Chairman Lewis and Members of the Committee:

Olathe Public Schools is the second-largest school district in the state. In addition to outstanding student achievement in the classrooms, many of our 28,500 students engage in the available extracurricular athletic, academic, and social activities.

The safety of our students and staff are a priority, highlighted, unfortunately last spring, when our school safety officers had to address a student incident. In addition to our investment in school resource officers and security measures, we are also committed to helping our students’ behavioral health needs both on campuses and with community partners.

Because of our extensive student engagement in activities year-round, and the flow of non-students and staff on our campuses, House Bill 2324 is a valuable tool available for county attorneys to address incidents. We appreciate the introduction of this bill and support its passage.

We appreciate the opportunity to testify.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager

Chair Erickson and Members of the Committee:

We’re providing testimony on SB 47 because many of the procedural proposals are requirements beyond the usual and customary procedures for all elected governing bodies in Kansas. Olathe Public Schools supports active and engaged Board leadership and participation in every aspect of our district. We conform to many of the provisions of the bill regarding Board activities and encourage all districts to do the same if are not already.

The bill’s board procedure provisions allow any single board member to modify, change, expand, or remove agenda items is contrary to common procedure, and would be disruptive to business of any elected body, including the Legislature. The same provisions regarding public comment apply as well.

Finally, for a district of our size, given our number of students and schools, the bill requiring board members unlimited and even unknown access to any district property raising any number of issues, including legal and safety issues.

SB 47 appears to be instigated by the actions of one or two districts and a limited number of persons. Statewide policy is best set with our focus on the boarder issues that many districts may experience, not anecdotes.

We appreciate the opportunity to testify.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager

Chair Estes and Members of the Committee:

Olathe Public Schools supports House Bill 2139 and the increasing of the threshold under which the board of education of every unified school district may delegate to the superintendent of schools the power to execute contracts on behalf of the district for the purchase of goods and services if the value of such goods is under $50,000 or less, vs. the current $20,000 referenced in Sec. 2. K.S.A. 72-1151.

Olathe Public Schools serves approximately 29,033 students in fifty-one public schools in five high schools, ten middle schools, and thirty-six elementary schools. Our Board of Education and staff pride themselves on being good stewards of taxpayers' dollars. Internal processes exist aside from this statute that ensure fair and competitive pricing is obtained for all our purchases. However, with the size of our district and nearly a half- billion dollar budget the $20,000 threshold established in 2006 creates an unwarranted inefficiency in our system. Based on our volume of purchases the $20,000 threshold is exceeded regularly, adding time and cost to the procurement process, something smaller districts do not face.

The proposed $50,000 threshold will alleviate the inefficiencies related to seeking Board approval on routine purchases, that due to our size exceed the long unadjusted $20,000 threshold. The time saved in a more efficient process around a $50,000 threshold can be better utilized for other financial matters we deal with.

We appreciate the opportunity to testify.

Chief Financial Officer John Hutchison

Chair Erickson and Members of the Committee:

Olathe Public Schools opposed Senate Bill 49 and the mandated use of staff and board resources in a manner that is less efficient, more costly, and divergent from our mission to educate children. We support policies that reduce administrative burdens when current procedures produce the same statutory required results with less use of resources.

Olathe Public Schools serves approximately 29,033 students in fifty-one public schools in five high schools, ten middle schools, and thirty-six elementary schools. The time, energy, and concentration of resources to comply with the provisions of SB 49 are not costs.

The focus and commitment of our Board to our community is on setting and fulfilling high expectations for all our students. Our Board focuses valuable resources on ensuring students have the opportunity to succeed in special education, at-risk programs, with quality, committed staff. Our robust school improvement system holds schools accountable for academic achievement and progress. Senate Bill 49 adds administrative burdens with limited impact.

The current assessment process maximizes efficiency so that Board members and all staff do not have time to participate. As with each function of elected leadership, their skills and time are valued and not best expended in the exercises of the provisions of SB 49.

