Seventeen education-related bills were introduced and three bills were passed out of committee during week five of the 2024 Kansas Legislature Session.
 

Bill Tracker

Monday was the last day for nonexempt committees to request bill introductions, which must be officially introduced by Friday, February 9. Wednesday was the last day for individual legislators to introduce bills. There were 17 education-related bills introduced this week.

• HB 2700 – Establishing the school library rating system task force to develop a rating system for materials available to students in public school libraries and requiring school districts to implement such rating system.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
  • A hearing for this bill is set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14.
• HB 2701 – Expanding the income tax credit for school and classroom supplies to increase the tax credit to $500 with an annual adjustment for the cost of inflation and to allow additional school employees to claim the credit.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Taxation on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2702 – Specifying the eligibility requirements to participate in activities governed by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) for students enrolled in a nonpublic school.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2703 – Including placement in foster care as a criterion for a student to be eligible for at-risk programs and services.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2709 – Establishing Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week for public middle schools and high schools to educate students on the abuse of and addiction to fentanyl and other opioids.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2717 – Establishing requirements for the determination of virtual school state aid for adult students.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2718 – Eliminating school district open enrollment requirements and authorizing school districts to determine nonresident student enrollment.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2719 – Extending the time that school districts may provide notice to parents of the administration of any nonacademic test, questionnaire, survey or examination, and requiring school districts to contact parents if any such test, questionnaire, survey or examination indicates concern.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2726 – Requiring school districts to provide timely implementation of an individualized education program (IEP) and advanced enrollment for certain children who are new to the district.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2727 – Requiring all public schools and public postsecondary educational institutions to make feminine hygiene products available at no cost to students and establishing a state grant program for such purpose.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2730 – Expanding the tax credit for low-income students scholarship program act to allow students enrolled in underperforming school districts to be eligible for a scholarship.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• HB 2731 – Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to submit annual reports to the legislature on certain statistics of students who take the statewide assessments.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• HB 2732 – Authorizing school districts to employ or accept chaplains as volunteers.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• HB 2738 – Revising the special education state aid statewide excess costs calculation to count additional funding; requiring the State Board of Education to determine each school district’s excess costs and to establish a special education state aid equalization distribution schedule to distribute certain amounts of special education state aid; and requiring school districts to transfer amounts attributable to the special education weighting from their supplemental general funds to their special education funds.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• SB 465 – Authorizing school districts to levy an annual levy of up to two mills for the purposes of school building safety, security and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and including the levy in the capital outlay state aid determination for such school districts.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• SB 469 – Establishing the Sunflower Education Equity Act to provide education savings accounts (ESAs) for certain students.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• SB 470 – Including Wichita Technical Institute as an eligible postsecondary educational institution in the Kansas Promise Scholarship Act.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
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Other bills KSDE is tracking:

