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• Introduced in the Senate on February 13, 2008, to increase funding of K-12 education by distributing "Medicaid Replacement State Aid" to those districts having Medicaid-eligible special education students, for the stated purpose of replacing federal Medicaid dollars to Kansas schools that were curbed in recent years. The bill is estimated to increase state spending by $23 million next year.
  • Referred to the Senate Education Committee on February 14, 2008.
    • Reported in the Senate on March 25, 2008, recommending the bill be passed as amended. Senate committe changed the funding to cover only those Medicaid special education students actually receiving school services rather than those who are Medicaid eligible. The committee also inserted a plan to guarantee no reduction in state special education funding for any district and to redistribute, beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, any future increases in state special education funds so that first priority for increases would go to school districts that receive less than 92 percent of the "excess costs" of providing special education services during the preceding school year.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Janis Lee (D) on April 1, 2008, to delete the proposal for guaranteeing and redistributing state special education funds that was added by Senate committee. The amendment passed in the Senate (15 to 14) on April 1, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Janis Lee (D) on April 1, 2008, to create a special education task force to advise the Legislature about reforming the current formula for distributing special education funds. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on April 1, 2008.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Janis Lee (D) on April 1, 2008, to require the distribution of special education funds to each district without considering any other state funds that the district may receive. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on April 1, 2008.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Janis Lee (D) on April 1, 2008, to accelerate the date that the bill would become effective. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on April 1, 2008.
• Passed in the Senate (30 to 9) on April 2, 2008, to increase funding of K-12 education by distributing "Medicaid Replacement State Aid" to those districts having Medicaid-eligible special education students, and to create a special education task force to advise the Legislature. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on April 2, 2008.
  • Referred to the House Education Committee on April 3, 2008.