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By JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) â Kansas legislators on Friday easily approved a bipartisan measure boosting education spending to what was touted as full funding for public schools while also making more students eligible for private school scholarships.
The Republican-controlled Senate approved the measure, 35-4, and the GOP-controlled House passed it, 107-9, sending the package of dollars and policy changes to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Almost all of the no votes came from conservative Republicans.
The governor signaled that she would sign the bill by publicly taking credit for it. Kelly, facing a potentially difficult 2022 reelection race, said she had âdelivered on education, and did right by our kids. The bill would increase aid to the state s 286 school districts by 5.3%, to $5.2 billion.
GOP drops choice plan in Kansas school funding debate
JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer
May 6, 2021
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1of5Kansas state Sens. Molly Baumgardner, left, R-Louisburg; Renee Erickson, center, R-Wichita, and Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, huddle during talks with the House over the final version of school funding and education policy legislation, Thursday, May 6, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Their talks are under way even though Republican legislative leaders and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly have not struck a deal on education issues.John Hanna/APShow MoreShow Less
2of5Kansas state Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, follows comments from senators during negotiations between the House and Senate over education funding and policy, Thursday, May 6, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Williams is the chair of a House committee on education spending and is working to tie funding for public schools to proposals to help some parents send their children
Senate President Ty Masterson said Friday an agreement has been reached where Gov. Laura Kelly will sign a multi-billion-dollar school funding bill into law, following days of negotiations between top officials.
The bill is a necessary second act after conservatives pushed to separate public education funding from the state budget and tie it to a slate of school choice policies.
The move backfired after the sweeping and hotly debated proposal died in the Kansas Senate last month, prompting lawmakers to scramble back to the drawing board.
A final product was forged between House and Senate negotiators Thursday evening after days of closed-door negotiations. It passed both chambers Friday and head s to the governor s desk.