Category: News
Change in median sales price distorts Johnson County valuations
Johnson County recently announced a 12% increase in residential property values for 2023, which officials say is justified because the…
Median sales price isn’t valid basis to raise all property values
Taxpayers across Kansas are howling about double-digit valuation hikes on their homes, which some appraisers justify by an increase in…
SCOTUS: parents of SPED students can sue districts under ADA
A United States Supreme Court decision handed down Tuesday related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has enormous implications…
KSBRC holds first training workshops on building needs assessments
The Kansas School Board Resource Center has begun a series of training workshops for board members to help them be…
At least 3 KS school districts hide students’ transgender status from parents
Over 160 school districts nationwide, including three in Kansas, have policies to keep students’ transgender status a secret from their…
Forever Fencing suit claims civil, constitutional rights violated by LVCO Commission
Forever Fencing, Inc. has filed a federal lawsuit against the Leavenworth County Commission, Commissioner Doug Smith individually, and Commission Attorney…
School choice ESA bill passes the Kansas House in SB 83
In a major victory for school choice advocates in the Sunflower State, the Kansas House of Representatives passed the “Sunflower…
Kelly administration wants $15 million to bail out failed incentive program
The Kelly administration is asking for approximately $15 million a year to prop up an incentive program that has shown…
Sunflower Education Equity Scholarship (SEES) costs estimated for SB 83
A revised cost estimate on the Sunflower Education Equity Scholarship (SEES) program now in House Substitute for SB 83 is…
KC Star only reports half the story on Leavenworth School Board controversy
The Kansas City Star reported in its online edition of March 11th a remark by Leavenworth USD 453 board member…
USD 512 DEI administrator Tyrone Bates resigns; silent on his effect on student achievement
Shawnee Mission School District has announced that Dr. Tyrone Bates, Jr., is resigning effective at the end of this school…
KCC supports “minimum bill” for consumers who generate own power
If the Kansas Corporation Commission — the entity tasked with overseeing utilities in the state of Kansas — has its…
Civic learning survey shows room for improvement in Kansas
March 6th-10th is designated as National Civic Learning Week. But a 50-state survey of curriculum and legislative initiatives shows Kansas…
SB 79 proposes theoretical property tax relief with a local earnings tax
A unique “tax swap”, allowing counties to institute an earnings tax, if approved by voters, to lessen some of the…
Newton Board of Education appears to have violated KOMA
The Newton USD 373 Board of Education appears to have violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) during a special…
Tax fairness, profitability at the heart of the debate over HB 2062
The House Taxation Committee hearing on HB 2062 featured the relatively-new idea of car sharing and an established rental car…
Satellite, streaming services defeat Fort Scott franchise fee in court, urge passage of SB 144
Streaming service giants Netflix and Hulu, along with satellite providers DIRECTV and Dish Network, emboldened by a state court decision…
Big pay increases for JoCo employees mean tax hikes for residents
While the “pronoun pins” the Johnson County government recently purchased are a fairly minor cost to the taxpayers, the big…
“Mama Bears” mom wins free speech lawsuit against school board that banned her
A Fulton County, Georgia, member of the “Mama Bears” who was banned from her school board meetings for reading from…
School Board Member Free Speech and Transparency Act has hearing
HB 2382, the School District Board of Education Member Free Speech and Transparency Act, was introduced at a hearing before…
Johnson County spends $4,648 on pronoun lapel pins
Johnson County officials are spending $4,648 on lapel pins and stickers for employees to declare their pronouns, according to emails…
McPherson superintendent contract’s unique fringe benefit raises pension-spiking concern
USD 418 McPherson Superintendent Dr. Shiloh Vincent receives four hours a week, 208 hours a year, or the equivalent of…
Morris County schools super allegedly misused federal funds, audit finds
A yearly audit of the Morris County Unified School District 417 found significant problems within the district — particularly in…
Parent cites Leavenworth High School for lack of transparency, accountability
What began last year as concern over content in an English Language Arts class has repeated itself this school year…