Author: David Hicks
Legislators hear property tax issues: land value manipulation, businesses fleeing Kansas and voter demands for reform
The Kansas Constitution (Article 11, Section 1) stipulates that “the legislature shall provide for a uniform and equal basis of…
Katie Allen defiant, won’t agree to USD 383 BOE’s resolution demanding her resignation
Embattled Manhattan-Ogden School Board Member Dr. Katie Allen refused her colleagues’ demand that she resign her position, days after losing…
Pearson Eby Liberty Academy seeks to improve understanding, application of Constitutional principles
Can you name the three branches of our federal government? Only about a third of adults can. How about defining federalism? Which…
KSDE staffer Katie Allen terminated over her “well deserved” post on Charlie Kirk assassination
Kansas Department of Education staffer Katie Allen has been fired over her social media post that the assassination of conservative…
Easton stands alone as other Leavenworth County school districts exceed revenue-neutral
USD 449 in Easton is the only school district in Leavenworth County that will not impose a tax increase on…
Former Leavenworth Elementary teacher pleads no contest to charges of taking indecent liberties with a child
Jerome Riscovallez, 55, a former Henry Leavenworth Elementary School teacher, avoided trial later this month by entering two pleas of…
Overland Park City Council rubber stamps city staff’s 2026 budget, 6% property tax increase on residents
The Overland Park City Council overwhelmingly approved a nearly $500 million staff-proposed budget for next year. The vote was 12-1,…
Prairie Village resident pens objection to Mayor Eric Mikkelson criticizing opponents in city newsletter
Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson deviated from an upbeat newsletter message to constituents to deliver a scathing rebuke to opponents…
More than half the states will limit or ban cellphone use in schools by 2027; Kansas isn’t one of them
Education Week reports 31 states have policies that either limit or outright ban cellphone use in schools that are in…
“We are cutting back, why aren’t you?” Johnson County Commission ignores taxpayer concerns, approves 6% tax hike for 2026
Despite a raucous audience alternating between boos and cheers, and so large the venue had to be moved to another…
Texas takeover of failing Houston school district results in student achievement gains after just two years
In 2023, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) saw over 40% of its districts receive a grade of “D” or…
Leavenworth County Commissioners will raise property tax 5%, blaming it on state, federal government
The Leavenworth County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to raise property tax by 5%, or about $2 million, for the…
Seven members of Kansas Board of Education vote to reduce proficiency standards
Last year, 22% of 8th-graders were proficient in English Language Arts (reading) on the Kansas state assessment. This year, 46%…
War of words between Leavenworth County commissioners Culbertson and Reid over property tax increase
Even approving the date of a county budget hearing was ensnared in the contentious issues of property tax increases and…
Lawrence School District issues transgender policy, testing state law that banned males from female sports
In a challenge to Kansas state law, Lawrence USD 497 has issued a policy for the new school year on…
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…