After months of deliberation and extensive input, the Northeast USD 246 Board of Education approved a four-day school schedule at Monday’s meeting, held at the high school. The Northeast School District joins a growing number of Kansas schools switching to a four-day week. According to a report from Natalie Wallington of the Kansas City Star, the Kansas State Department of Education listed 71 public schools with four-day weeks in 2023, increasing from 69 schools in 2022 and just 56 in 2021. The bulk of the districts adopting four-day weeks were in the western and southern regions of the state. The board unanimously accepted the motion, following a lengthy discussion at the meeting. Opening the discussion, high school athletic director and Kansas National Educators Association member Piper Richardson informed the board members of a poll/survey that was sent out to staff members across the district.  “We had two teachers vote for five days,” she said. “So there were about 45 (teachers) for the four days. I believe the Monday off was significant … I think it was in the high 30s … With 100 percent voting.” USD 246 Superintendent Dr. Ray Streeter noted the significance and importance of the new schedule adding more professional development days for the staff, otherwise known as PD, which gives them time to become more proficient, work with others, and acquire new skills to use in the classroom.
Source: Morning Sun

During Monday night’s board of education meeting, USD 250 Superintendent Rich Proffitt brought several current bills in the Kansas legislature to the attention of board members. Proffitt, always wary of legislative developments that affect education, briefed the board on a few potential bills that, if passed, will be felt by USD 250. The first matter of concern is the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision to relinquish oversight of the Gannon decision. In 2017, the court ruled that legislative changes to K-12 school funding, which reduced state-aid payments augmenting funds generated through property taxation in school districts with lower property values, violated the Kansas constitution, which the court has interpreted as requiring equity and adequacy in the provision of financing for education. The court retained jurisdiction to ensure continued legislative compliance with the school funding requirements and the legislature has since scheduled a series of incremental increases to the base aid for student excellence (BASE) culminating in school year 2022-2023. At the request of Attorney General Kris Kobach, given the court’s stated purpose was to retain jurisdiction to ensure implementation of the phased-in amounts, which has occurred, most of the court grants the State’s motion to relinquish oversight. The fear now is the GOP controlled legislature, no longer under the court’s oversight, will “significantly underfund” public schools in the future, according to Rep. John Carmichael (D-Wichita).
Source: Morning Sun