• HB 2475 – Prohibiting the commencement of the school term prior to Labor Day.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Jan. 8.
• HB 2480 – Requiring each school district to employ an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder specialist.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Jan. 8.
• HB 2485 – Requiring enrollment under the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement act to be determined using the current school year or the preceding school year and requiring any district that closed a school building in the preceding school year to use the current year enrollment count.
  • A hearing for this bill was held on Monday, Jan. 22 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2489 – Limiting the legislative option to purchase school district buildings to buildings that were formerly used as attendance centers.
  • A hearing for this bill was held on Wednesday, Jan. 24 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2494 - Establishes policy requirements for school safety and security plans and cardiac emergency response plans and provides grant programs for the implementation of such policies.
  • A hearing was held on Jan. 17 in the House Committee on Education.
  • The House Committee on Education recommended a substitute bill (Substitute for HB 2494) be passed on Thursday, Feb. 8. The substitute bill removes language related to school safety and security plans but keeps language related to cardia emergency response plans.
• HB 2499 – Prohibiting the use of mobile phones in school or construction zones by anyone under 18.
  • The House Committee on Transportation recommended the bill be passed on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• HB 2506 – Authorizing students enrolled in virtual schools to participate in activities that are regulated by the Kansas State High School Activities Association at such student’s resident school district without a minimum enrollment requirement in such resident school district.
  • A hearing was held on Wednesday, Jan. 24 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2509 – Providing reimbursement payments for the cost of career technical education assessments to school districts under the career technical education credential and transition incentive for employment success act.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Jan. 16.
• HB 2514 - Revising school district open enrollment procedures and requirements to prioritize students who are residents of Kansas over students who are residents of another state, providing for continued enrollment of students who attended a school district of non-residence in school year 2023-2024, authorizing school districts to deem students as not in good standing prior to enrollment and requiring publication of nonresident student transfer policies on the school district website.
  • A hearing was held on Thursday, Jan. 25 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2521 – Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to authorize teaching licenses for individuals who complete an alternative teacher certification program.
  • A hearing was held on Thursday, Feb. 8 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2539 – Removing the Kansas residency requirement for eligibility for a Kansas promise scholarship and modifying the definition of part-time student under such program.
  • A hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2547 – Authorizing schools to maintain certain emergency medication kits and to administer such medication in emergency situations.
  • The House Committee on Health and Human Services recommended the bill be passed on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• HB 2555 – Authorizing schools to maintain emergency albuterol kits for asthma and administer such medication in emergency situations.
  • Referred to House Committee on Health and Human Services on Jan. 18.
• HB 2567 – Establishing the Kansas National Guard Educational Master’s for Enhanced Readiness and Global Excellence (EMERGE) program.
  • A hearing was held Tuesday, Jan. 30 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2574 – Establishing term limits for members of Fort Leavenworth Unified School District 207 school board.
• HB 2594 – Establishing the Education Funding Task Force and abolishing the Special Education and Related Services Funding Task Force.
  • A hearing for this bill was held on Monday, Jan. 29 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2600 – Establishing a feminine hygiene product grant program and grant fund to award monies to qualifying Title 1 schools to provide feminine hygiene products to students at no cost.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Jan. 25.
• HB 2612 – Requiring school districts to be in compliance with all state laws, and rules and regulations to be accredited; and requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to establish a process to challenge determinations of such compliance.
  • A hearing on this bill was held Monday, Feb. 5 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2613 – Creating the statewide drug abuse resistance education (D.A.R.E.) program educator position, establishing the drug abuse resistance education fund and providing funding for such fund by annual transfer of state monies.
  • A hearing was held Thursday, Feb. 8 in the House Committee on Education (see below).
• HB 2641 – Requiring school districts to prohibit the use of privately owned electronic communication devices during school hours.
  •  A hearing on this bill is set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2644 – Establishing uniform interest rate provisions for service scholarships administered by the Kansas Board of Regents that have repayment obligations as a part of the terms and conditions of the scholarship; and authorizing the Kansas Board of Regents to recover the costs of collecting such repayment obligations and charge fees to cover the costs of administering such scholarship programs.
