OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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Almost every school district in Johnson County, Kansas, faces significant budget shortfalls, and for the Blue Valley School District, that means program cuts.
The school district announced last week that it's suspending the Chinese language immersion program, extracurriculars and some admin positions. Blue Valley Schools is $18.9 million short for the upcoming school year and must divert general program funds to help cover special education programs.
This comes as the state of Kansas continues to underfund special education needs for every school in the state.
A Blue Valley Schools family reached out to KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne with their concerns about what this means for the future.
"Our main frustration right now is at the state level and the state continuing to underfund special education," Aaron Kirby said.
Kirby's son has been in Wolf Springs Elementary's Chinese language immersion program for the last three years, but that's now ending with budget cuts.
"If an affluent area such as this in the Blue Valley School District can't find a million dollars to keep this program going, it paints a larger picture of what all school districts are going through," Kirby said.
Kirby's children face a double impact, as they're part of the special education program that the state still doesn't fund enough.
"It's kind of a fear of the unknown," Kirby said. "As we see cuts to regular extracurriculars and programs, we've also seen cuts to para support at Blue Valley as well."
To make up for the budget gaps, the school district is:
- Reducing administrative positions
- Reducing high school coaching positions and performing arts support
- Reducing out-of-area travel.
- Suspending all seventh- and eighth-grade wrestling, cross country and drill/dance team programs
- Reducing district support for Parents as Teachers
- Adjusting staffing in high school gifted education and library media, along with transitions to high school attendance area feeder-based instructional support and social work models
- Reducing some work calendars and contract days, along with changes to benefit eligibility for classified employees and administrators working fewer than 30 hours per week
"We will continue advocating for adequate school funding, including our work alongside other Johnson County school districts to address the state's ongoing underfunding of special education," superintendent Dr. Gillian Chapman stated on the district's website. "With the general election approaching, we also encourage our community to learn about candidates' positions on public education, review the voting records of current elected officials and make informed decisions when voting."
Parents like Kirby explained they've kept calling on candidates and elected officials to address Kansas' underfunding of special education.
"I do not feel that we are being heard," Kirby said. "It's just a troubling time and frustrating time for Kansas parents."
KSHB 41 News is scheduled to sit down with the Blue Valley School District on Wednesday morning.
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