs is due on December 15th, but its looking like that is going to be several weeks late as well.
Walt Chappell, a member of the State Board of Education out of Wichita does not think that the situation is as bad as it seems. Claiming that, collectively, school districts in the state have $175 million in emergency reserves, which “gives us some cushion.” But what school districts have this money? I would venture a guess that it’s not the districts that are in danger of not making payroll or they would tap into those funds. Chappell, who has shown a severe lack of understanding on state financial issues in the past as you might recall, also proposed that parents pay for their children’s participation in sports and other extracurricular activities and extending the school day until 5:00 pm. I could easily dive into another rant against why asking kids to pay more for participation in varsity sports is a ludicrous idea, but I keep on subject for now.
State school board Chairwoman Janet Waugh brought up a very basic, but valid point. She said that the state doesn’t have to pay penalties if they are late with payments. Now, I don’t think we would want to state to have to pay late fees, but, as Waugh said, it can be very frustrating.
We owe our kids this, I can’t state that enough.
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