Bill would apply virtual‑school graduation‑rate adjustment to all Kansas public high schools for accreditation

The House Committee on Education held a hearing on substitute Senate Bill 45, which would use an alternative graduation‑rate calculation for accreditation purposes across all Kansas public high schools by excluding certain transfer students from those accreditation calculations.

The committee chair opened the hearing by saying the substitute “takes that alternative graduation rate calculation that was already in law for virtual schools … and adds that to a new provision of law that’s applicable to any public school in the state,” a summary provided by Jason Long, legislative reviser.

Why it matters: Supporters said the change would prevent virtual schools from being penalized for enrolling students who arrive credit‑deficient or who later transfer out to nonaccredited private schools or out of state, showing a more accurate picture of schools’ performance for accreditation. Opponents raised concerns about parity, roles between the legislature and the State Board of Education, and how the change would sit alongside federally required graduation‑rate reporting.

What the bill would do: According to the reviser, the substitute removes language currently limited to the Virtual School Act (KSA 72‑3713) and makes the alternative graduation‑rate calculation available for any school operated by a school district for State Board of Education accreditation purposes. The reviser said the change would take effect July 1 and apply beginning with the 2025–26 school year.

Testimony and evidence: Travis Lowe, representing Stride and the Insight School of Kansas, told the committee the virtual schools he represents enroll high school students from about 150 districts and that excluding students who arrive credit‑deficient increases their reported graduation rate by roughly 10 to 15 percent. Lowe said, “If this bill was to become law, it would increase our graduation rate another 3%” for the official 2024 rate.

Shannon Kimball of the Kansas Association of School Boards said KASB appears before the committee as a neutral proponent after amendments that apply the alternative calculation to brick‑and‑mortar schools as well as virtual schools. Kimball urged that the law preserve parity between district‑operated virtual public high schools and district brick‑and‑mortar high schools for accreditation purposes.

The Kansas State Department of Education explained the federal requirement that will remain in force even if the bill passes. A KSDE official told the committee that the state must calculate a cohort graduation rate under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (34 CFR 200.34) using the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the adjusted cohort. The official said some students may be removed from a cohort only with written documentation showing they transferred to another school or program expected to award a regular high school diploma, emigrated, were incarcerated in a facility that provides a diploma program, or died. The official also noted that the state’s federal rate must remain on public report cards, meaning KSDE would calculate two different graduation rates if the bill becomes law.

Fiscal and implementation notes: KSDE said it completed a fiscal note and does not anticipate additional staffing to calculate the alternate accreditation rate, stating the department could produce the additional calculation within existing resources. The department also told the committee that state funding for a full‑time virtual student is currently $5,600 and that funding is prorated for part‑time FTEs.

Unresolved questions and concerns: Committee members asked about how the bill would treat students who move between Kansas districts while credit‑deficient, juvenile facility education programs, and how many incarcerated students exist in the state system; KSDE said those data points would need follow‑up. The State Board of Education submitted written opposition testimony from Chairman Kathy Hopkins and member Danny Zick, according to the chair.

Next steps: The chair closed the hearing after the informational briefing from KSDE. She reported that the substitute originated in the Senate and carried a 39‑2 vote out of that chamber. No committee vote was recorded in the hearing record provided.