College students taking classes remotely could be in line for a refund if Republican legislators frustrated with state universities over their COVID-19 mitigation efforts have their way.
It comes as part of a broader fight over whether residents are due compensation for inconveniences stemming from COVID-19 lockdowns in the early days of the pandemic, including families whose children in K-12 schools were learning from home.
At Kansas Board of Regents institutions, disruptions have continued up through the present day, although how many students are taking classes remotely varies from university to university. At Emporia State University, three-quarters of students are learning in person; at Kansas State University that figure is 28%.
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Staff and Wire Reports
photo by: Associated Press
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly discusses the COVID-19 pandemic during a Statehouse news conference, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna)
TOPEKA Kansas anticipates getting at least $1.1 billion from the latest federal coronavirus relief package and expects to spend about half of it on K-12 schools, higher education and grants for child care, state data shows.
About $168 million is earmarked for testing, tracing and mitigation and another $26 million is planned for vaccine distribution, according to data provided by J.G. Scott, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department. How the money is spent is dictated by federal law.
The Kansas Legislature will kick off its session Monday afternoon for what is sure to be a session like no other. Following off an unprecedented year and amid a pandemic, there will be many issues lawmakers will have to tackle.
With a supermajority, Kansas Republicans will have a massive say in what will be brought up or not. Here are seven major issues that could be of noteworthy attention.
State budget
The state’s multi-billion-dollar spending document is always tough to wrangle, but that difficulty will be magnified this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and its corresponding effect on state finances.