Gov. Laura Kelly addresses members of her education council during a meeting Friday at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly told members of education advisory group Friday that the state’s healthy financial situation made this year’s budget process “particularly fun.”
Faced with a projected $2.9 billion surplus, the governor was able to include nearly all of the recommendations made by educators in the proposed budget she delivered to the Legislature on Wednesday. Her suggested investments in K-12 schools include more money for student aid, professional development, student mental health services, and an inflation adjustment for total spending.
“We said we would fully fund our public education, and we continue to fulfill that promise,” Kelly said.
The Governor’s Council on Education includes nearly 48 business leaders and education officials from across the state. Members of the council met in the Statehouse with banners that recalled the governor’s inauguration in 2019, displaying the words “equality,” “education,” “opportunity” and “innovation.”
“We do have the pillars that we started with, that were based on the governor’s inauguration,” said Fred Dierksen, superintendent for Dodge City schools. “We added ‘innovation’ because of the importance of technology in education today, and where we’re going with that in all facets of the business. And so I just think those are constant reminders that we can never overlook.”
The council delivered a report with recommendations to invest in child care, computer science and information technology talent, technology and equipment upgrades, and work-based learning. The council also recommends the formation of a commission of health care policymakers, regulators and criminal justice experts to review and recommend career pathways.
Read the full report.
Kelly said she plans to keep a copy of the report on her desk during the legislative session as a reference.
“You have made it clear what the issues are, and that will make it much easier,” Kelly said.
Cynthia Lane, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, and Dierksen co-chaired the council, which focused on child care, early learning, talent pipeline and work-based learning in meetings throughout 2021.
Lane said the difficult reality that Kansas is not a place of opportunity has been driving the council’s work.
“Many of us are lifelong Kansans, many of us have chosen to live in Kansas, and we want to make sure that we have quality opportunities for all,” Lane said.
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by Sherman Smith, Kansas Reflector
January 14, 2022
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly told members of education advisory group Friday that the state’s healthy financial situation made this year’s budget process “particularly fun.”
Faced with a projected $2.9 billion surplus, the governor was able to include nearly all of the recommendations made by educators in the proposed budget she delivered to the Legislature on Wednesday. Her suggested investments in K-12 schools include more money for student aid, professional development, student mental health services, and an inflation adjustment for total spending.
“We said we would fully fund our public education, and we continue to fulfill that promise,” Kelly said.
The Governor’s Council on Education includes nearly 48 business leaders and education officials from across the state. Members of the council met in the Statehouse with banners that recalled the governor’s inauguration in 2019, displaying the words “equality,” “education,” “opportunity” and “innovation.”
“We do have the pillars that we started with, that were based on the governor’s inauguration,” said Fred Dierksen, superintendent for Dodge City schools. “We added ‘innovation’ because of the importance of technology in education today, and where we’re going with that in all facets of the business. And so I just think those are constant reminders that we can never overlook.”
The council delivered a report with recommendations to invest in child care, computer science and information technology talent, technology and equipment upgrades, and work-based learning. The council also recommends the formation of a commission of health care policymakers, regulators and criminal justice experts to review and recommend career pathways.
Read the full report.
Kelly said she plans to keep a copy of the report on her desk during the legislative session as a reference.
“You have made it clear what the issues are, and that will make it much easier,” Kelly said.
Cynthia Lane, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, and Dierksen co-chaired the council, which focused on child care, early learning, talent pipeline and work-based learning in meetings throughout 2021.
Lane said the difficult reality that Kansas is not a place of opportunity has been driving the council’s work.
“Many of us are lifelong Kansans, many of us have chosen to live in Kansas, and we want to make sure that we have quality opportunities for all,” Lane said.
Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
Sherman Smith is the Kansas Press Association’s journalist of the year. He has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He previously spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal. A lifelong Kansan, he graduated from Emporia State University in 2004 as a Shepherd Scholar with a degree in English.
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Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site.
