Six education-related bills were introduced and the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year team was recognized on the House and Senate floors during week three of the 2024 Kansas Legislature Session.
 

Bill Tracker

There were six education-related bills that were introduced this week.

• HB 2574 – Establishing term limits for members of Fort Leavenworth Unified School District 207 school board.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
• HB 2594 – Establishing the Education Funding Task Force and abolishing the Special Education and Related Services Funding Task Force.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Wednesday, Jan 24.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
  • A hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30.
• 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.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
  • A hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29.

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.
• 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 (see below).
• 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.
• HB 2499 – Prohibiting the use of mobile phones in school or construction zones by anyone under 18.
  • A hearing was held on Tuesday, Jan. 23 in the House Committee on Transportation.
• 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 (see below).
• 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 (see below).
• HB 2521 – Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to authorize teaching licenses for individuals who complete an alternative teacher certification program.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Jan. 17.
• 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.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Jan. 18
• HB 2547 – Authorizing schools to maintain certain emergency medication kits and to administer such medication in emergency situations.
  • A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 30 in the House Committee on Health and Human Services.
• HB 2555 – Authorizing schools to maintain emergency albuterol kits for asthma and administer such medication in emergency situations.
  • Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services on Jan. 18.
• 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.

2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year team recognized

The 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year team spent Wednesday at the Kansas Statehouse as the team was recognized on the House and Senate floors. They each also presented to the Joint Committee of the House and Senate Education to provide a glimpse inside their classrooms.
 

Hearing on HB 2485

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Monday held a hearing on House Bill 2485. If passed, the bill would change the current school finance law to allow the greater of the following student enrollments to calculate State Foundation Aid for school districts:

1. Preceding-year enrollment for kindergarten, grades one through 12 on Sept. 20, as well as current-year pre-kindergarten at-risk students.
2. Current-year enrollment for kindergarten, grades one through 12 on Sept. 20, as well as current-year pre-kindergarten at-risk students.

The current law allowability of a school district to use the second preceding year enrollment count would be eliminated.

Additionally, if a school district closed any school building that was an attendance center in the preceding school year, the district must determine enrollment using the current school year count.

If passed, the bill would become effective upon publication in the statute book for the 2024-2025 school year.

At least ten superintendents and other school personnel provided testimony in front of committee members or submitted written testimony prior to the hearing.

No further action was taken on HB 2485.
 

Hearing on HB 2489

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Wednesday held a hearing on House Bill 2489.

The current law gives the legislature the right of first refusal to purchase school district buildings that a district would like to dispose of or sell. If passed, HB 2489 would amend the current law to define a school building as being any building that was used in any prior school year as an attendance center for students enrolled in kindergarten or grades 1-12.

If passed, HB 2489 would not have any fiscal impact on state aid to school districts.

One superintendent provided oral testimony and another submitted written testimony. No further action was taken on HB 2489.

Hearing on HB 2506

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Wednesday also held a hearing on House Bill 2506.

If passed, HB 2506 would require the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) to allow students who attend a virtual school to participate in KSHSAA activities in the student’s resident school district. The bill also would prohibit KSHSAA from requiring the virtual student to enroll in or attend a minimum number of courses at the student’s resident school district as a prerequisite for participation.

To be eligible for participation, the virtual student would have to live in the district; be enrolled and attend a virtual school; comply with student vaccination requirements, meet the general age and eligibility requirements set by KSHSAA; and pay any required activity fees that other students are required to pay for that activity.

The school district’s local board may require the student to enroll in the school district to take a course if that course is generally required for student participation in the activity.

If passed, HB 2506 would take effect on July 1, 2024, upon its publication in the statute book.

Bill Faflick, executive director of KSHSAA, and a principal from Maize USD 266 provided oral testimony. Numerous students and parents submitted written testimony. No further action was taken on this bill.

Hearing on HB 2514

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Thursday held a hearing on House Bill 2514.

If passed, HB 2514 would amend the school district open enrollment statutes  to prioritize students who live in Kansas over those who live in another state. It also would provide for continued enrollment for a non-resident student who attended a school during or after the 2023-2024 school year, unless the student would be deemed by the school districts as “not in good standing.” Student transfer policy revisions would have to be published on a school district’s website.

One superintendent provided oral testimony and another submitted written testimony.
 

Up Next

The House is adjourned until 8:30 a.m. Friday. The Senate is adjourned until 9 a.m. Friday.

The Senate Committee on Education will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29 to hold a hearing on SB 387. The House Committee on Education is scheduled to meet Tuesday, Jan. 30 to hold a hearing on HB 2567. The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget is scheduled to meet Monday, Jan. 29 for an informational hearing on the Special Education Funding Taskforce and proposed Educational Funding Task Force.

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