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Sparkwheel asks for $1.37 million to add 12 student-support positions, serve another 4,500 Kansas students
Summary
Sparkwheel told the K-12 budget committee it currently supports 22,000 Kansas students and seeks $1.37 million to fund 12 new student-support coordinator positions to strengthen feeder patterns and expand services to an additional ~4,500 students.
Ethan Sperling, vice president for policy and government relations for Sparkwheel, told the Committee on K-12 Education Budget that Sparkwheel operates in 40 Kansas schools and serves more than 22,000 students across early childhood through postsecondary transitions. He asked the committee for $1.37 million to fund 12 additional student-support coordinator positions to expand services and strengthen a feeder-pattern model that follows students from elementary through early careers.
"With legislative support, Sparkwheel will serve an additional 4,500 Kansas students by expanding services," Sperling said, and provided a budget breakdown showing the figure includes wages, benefits, program materials, evaluation and technology costs.
Committee members asked whether the requested amount assumed local district matches; Sperling said the expansion targets districts where Sparkwheel already has a presence and that the figures do not include local matching funds. Kelly Stamford, Sparkwheel’s chief program officer, said districts currently pay a cost share for existing programs and that local buy-in is critical to program success.
Sperling characterized the program’s funding model as braided public and private investment, including TANF grants and partnerships with local United Ways and businesses. The committee did not act on the request during the hearing.
