Author: Dave Trabert
KSDE, state board cover up disappointing 2022 state assessment results
You might expect that Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson would give the Kansas Board of Education a detailed analysis…
Kansas lost $295 million AGI from people leaving in 2020; even Johnson County lost
Domestic migration data from the IRS shows Kansas lost $295 million in adjusted gross income (AGI) in 2020 because more…
Kansas is #37 in GDP growth over the last three years
The negative economic news for Kansas keeps rolling in, with real (inflation-adjusted) GDP growth at negative 0.6% for the second…
Reps. Miller and Amyx propose $700 million property tax hike
At a press conference earlier this week, Reps. Vic Miller (D-Topeka) and Mike Amyx (D-Lawrence) announced a plan to save…
Kansans give the public school system a ‘C’
Not quite a year ago, Kansans gave the public school system in their district a pre-pandemic grade of ‘B’ (GPA…
Kansas lost 3,400 jobs in August
The August jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Kansas lost 3,400 jobs between July and August, while…
Sen. Hensley isn’t telling the truth about school funding
Sir Winston Churchill once said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get…
McNiece insists schools are safe, experts disagree
Kansas State Board of Education Member Jim McNiece, whose district includes Wichita, took issue with a school safety report by…
Most elected officials in Sedgwick County propose big property tax hikes
Sedgwick County residents are being hammered by government-spending-induced inflation. U.S. Census data show the county lost population last year, and…
Douglas County officials compete to see who can raise property tax the most
Douglas County residents are being hammered by government-spending-induced inflation. U.S. Census data show the county has almost 3,000 fewer residents…
Revenue-Neutral property tax hearings start August 20
Be on the lookout for your notice of revenue-neutral property tax hearings that start on August 20 and run through…
Elected officials use residential valuation spike to hide property tax increases
The Wyandotte County 2023 budget presentation touts a half-mill reduction as property tax “savings” and “tax relief,” but in reality,…
IRS targeting amendment designed to protect free speech
The proposed Schumer-Manchin $433 billion spending extravaganza includes $46 billion for the IRS, which the Wall Street Journal says will…
KSDE shirks responsibility to school districts, promotes KASB membership
The Kansas Department of Education purports to be a “dedicated service agency” that provides leadership, resources, and support. But like…
2nd Quarter jobs: Gov’t. jumps, private sector flat in Kansas
The tax-and-spend mindset of many state and local officials produced predictable results in the second quarter — government jobs increased…
KASB report is a modern-day Emperor’s New Clothes tale
In Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes, two swindlers arrive at the capital city of an emperor who spends…
Kansas Reflector aids and abets student achievement cover-up
It’s bad enough that there are more high school students below grade level in Kansas than are proficient. But media…
Sen. Braun Rule 44 proposal would expose earmarks
Earmarks – the practice whereby legislators can designate money for a specific (often pork barrel) purpose in their district –…
Blue Valley substitute teacher laments decline in academic emphasis
Amid a growing chorus of parents expressing concerns about academic declines and exposing children to objectionable gender and race indoctrination…
Freedom to Learn KS PAC doesn’t want parents to learn the truth about achievement
A panel discussion hosted last week by the Freedom to Learn Kansas Political Action Committee serves as another reminder that…
Kelly’s ‘bring it on’ comment about recession is an affront to Kansans
There were 38,000 fewer Kansans working in May of this year, compared to January 2020. Business owners and individuals are…
Supreme Court refers ‘big box’ property tax case to Board of Tax Appeals
The Kansas Supreme Court today released its opinion on Johnson County’s appeal on Walmart property tax valuations dealing with so-called…
Biden: no lunch for poor kids unless schools allow boys in the girls’ restrooms
Just when you think Washington can’t stoop any lower, the Biden administration says it will withhold funding for lunch for…
Graduation task force ignores the low-achievement elephant in the room
Faced with an enormous student achievement problem, the Kansas State Board of Education is taking the very predictable bureaucratic approach…