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Senate budget panel recommends pay parity, extra days and SIBF capital projects for School for the Deaf
Summary
The committee recommended certified teacher pay increases ($375,000 FY26; $391,400 FY27), approved adding six extra school days (including pay for paraprofessionals and dorm staff), and cleared SIBF-funded capital projects including a $1.2M Emery dorm remodel and $1.8M powerhouse demolition, sending the amended budget to Ways and Means.
The Special Committee on the State Budget approved a package of recommendations for the Kansas State School for the Deaf, advancing pay parity for certified teachers, adding six additional school days and approving several State Institutions Building Fund (SIBF) capital projects before passing the amended budget to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
Senator Pate moved to add funding for certified teacher pay for FY2026 (motion later confirmed at $375,000 for FY26 and $391,400 for FY27); Senator Sykes seconded. "The amount for fiscal year 2026 would be $375,000 SGF. The amount for fiscal year 2027 is $391,400," Jennifer said while explaining the agency and SBC figures. The committee approved that recommendation by voice vote.
Senator Shane then moved to capture the additional six school days for both FY2026 and FY2027 so the calendar and related pay applied across staff categories. Staff clarified that the negotiated certified-teacher pay figures are year-based and that adding six days for paraprofessionals, dorm teachers, kitchen staff, nursing staff and long-term substitutes increases total costs (staff enumerated line-item increases that produce the higher totals shown on committee documents). After discussion, the committee approved the six-day recommendation.
On capital requests drawn from the SIBF, Senator Shane moved to fund an Emery Elementary dorm remodel to address water leakage affecting instructional space and proposed $1,200,000 for the project; the committee approved the recommendation. Shane also moved and the committee approved a $1,800,000 recommendation to demolish a dated powerhouse structure on campus to conclude prior capital projects and allow more flexible campus use. Staff noted SIBF balances and that the joint committee on state building construction had not yet finalized recommendations for these projects.
The chair also moved a governor-request "DOB adjustment" to delete a $300,000 SGF duplicate allocation tied to three resource teachers; staff described the duplication as a clerical error and the committee approved the correction. After completing these items, the committee voted to pass out the School for the Deaf budget recommendation as amended to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The committee’s decisions were procedural recommendations to the Senate Ways and Means Committee and do not by themselves appropriate funds; they reflect the panel’s position going into the broader budget process.