  • A hearing on this bill is set for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2645 – Amending the nursing service scholarship program to remove limits on the amount of awards and number of scholarships, remove the sponsorship requirement, modify the interest rate terms for repayment obligations, and abolish the nursing service scholarship review committee.
  • A hearing on this bill is set for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2650 – Requiring each school district to establish an at-risk student accountability plan and to show academic improvement in certain student subgroups and students identified as eligible for at-risk programs; Prohibiting the Kansas State Board of Education from revising the curriculum standards in English language arts and mathematics until 75% of all students achieve proficiency; and requiring school districts to comply with all state laws and rules and regulations to main accreditation.
  • A hearing was held Wednesday, Feb. 7 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2658 – Authorizing school districts to require a student to attend virtual school when the student is returning to school after having been expelled.
  • A hearing on this bill is set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2659 – Transferring teachers from the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) 3 cash balance plan to the KPERS 2 plan and defining teachers for the purpose of KPERS.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Financial Institutions and Pensions on Feb. 1.
• HB 2669 - Codifying the Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) program administered by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) in state statute.
  • A hearing for this bill was held on Thursday, Feb. 8 in the House Committee on Health and Human Services.
• SB 128 - Establishes the ad astra opportunity tax credit to provide an income tax credit for taxpayers with eligible dependent children not enrolled in public school.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation on Jan. 9.
• SB 348 – Requiring that the appointment of the executive director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund be confirmed by the Senate.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 17.
• SB 351 – Establishing policy requirements for school safety and security and cardiac emergency response plans and providing grant programs for the implementation of such policies.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 18.
• SB 358 – Prohibiting school districts and local libraries from prohibiting, banning or restricting books or other media unless certain requirements are met.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on Jan. 19.
• SB 360 – Allowing a taxpayer to elect the taxable year in which a subtraction modification for contributions to a 529 program account, ABLE account or first-time home buyer savings account would be applied; and authorizing the state treasurer to appoint a 529 program advisory council.
  • The Senate Committee on Education recommended the bill be passed as amended on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• SB 386 - Requiring enrollment under the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement act to be determined using the current school year or the preceding school year and requiring any district that closed a school building in the preceding school year to use the current year enrollment count.
  • The Senate Committee on Education recommended the bill be passed as amended on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• SB 387 – Providing for the continued enrollment of students who attend a school district of non-residence pursuant to the school district open enrollment law.
  • The Senate Committee on Education recommended the bill be passed as amended on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
• SB 401 – Requiring critical thinking be integrated into elementary and secondary instruction.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 26.
• SB 407 – Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to authorize teaching licenses for individuals who complete an alternative teacher certification program.
  • A hearing was held Thursday, Feb. 8 in the Senate Committee on Education.
• SB 427 – Requiring school districts to publicly list the names and email addresses of current school board members; authorizing local school board members to add new items to board meeting discussions, ask questions or engage in discussion with members of the public and access school property; authorizing members of the public to address school boards at board meetings; and authorizing payment of annual dues to any not-for-profit organization that provides services to member school districts.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
• SB 428 – Requiring that each attendance center’s needs assessment be conducted by the local board of education and include input from board members, teachers, school site councils and school administrators, and that board members receive certain state assessment data; and identifying allocations of money in the school district budget and budget summary.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
• SB 437 – Establishing the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) to provide educational awards to elementary and secondary school students for qualifying expenses for educational goods and services.
  • A hearing for this bill is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 in the Senate Committee on Education.
• SB 438 – Eliminating the requirement to subtract other aid from the state payment in the AO-K program.
  • A hearing for this bill is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14 in the Senate Committee on Education.