We appreciate the opportunity to testify.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager

Chairman Hoheisel and Members of the Committee:

Olathe Public Schools supports House Bill 2129 and the movement of current KPERS 3 teacher employees to the KPERS 2 program.

Olathe Public Schools serves approximately 29,033 students with a district that employs over 4,500 employees, including teachers, classified personnel, and administrators. We are one of the largest employers in Johnson County and the Kansas City area. Quality teachers are essential to maintain the high student outcomes. Our proximity to the Missouri border presents a number of challenges for a large employer competing with the private sector in two states and public entities as well.

There is no easy solution, particularly if the change were to include administrators and other school personnel in addition to teachers, which is our ideal. We recognize the price is high, but the benefits to our employees are long-lasting. Finally, we hope this hearing creates discussion to begin exploring methods to make KPERS 3 more appealing for employees and affordable for the state. We cannot afford to lose great educators.

We appreciate the opportunity to testify.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager

Chairman Goetz and Members of the Committee:

Olathe Public Schools supports the Kansas Department of Education and Governor Laura Kelly’s budget recommendations.

Olathe Public Schools operates 58 public schools, serving approximately 29,033 students. The second largest school district in the state has over 4,500 employees, 32 percent free and reduced lunch qualifying students, a large special education population, and maintains an almost 95 percent graduation rate.

The 2024 Legislature fully funded the K-12 budget that included the base funding as well as over $72 million in special education funding. We thank them for their commitment to valuable resources that help us serve our community and the needs of students. In Olathe, almost every dollar of new money went directly to our staff compensation and benefits. Our large population of special education students, and the district commitment to serving them, requires continued funding to fulfill the special education cost demands in pursuit of reaching the statutorily required 92 percent of excess costs.

We support the State Department of Education’s budget to continue to fund the K-12 schools adequately and equitably. The Governor’s budget recommendations adding to K-12 funding request fulfills that on-going commitment and the recommendations should be included in the approved budget.

• Governor recommends fully funding base state aid and $72.6 million for SPED, and the same amount for the next four years to reach 92 percent excess cost funding in 2029.
• Includes a two-year budget request to ease district budget planning.
• Proposes the state pays school meals co-pay cost for 37,000 students in the reduced income lunch program. Cost $5.5 million. Also recommends $500,000 to pay AP testing for low-income students.

Thank you for your continued support for funding Kansas public schools.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager

Chairwoman Erickson and Members of the Committee:

On behalf of Olathe Public Schools, I am submitting written opposition testimony on Senate Bill 75 that creates an income tax credit for non-public schools and entities.
Olathe Public Schools relies on the leadership of our elected school board members to guide key policy priorities that benefit our students. The Board-approved Legislative Statement for 2025 includes the following statement:

• We support using public dollars to support public schools and oppose programs, including vouchers, education saving accounts, opportunity scholarships, tax credit scholarships, tuition tax credits as well as individual tax credits and deductions allowing guardians to receive state income tax relief for approved educational expenses, that divert public funding from public education to schools that are not held to the same legal requirements as public schools.

Senate Bill 75 specifically includes a number of provisions that provide funds to families through a refundable tax credit up to $8,000 per child for use in non-public schools and homeschools at a cost of $125 million per year. Among our specific concerns and reasons for our opposition are the following.

• SB 75 provides for automatic cost accelerators to the public as high as 25 percent per year.
• The refundable tax benefit means even those with no tax liability will receive the benefit.
• The taxpayer funds would pay families for the cost of buying services from organizations that:
  • Recipients are not required to serve all students.
  • Recipients can discriminate in the students they admit.
  • Recipients are allowed to reject students with special education needs.
  • Recipients have little or no accountability and oversight over how public funds are spent.

These features of Senate Bill 75 are directly opposed to the policies our Board has adopted. We have many issues to address together to improve and enhance the historical commitment to public education. We look forward to working with you on a great number of other issues, but Senate Bill 75 reduces resources to address the issues that face every child, family, teacher, and public school.

Thank you for your continued support for funding Kansas public schools.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager