This is testimony delivered to the House Committee on Education in opposition to HB 2233, a bill to require public schools fun teacher school supplies (a GREAT idea!) without appropriating any new money to do so (meaning other programs will suffer).
Testimony to House Committee on Education
Chair, Rep. Steve Huebert
Hearing: Monday, February 18, 2019
Position – OPPOSE HB 2233
Chairman Huebert, and Members of the Committee,
The MainStream Coalition opposes passage of HB 2233, as an unfunded mandate further stretching the funds available to public schools in Kansas.
We are encouraged to see that the proponents and sponsors of this measure understand the position our teachers have been placed in by the underfunding of public education. There are not sufficient funds to provide all the supplies needed for effective education, and teachers often provide those supplies with funds their own pocketbooks. Many PTAs provide funds for this purpose, too. We, too, would like to end the need for teachers and parents to do this.
But this bill does not appropriate any money to accomplish this goal. Instead, it mandates that the money come from the existing general funds. Kansas public schools are among the most efficient in the country. There are no more efficiencies to be found, or loose change to be gathered. This bill would result in some other resource or program being harmed.
Instead of supporting this bill, we urge committee members to consider fully funding our public schools, and letting the State Board of Education and our excellent schools determine how to allocate those funds.
Thank you,
Brandi Fisher
Executive Director of the MainStream Coalition