Hearing on HB 2612

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Monday held a hearing on House Bill 2612. If passed, the bill would require the Kansas State Board of Education’s accreditation system require all school districts to be in compliance with all applicable state laws, including all rules and regulations. Any school district  found not to be in compliance with any law, including rules and regulations, would not be accredited and the district would have to notify each parent in writing.

If the district was not accredited, it may only become accredited if an audit conducted by the Kansas State Department of Education determines that the school district has made the necessary changes to be in compliance.

The bill also would authorize the State Board to establish a process to allow an individual, even if they live out of state, to challenge a determination of a school district compliance or noncompliance with state laws or rules and regulations.

At least 81 people provided written or oral testimony.

No action was taken on this bill.
 

Discussion & action on SB 387, SB 386, SB 360

The Senate Committee on Education on Tuesday discussed and took action on three bills.

SB 387

The committee started with SB 387. If passed, the bill would clarify the open enrollment law to allow for the continued enrollment of students who attend an out-of-district school.. This provision would end when the student graduates high school or if the student would be deemed to “not be in good standing.” If passed, SB 387 would not affect state aid to school districts.

The bill was passed out of committee as amended and will now go to the Senate floor. You can read the bill and its amendments at this link.

SB 386

The committee moved on to SB 386. If passed, this bill would amend the definition of enrollment under the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement Act to require KSDE and school districts to use the current year student enrollment count to determine state aid entitlements, or for any school district that experienced a decrease in enrollment between the preceding school year and the current school year, the district may determine enrollment by using the preceding school year enrollment count.

If a district receives federal impact aid for the enrollment of military students and it experiences a decrease in enrollment between the second preceding school year and the preceding school year, the district may determine enrollment using one of the following:

• The current year enrollment count.
• The preceding year enrollment count.
• The average of the preceding, second preceding and third preceding year enrollment.

If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1, 2024, upon publication in the statute book.

SB 386 was passed out of committee as amended and will now go to the Senate floor. You can read the bill and its amendments at this link.

SB 360

The committee ended with SB 360. If passed, the bill would allow taxpayers who contribute to a qualified tuition program account, qualified ABLE program account, or first-time home savings account on or after Jan. 1 but prior to filing the individual income tax return on April 15, to use this subtraction modification in the previous tax year.

The contribution would not be allowed as a subtraction modification in more than one tax year. The changes to these subtraction modifications would become effective retroactive to tax year 2023. This bill also would remove outdated language from previous tax years.

Additionally, the bill would authorize the Kansas State Treasurer to appoint a Postsecondary Education Savings Program Advisory Committee to make recommendations for the implementation and operation of this program. The State Treasurer would determine the members of the committee, and no members would receive any compensation for serving.

SB 360 was passed out of committee as amended and will now go to the Senate floor. You can read the bill and its amendments at this link.
 

Farm to Plate

In the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, committee members heard from representatives of Farm to School, including KSDE’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) Farm to Plate Project Director, Barb Depew.

The Farm to Plate initiative is an effort to connect child nutrition program sponsors with regional local farms to serve healthy meals using local foods.

Depew works with the National Farm to School Network through the USDA to help districts learn how to access local foods and introduce opportunities for education.

She said they work with the USDA to offer opportunities for sponsors to apply for grant funding.

“We started with a state agency grant that was a workshop model that we did in the regions of the state to introduce them to Farm to School,” Depew said. “Beyond that, we applied for funding to do subgrants to increase local products in their menus. The first one we did was in 2020.”

Depew described additional efforts planned for the next four years to promote local products and to introduce education, including regional farm tours; adding a Harvest of the Month program; updating CNW’s Healthier Kansas Menus to add local products into recipes; and implement a joint effort with workgroups from Nebraska and Missouri.

“We want to do as much as we can with the funds that we have to educate about Farm to School,” Depew said.

Other presenters included Tom Buller, Kansas Rural Center executive director and Rachael McGinnis-Millsap, KC Healthy Kids vice president.
 

Hearing on HB 2613

The House Committee on Education on Thursday held a hearing on House Bill 2613. Under current law, the money in the Kansas Endowment for Youth (KEY) Fund can be transferred into the Children’s Initiatives Fund. If passed, HB 2613 would allow transfer from the KEY Fund into the newly created Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Fund. The bill also would require the attorney general to appoint a statewide DARE educator who would be required to provide instruction to students in public elementary and secondary schools using DARE curriculum, including content on fentanyl and other opioid drugs, , and perform other services to support the DARE program in Kansas.

The bill would create the DARE Fund that would be administered by the Office of the Attorney General to support the DARE program in Kansas.

No action was taken on this bill.
 

Up Next

The House is adjourned until 11:00 a.m. Friday. The Senate is adjourned until 12 p.m. Friday.

The Senate Committee on Education is scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday,

The House Committee on Education is scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday.

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget is scheduled to meet at 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Click here (Welcome | Kansas State Legislature (kslegislature.org) to see calendars of the House and Senate, track bills, and view agendas for committees.