Topeka government relations official briefs Olathe board on K‑12 budget fights, vouchers and pension proposals

Stuart Little, government relations representative in Topeka, told the Olathe Board of Education on the board’s February meeting that the 2025 legislative session is advancing rapidly and that education-related proposals are drawing intense attention.

"So we are, third of the way through the legislative session," Little said, describing a faster schedule that aims to adjourn in mid‑April and a House budget process that differs from past years.

Little summarized the House appropriations activity affecting K‑12: the governor had proposed $72 million to accelerate special education funding toward a 92% statutory target by 2029; a House committee reduced that recommendation to $30 million and approved it by unanimous vote. He said the governor’s proposed $5.5 million to cover co‑pays for families on reduced‑price lunch was reduced to $2 million in committee. Little also said the committee included funding for AP exam fees for at‑risk students.

He flagged a set of large, high‑cost proposals that could reshape district revenue and program choices. One is an $8,000 refundable tax credit intended for nonpublic‑school expenses; Little said it would cost about $125 million in its first year and is drafted as refundable (meaning a filer could receive a payment even with little or no tax liability). "It's pretty wide open," Little said of the bill’s reporting and oversight, noting limited auditing or reporting requirements in the current text.

Little described a pension discussion focused on moving classroom teachers from KPERS tier 3 to tier 2, an idea that would raise long‑term costs dramatically and faces steep price tags — he estimated changes could carry hundreds of millions of dollars and said the bill is unlikely to advance in its current form. He also warned of a separate measure affecting how local public funds are invested; if passed it could reduce interest income available to school districts.

On property taxes, Little said the Senate passed a constitutional amendment capping taxable appraisal growth at 3% year over year; he noted the speaker of the House opposed taking action on the measure.

Looking ahead, Little said the newly formed K‑12 education funding task force has an aggressive schedule and aims to deliver recommendations by the end of 2025 so the legislature can consider a rewritten finance formula in 2026. He said the task force will study models from other states and may include proposals related to school choice.

Little listed other bills under consideration, including proposals on board governance and agenda control, a bill that would require schools to use a student’s birth pronouns unless parents provide written consent, and a measure that would create accreditation risk if districts do not meet academic progress benchmarks. He also cited a bill to add antisemitism specifically to the state Human Rights Commission’s list of prohibited discriminatory practices and said that bill would grant the attorney general authority to intervene on request.

Board members pressed Little for details on budget backfill if a mill levy reduction passes and on oversight for the refundable tax credit. "Well, it's written in the bill, but we still have to trust," Little said when asked whether a proposed cut from 20 mills to 18.5 would be backfilled by the state; he described a budget mechanism that would earmark the transfer but warned that future legislatures could change it.

Why it matters: the mix of budget adjustments and broad‑scope bills Little described could reduce local revenue, alter benefit and retirement structures and move public dollars into private‑school spending — all of which would affect Olathe Public Schools’ finances and programming if enacted.

Board response and next steps: board members asked about livestreaming and public access to the K‑12 task force and asked Little how constituents can engage. Little recommended watching the task force work and contacting legislators at key decision points. Superintendent Douglas Yeager and other district staff said they will circulate Little’s written report and any testimony the district submits so staff and parents can follow developments.

Sources: remarks by Stuart Little, government relations, Topeka, to the Olathe Board of Education (legislative update).