LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION

  • During each legislative session, updates are made to this page and include information regarding the latest legislative discussions taking place in Topeka. Contact information for Johnson County Legislators is available on the Legislative Officials link. We encourage you to review the Blue Valley School District's Legislative Positions as well. Thank you for your interest in learning more about issues facing the Blue Valley School District during the legislative session. 

TESTIMONY

  • HB 2048: Private Tax Credit Scholarship (Opponent)

    Date: January 25, 2023
    Submitted by: Dr. Tonya Merrigan, Blue Valley Schools

    Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan submitted testimony opposing HB 2048, which would expand the current Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship Program eligibility from the requirement that they be eligible for the free and reduced lunch program, to include students up to 250% of the federal poverty level.

     

    HB 2218: Sunflower Education Equity Act (opponent)

    Date: February 3, 2023
    Submitted by: Dr. Tonya Merrigan, Blue Valley Schools  


    Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan submitted testimony opposing HB  2218.

     

    SB 83: Private Tax Credit Scholarship (opponent)

    Date: February 3, 2023
    Submitted by: Dr. Tonya Merrigan, Blue Valley Schools  


    Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan submitted testimony opposing SB 83.

     

    KSDE Budget: Amendments to COLA contained in K.S.A 72-5139

    Date: February 13, 2023
    Submitted by: Jeremy McFadden, Blue Valley Schools


    Jeremy McFadden, Blue Valley's director of finance, submitted testimony to amend the cost of living weighting (weighting, not the annual CPI-U adjustment) contained in the school finance formula. 

     

    KSDE Budget: Special Education Funding

    Date: February 16, 2023
    Submitted by: Dr. Tonya Merrigan, Blue Valley Schools


    Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan submitted testimony to the Senate Education committee urging support of funding special education excess costs for all districts, at the 92% level set in statute. 

     

    HB2269 (Proponent)

    Date: March 22, 2023
    Submitted by: Dr. Tonya Merrigan, Blue Valley Schools


    Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan submitted testimony to the Senate Federal & State Affairs Committee in support of HB2269: Amending the Kansas cigarette and tobacco products act to raise the minimum age to 21 years old for the sale, purchase or possession of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes or tobacco products. While this bill reflects great strides towards ending tobacco use in the State of Kansas and offers a robust T21 policy, the Blue Valley district recognizes the best way to protect youth from getting started using e-cigarettes, cigarettes or other tobacco products is to ban all flavors for all products. 

     

    Letter to Blue Valley Delegation Members

    Date: April 20, 2023
    Submitted by: Dr. Tonya Merrigan, Blue Valley Schools


    Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan submitted a letter to Blue Valley Delegation members to reiterate the position of the Blue Valley Board of Education on several key issues: K-12 Budget, Tax Credits and Vouchers, Open Enrollment Bill and COLA. 

JOINT LETTERS FROM JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

  • PRIORITY LEVEL POSITIONS

     

    Fully Fund Special Education

    The current school finance system should be modified to fully fund the excess cost of special education services. Follow this link to learn more or see below. 

     

    Apply At-Risk Funding to Defined Student Measures

    The current school finance system should be modified to include poverty factors and additional indicators such as ELL, student academic performance data, attendance data, foster care, juvenile justice and homelessness so as to meet the needs of these underserved student populations.

     

    Cost of Living Authority

    The cost of living authority is all locally funded. The maximum cost of living authority should be increased above the current 5% cap to allow Blue Valley to attract & retain qualified staff, given the cost-of-living in our district.

     

    Enhance Student Mental Health

    The Blue Valley School District urges expanded support for community-based behavioral and mental health initiatives. Further, the Blue Valley School District supports measures aimed at eliminating the possession, distribution and use of vaping products and other illegal drugs among school-aged students.

     

    Oppose Tax Credits and Vouchers for Private Schools

    Opposes public funding of private schools, including offering public tax credits that decrease state revenue that does not comply with the same standards and requirements of public school districts, including governance by an elected local school board.
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