04/13/2026
Let’s Talk Education. I am a Kansan. A business owner. A taxpayer. An elected State Senator who chose to run for office to serve the community and state I love. I make that choice willingly, knowing the criticisms I expose myself to.
It is essential that our children receive an education that sets them up for future success. Taxpayers, through their elected government, play a critical role in funding the education system.
For context, K12 Education represents about 53% of the state budget. That's 53 cents of every dollar paid in sales and income tax goes to K12 (just over $5.5 Billion). K12 also represents 50-55% of every property tax dollar you pay (depending on location). That's over half of your already excessive property taxes.
Shouldn't you, as taxpayers, expect accountability from the largest recipient of taxpayer dollars in the state? So why is there such pushback from some superintendents when legislators actually ask questions and expect accountable answers? Especially when the annual increases to K12 exceed $300 Million annually?
In 2025, the Kansas State Board of Education chose to change the grading scale by which K12 schools are measured. State assessments change every few years, which alters the "cut-score". Cut scores are specific points on a test’s scoring scale that separate different levels of student performance. They determine the minimum score a student must achieve to be placed into a particular performance category. In 2024, the Kansas Legislature passed a law (see KSA 72-5170) specifically directing the State Board of Education not to change the standards / scale by which children are measured. Yet, in 2025 they chose to do it anyway. The question is: why? Why was is so important to violate the intent of the law to lower the grading scale? While that change in tests are expected, it doesn't generally change the grading scale. The change in the grading scale allowed one district to increase its proficiency rate from 18% in 2024 to 40% in 2025. That would be remarkable if it was an actual increase in student outcomes. Problem is, it was only a change in the grading scale, meaning students didn’t improve the standard was simply lowered.
Do you feel it is "punishment" that the legislature asks questions of the largest recipient of taxpayer dollars? Do you feel it is "wrong" that we expect the best for our children and push back on failed policies that aren't achieving that outcome?
Let's talk about school choice (or vouchers) for a moment as well. Kansas currently has a program where underprivileged children can access dollars to attend private schools. The "Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship Program" provides a tax credit for donors; these funds then support low-income students attending private schools. These dollars do NOT come from public education funds as some would have you believe. The dollars have NO impact on the states budget.
Kansas continues to deficit spend. A combination of tax reductions (eliminating the sales tax on food, eliminating the sales tax on social security, eliminating the lowest tax bracket for income tax filers) contribute to this. In addition, the increases in expenses primarily driven by public education funding and human services caseloads (DCF, Medicaid, Elderly programs) are the primary stressors and contributors to this deficit. We have made good strides this year in finding a better balance, but much more work remains. To reiterate though, vouchers have nothing to do with the state budget, our deficit, or the current state of public education costs.
As your State Senator, you elected me to hold government accountable. That means ALL aspects of government, including education. I will not sit idly by while taxpayers feel the squeeze of education funding having increased by over $1.5 billion in the last 8 years as test scores have decreased. I will ask questions. I will push for answers even when a few superintendents become uncomfortable. I will expect accountability from them just as you expect it from me. That is not being anti-education, it is being pro Kansas taxpayer.
