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Kathleen Sebelius on Education
Democratic KS Governor
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Engage innovation community with early learning community
The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge will reward states that create comprehensive plans to transform early learning systems with better coordination, clearer learning standards, and meaningful workforce development. Secretary Duncan and Secretary
Sebelius also challenged the broader innovation community--leading researchers, high-tech entrepreneurs, foundations, non-profits and others--to engage with the early learning community and to close the school readiness gap.
States applying for challenge grants will be encouraged to increase access to quality early learning programs for low income and disadvantaged children, design integrated and transparent systems that align their early care and education programs,
bolster training and support for the early learning workforce, create robust evaluation systems to document and share effective practices and successful programs, and help parents make informed decisions about care for their children.
Source: Press release: $500 Million for Race to the Top
, May 25, 2011
Protect and strengthen public schools after years of neglect
She came to office on a pledge to protect education and strengthen Kansas schools after too many years of neglect from the Kansas Legislature. And on public education, Governor Kathleen Sebelius has delivered. Once an active PTA member whose two
grown sons are products of Kansas public schools, Governor Sebelius has been an outspoken advocate for parents, teachers, and taxpayers - and for continuing Kansas’ time-honored commitment to public education.
Source: 2006 Gubernatorial campaign site www.ksgovernor.com “Issues”
, Nov 7, 2006
Education First: Target additional $300M where most needed
My Education First plan will provide an additional $300 million to Kansas schools over the next three years. It’s a responsible plan that targets additional resources to where they are most needed: teachers; early-education programs,
including all-day kindergarten; and at-risk students who need our help to succeed. It invests $10 million in Smart Start programs across the state. Early learning programs are among the best investments we can make in the future.
Source: 2004 State of the State address to the Kansas Legislature
, Jan 12, 2004
Minimize the need for college tuition increases
It’s critical that we do more to sustain our institutions of higher learning.
Because of our difficult financial times, we have failed to keep a promise made to the state’s colleges and universities to provide funding to retain key faculty and minimize the need for tuition increases. My proposal fulfills that promise.
Source: 2004 State of the State address to the Kansas Legislature
, Jan 12, 2004
Review district finances and bring efficiency
I propose we create a school audit team in the Division of the Budget to review district finances and help schools become more efficient. I expect these reviews, which have been successfully launched in Texas, Virginia, and a handful of other states,
will provide that confidence to taxpayers and parents. I believe they’ll help Kansas school districts streamline their management and business practices so that more dollars reach the classroom and fewer are spent on unnecessary layers of bureaucracy.
Source: 2004 State of the State address to the Kansas Legislature
, Jan 12, 2004
Pay teachers adequately and provide them with health care
In exchange for additional resources, we must also demand that school districts be good employers. We must demand that they adequately pay teachers
and provide them with the health coverage that other public employees enjoy. We know that health insurance is a powerful recruitment and retention tool. Providing it to teachers will keep talent in Kansas classrooms.
Source: 2004 State of the State address to the Kansas Legislature
, Jan 12, 2004
Increase state funding instead of local property taxes
Sebelius called for increases in the base per-pupil state funding. “Legislative increases have not kept pace with inflation,” she said, “which forces the school districts to fall back on local property taxes to finance their budget.”
The problem is those property taxes vary statewide & some school districts are receiving much more funding than others. “Quality education should not be an accident of geography,” she said. “It should be funded at the state level.”
Source: Kansas State eCollegian, “Sebelius Discusses Issues”
, Oct 7, 2002
Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice.
Sebelius adopted the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":
Create World-Class Public Schools
Now more than ever, quality public education is the key to equal opportunity and upward mobility in America. Yet our neediest children often attend the worst schools. While lifting the performance of all schools, we must place special emphasis on strengthening those institutions serving, and too often failing, low-income students.
To close this achievement and opportunity gap, underperforming public schools need more resources, and above all, real accountability for results. Accountability means ending social promotion, measuring student performance with standards-based assessments, and testing teachers for subject-matter competency.
As we demand accountability, we should ensure that every school has the resources needed to achieve higher standards, including safe and modern physical facilities, well-paid teachers and staff, and opportunities for remedial help after school and during summers.
Parents, too, must accept greater responsibility for supporting their children’s education.
We need greater choice, competition, and accountability within the public school system, not a diversion of public funds to private schools that are unaccountable to taxpayers. With research increasingly showing the critical nature of learning in the early years, we should move toward universal access to pre-kindergarten education.
Goals for 2010 - Turn around every failing public school.
- Make charter schools an option in every state and community.
- Offer every parent a choice of public schools to which to send his or her child.
- Make sure every classroom has well-qualified teachers who know the subjects they teach, and pay teachers more for performance.
- Create a safe, clean, healthy, disciplined learning environment for every student.
- Make pre-kindergarten education universally available.
Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC2 on Aug 1, 2000
Page last updated: Jan 13, 2017