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Kansas TEA debates priorities for Excel/CTE funding as state faces possible budget cuts
Summary
The Kansas Technical Education Authority on Aug. 21 discussed how to prioritize Excel/CTE funding if the state faces budget cuts, weighing options such as entry measures, program prioritization and accountability for failures.
The Kansas Technical Education Authority on Aug. 21 held an extended discussion about Excel/CTE — the state’s program funding concurrent and technical courses for high school students — focusing on program priorities, student entry requirements and fail/retake accountability amid concerns about potential state budget reductions.
Vice President April White and KBOR staff presented six considerations raised by colleges and TEA committees: limiting eligibility by grade level (juniors/seniors), aligning entry with placement scores or multiple measures, addressing failure rates and retake funding, aligning student course-taking with an individual plan of study, prioritizing funding for high-skill/high-wage/high-demand occupations, and improving program accountability and return on investment.
Legal staff advised the authority that the statute defining “high school student” does not give TEA authority to unilaterally restrict Excel/CTE enrollment to juniors and seniors; that change would require legislative action. Members discussed other options including development of multiple entry measures (rather than a single high-stakes placement test), shared quality controls across institutions (probation or sit-out periods for repeated failures), and prioritizing program funding toward occupations identified as high-demand and high-wage.
College leaders and TEA members differed on approach. Community college representatives emphasized aligning funding to occupations in highest workforce need and suggested program review and ROI analysis; technical college representatives cautioned that public discussion of potential cut targets could invite legislative retrenchment and said they prefer defending current funding levels while seeking efficiencies. TEA members asked for better outcome metrics (persistence into postsecondary, credential counts and industry-credential attainment) to inform prioritization.
The authority did not adopt policy changes. Chair Rice asked community and technical college leaders to propose members for a follow-up group; Vice President White and representatives Amber Kanetchen (Cloud County Community College) and Greg Nichols (Salina Area Technical College) agreed to work with KBOR staff on additional analysis and potential recommendations for the TEA.
