KLRD presents KSDE budget overview: $5.0B SGF request, $6.7B total; enhancements for special education and school safety highlighted
January 23, 2026 | Committee on K-12 Education Budget, Standing, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Kansas
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KLRD analyst Jennifer Light told the Committee on K-12 Education Budget that the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) agency request for fiscal 2026 totals just under $5,000,000,000 from the State General Fund (SGF) and just over $6,700,000,000 in all funds. Light said the FY2026 analysis in the packet starts on page 11 and incorporates the fall 2024 education consensus but not the spring 2025 consensus, which came after the legislature adjourned.
Why it matters: the packet frames baseline spending for state aid, state operations and other assistance, and it anchors the committee’s work this week on what the legislature will include in the budget bill. Light also highlighted that $36,400,000 in SGF was reappropriated from FY2025 to FY2026 for items including state foundation aid, supplemental state aid, special education state aid, KPERS contributions and school district juvenile detention facilities (the latter shows a lapse of just over $588,000 in the current bill).
Key details: Light said the unweighted FTE enrollment for FY2026 is about 449,000 students; Matthew Willis provided a headcount of 471,334 students for the 2025–26 school year (count day Sept. 20). KLRD flagged $14,900,000 in ARPA funds unspent in FY2025 that are budgeted for 2026, and noted a net decrease of eight FTE positions and roughly $925,000 in all funds due to elimination of vacant or federally funded positions and the addition of two new FTEs (a policy analyst and a public service executive).
Enhancements and governor differences: For FY2027 the agency requested several enhancements, including a $92,200,000 SGF increase for special education state aid (raising the excess-cost percentage to 77.4%). Light said the governor’s recommendation includes $50,600,000 for special education rather than the full agency request. The agency also asked for $15,000,000 SGF to reinstate the Safe and Secure Schools grants; Light said prior appropriations have been about $5,000,000 in some years and that districts must provide a dollar‑for‑dollar match. Other enhancement requests listed included professional development ($1,800,000), mentor teacher program reinstatement ($1,300,000), e‑rate state match ($500,000), national board certification support ($360,000), State Board of Education compensation ($129,000) and a modest SGF request to cover an agency rent increase (~$99,000).
On transfers and funding sources, Light explained a transfer historically came from the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) to support KSDE’s e‑rate state operations. She said KBOR has requested no additional transfers; the governor’s recommendation deletes the KBOR transfer and does not replace it with SGF, instead relying on leftover FY26 funds to cover FY27 operations absent a replacement. The committee asked KLRD to follow up with the fiscal analyst and the agency for details on the status of those transfers.
Other structural changes: Light said the governor’s budget moves the Children’s Cabinet from KSDE to the new Office of Early Childhood for FY2027 (deleting $45,500,000 in all funds and 7.5 FTE from KSDE in the governor’s proposal). The governor also recommended moving some programs from the CIF to SGF (including the pre‑K pilot) and proposed an additional $2,500,000 SGF to help cover co‑pay costs for breakfast and lunch for low‑income students.
Process and next steps: Light reminded members that budget committee reports for the School for the Blind and the School for the Deaf will be emailed for review; members must reply if they disagree with KLRD reports. The committee will hear agency testimony Monday and stakeholder testimony Tuesday; the chair said members may be able to vote on recommendations Thursday with a final vote out planned for the following Monday.
Quote: "The Department of Education is just under $5,000,000,000 in SGF and just over $6,700,000,000 in all funds," said Jennifer Light of KLRD, summarizing the packet totals.
What’s unresolved: Members asked KLRD to confirm the layout/labels on some tables and to provide more detail on the COVID‑era 'transactions' program, SFRF and the status of KBOR transfers. KLRD offered to provide follow‑up tables on CIF/tobacco estimates and to return with the agency Monday for technical questions.
The committee adjourned after reminders about upcoming materials and scheduling.
Why it matters: the packet frames baseline spending for state aid, state operations and other assistance, and it anchors the committee’s work this week on what the legislature will include in the budget bill. Light also highlighted that $36,400,000 in SGF was reappropriated from FY2025 to FY2026 for items including state foundation aid, supplemental state aid, special education state aid, KPERS contributions and school district juvenile detention facilities (the latter shows a lapse of just over $588,000 in the current bill).
Key details: Light said the unweighted FTE enrollment for FY2026 is about 449,000 students; Matthew Willis provided a headcount of 471,334 students for the 2025–26 school year (count day Sept. 20). KLRD flagged $14,900,000 in ARPA funds unspent in FY2025 that are budgeted for 2026, and noted a net decrease of eight FTE positions and roughly $925,000 in all funds due to elimination of vacant or federally funded positions and the addition of two new FTEs (a policy analyst and a public service executive).
Enhancements and governor differences: For FY2027 the agency requested several enhancements, including a $92,200,000 SGF increase for special education state aid (raising the excess-cost percentage to 77.4%). Light said the governor’s recommendation includes $50,600,000 for special education rather than the full agency request. The agency also asked for $15,000,000 SGF to reinstate the Safe and Secure Schools grants; Light said prior appropriations have been about $5,000,000 in some years and that districts must provide a dollar‑for‑dollar match. Other enhancement requests listed included professional development ($1,800,000), mentor teacher program reinstatement ($1,300,000), e‑rate state match ($500,000), national board certification support ($360,000), State Board of Education compensation ($129,000) and a modest SGF request to cover an agency rent increase (~$99,000).
On transfers and funding sources, Light explained a transfer historically came from the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) to support KSDE’s e‑rate state operations. She said KBOR has requested no additional transfers; the governor’s recommendation deletes the KBOR transfer and does not replace it with SGF, instead relying on leftover FY26 funds to cover FY27 operations absent a replacement. The committee asked KLRD to follow up with the fiscal analyst and the agency for details on the status of those transfers.
Other structural changes: Light said the governor’s budget moves the Children’s Cabinet from KSDE to the new Office of Early Childhood for FY2027 (deleting $45,500,000 in all funds and 7.5 FTE from KSDE in the governor’s proposal). The governor also recommended moving some programs from the CIF to SGF (including the pre‑K pilot) and proposed an additional $2,500,000 SGF to help cover co‑pay costs for breakfast and lunch for low‑income students.
Process and next steps: Light reminded members that budget committee reports for the School for the Blind and the School for the Deaf will be emailed for review; members must reply if they disagree with KLRD reports. The committee will hear agency testimony Monday and stakeholder testimony Tuesday; the chair said members may be able to vote on recommendations Thursday with a final vote out planned for the following Monday.
Quote: "The Department of Education is just under $5,000,000,000 in SGF and just over $6,700,000,000 in all funds," said Jennifer Light of KLRD, summarizing the packet totals.
What’s unresolved: Members asked KLRD to confirm the layout/labels on some tables and to provide more detail on the COVID‑era 'transactions' program, SFRF and the status of KBOR transfers. KLRD offered to provide follow‑up tables on CIF/tobacco estimates and to return with the agency Monday for technical questions.
The committee adjourned after reminders about upcoming materials and scheduling.
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