Legislative

Recruiting and retaining professional educators requires a multi-dimensional approach where the needs of educators are a priority. Kansas is experiencing a shortage of professional educators at every level and subject area. Attacks on the profession and the dedicated Kansans who work in our schools are rising.

KNEA Supports: School safety initiatives responsive to the needs identified by educators; maintaining licensing and certification standards that reflect professionalism; restoration of statutory due process for all PK-12 licensed educators; recruitment initiatives that help grow the profession such as college-debt forgiveness, scholarships, and registered apprenticeship programs; strengthening parent and community partnerships to support educators and students; maintaining academic freedom for students and educators.

KNEA Opposes: Policies driven by partisan misinformation that encourage unfair attacks on educators; policies that undermine or usurp the authority of the locally elected board of education; efforts to erode or override the authority and role of the Kansas Department of Education and/or Kansas State Board of Education.

Addressing the growing educator shortage crisis includes the need to ensure that all professional educators are able to earn a living, including savings for life after work. Ensuring a secure and stable retirement system empowers professional educators to enjoy a career free from worrying about making ends meet during retirement.

KNEA Supports: Elimination of the “tier 3” component of KPERS; lifting the cap on earnings for retired educators who return to the classroom; adhering to the statutory funding levels of the KPERS trust fund; fair and reasonable cost of living adjustments for retirees; ensuring a stable defined benefit for all KPERS earners.

KNEA Opposes: Initiatives that negatively impact KPERS unfunded liabilities; increasing employee contribution rates without equal salary increases; schemes to shift KPERS from a defined benefit to a defined contribution program.

Kansas is a state with a diverse population and culture. Whether Kansans enjoy living in rural, suburban, or urban communities, all Kansans- regardless of zip code- deserve access to affordable medical coverage. When families have access to medical care, Kansas kids can learn without worry that their loved ones may struggle through a health crisis.

KNEA Supports: Efforts to combat the effects of poverty, while ensuring equal rights and equity of opportunity for all persons. Further, all Kansas students deserve to learn in safe classrooms that reflect and respect unique cultures, diversity, and backgrounds.

Finally, KNEA supports investing in post-secondary programs from technical and community colleges to public universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents

KNEA Opposes: Any policy intended to limit access to affordable healthcare or benefits associated with social service safety nets; the restriction of participation in programs based on race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity; the reduction of allocated funding to post-secondary programs.

As affirmed by the Kansas Supreme Court, the state constitution requires equitable and adequate funding for PK-12 public education. Full constitutional funding allows every student the opportunity to receive a world-class education and fully funded post-secondary institutions allow students to continue growing their opportunity. Fully funded schools allow school districts to offer competitive salaries and benefits to recruit and retain professional educators.

KNEA Supports: Maintaining funding levels established by the Gannon ruling; full funding of special education; implementation of a cash reserve cap; efforts to increase compensation for professional educators, including education support professionals while strengthening the Professional Negotiations Act.

KNEA Opposes: Voucher schemes that siphon tax dollars from public schools to unaccountable and/or for-profit private schools; accounting gimmicks to dodge statutory requirements

After nearly a decade of reckless fiscal policies and budget mismanagement, Kansas finally has a budget surplus, a rainy day fund, and stability. This has largely contributed to fully funding schools and opens opportunities to make additional crucial investments in our state. Tax policy changes should consider the impact on average Kansans and the overall impact to the state budget.

KNEA Supports: Fair and transparent tax policy that provides relief to Kansans.

KNEA Opposes: Any changes to tax policy that would impact the stability of the state budget, preventing the constitutional funding of public schools; the creation of an imbalanced tax structure that unfairly burdens low-income Kansans.

Kansas NEA is the largest labor union in Kansas. Our members offer insights, expertise and dedication to the profession and students that should be valued. When KNEA members are part of the discussion policy-makers benefit from the authentic point of view that is unique to the professionals who are committed to helping kids discover learning and success. We hope to build relationships with all legislators in an effort to advocate for policies and initiatives that improve the well-being of our members and the students they serve.

KNEA Supports: Efforts to involve our organization and members in discussion and meetings that help guide policy decisions impacting public education.

KNEA Opposes: Efforts to weaken our profession, silence the voice of professional educators, or exclude our members from policy discussions that impact the teaching and learning relationship.

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