Author: David Hicks
WYCO commissioners Davis and Lopez, on both sides of proposed 17% property tax increase, advance to November runoffs
Wyandotte County Unified Government commissioners, who took opposing votes on the recent contentious debate on exceeding Revenue Neutral and imposing…
Defense attorney faults Anderson County legal system for lack of prosecution of alleged killer of Wyandotte County Sheriff Deputy
Before Shawn Harris allegedly fired the shot that killed Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Ming on July 26th, his criminal…
Feds restore education funding to Kansas after review completed
The U.S. Department of Education has released some $45 million in funding to the State of Kansas that was delayed…
Over 150,000 Kansas students have a limited ability to read says state assessment
More than 150,000 Kansas K-12 students will have a difficult time reading this story. Not because of the subject matter,…
Wyandotte County votes to exceed Revenue Neutral by 17%, much more than residents were led to believe
(Editor’s Note: this story is revised to correct the tax increases proposed by USD 202 Turner and USD 203 Piper.)…
New Hampshire expands school choice, removes income limits giving opportunities to all students
New Hampshire this year became the fifth state to expand its school choice options by removing income limits, allowing all…
Johnson County school districts react to hold on federal education grants while ignoring $237 million cash reserves
The U.S. Education Department has announced it has put $6.2 billion in federal grants to state education agencies on hold…
KSDE passes the buck to Gov. Kelly on Kobach guidance to remove gender identity references from state school lunch contracts
The ongoing disagreement between Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and the Kansas State…
Kansas among 22 states allowing in-state tuition for undocumented students
For more than 20 years, the State of Kansas has offered in-state tuition to undocumented students since then-Governor Kathleen Sebelius…
Education officials top annual KPERS ‘millionaires’ list
Data provided by the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System shows that Kansas has 4,758 KPERS ‘millionaires’—state and local government retirees…
Alabama caps increases on taxable assessed property values; Kansas legislators couldn’t agree on methodology
The State of Alabama will apply a 7% annual cap on increases in taxable assessed property value this year, the…
USDA demands Kansas improve SNAP food assistance program efficiency
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says the state can’t afford higher SNAP costs proposed in the so-called ‘big beautiful bill’ moving…
Kansas to call timeout with clock ticking on STAR Bond deadline as Chiefs request extension to continue negotiation
Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson has called a meeting of the state’s Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) for July 7th to…
Mahmoud decision says Maryland parents can opt children out of curriculum that violates their religious beliefs
In a much-anticipated case centered on religious freedom, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Mahmoud v. Taylor that a group…
Abuse case against former Leavenworth Elementary teacher ensnares three school district employees
Allegations of seven counts of child abuse involving six students by former Leavenworth Elementary School teacher Jerome Riscovallez have resulted…
Kansas allows three years of unlawful behavior before labeling schools “persistently dangerous”
A May 7th letter from the U. S. Department of Education to state school officials has dusted off a decades-long,…
Education Funding Task Force debates validity of graduation rate against plummeting college readiness
Celebration of a stunning increase in a one-year graduation rate at Wichita Southeast High School came crashing down as reports…
Wichita has higher property tax, leadership pay than Sedgwick County government
Data obtained in Open Records requests show much higher pay levels for top officials in the City of Wichita than…
The “Supply Side” of School Choice: private options increase in states with universal choice
A lack of private options is a common concern among rural Kansas legislators, but a new study suggests school choice…
Louisburg school board caught trying to circumvent state law and prevent public input on property acquisition plan
At the urging of Miami County Attorney Kenton Harding, the Louisburg USD 416 School Board tabled its approval a week…
Overland Park leaders eager to approve $250 million subsidy for Black & Veatch
Overland Park-based Black & Veatch is asking the City of Overland Park for about $250 million in subsidies to help…
Wyandotte Co. property owners providing hefty salaries for government employees
The fallout continues across Kansas after state lawmakers failed to pass legislation limiting property tax increases. Wyandotte County and Kansas…
Again choosing systems over students, JOCO superintendents pen joint letter opposing federal School Choice legislation
Superintendents Dr. Tonya Merrigan of Blue Valley, Dr. Brent Yeager of Olathe, and Dr. Michael Schumacher of Shawnee Mission have…
Johnson County property tax hikes provided some hefty employee pay increases
The failure of the Kansas Legislature to deliver property tax relief this year after promising voters it was its “#1 priority”…