The Advocate - A KASB Podcast

Kyle Carlin joins Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball to discuss a recent school funding presentation to the Kansas Education Funding Task Force and why he believes critical context—including student needs, special education funding, and pandemic impacts—is missing from the conversation. Learn how funding data shapes education policy and why the details matter for Kansas students and schools.

As the Kansas Legislature heads into the veto session, Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball unpack what the final weeks of the 2026 session mean for public schools. From a narrowly passed state budget to last‑minute policy moves, this episode examines a growing pattern at the Statehouse: rising mandates, persistent underfunding, and increasing costs shifted onto local school districts. The hosts break...

As the Kansas legislative session nears First Adjournment, the state’s special education funding crisis remains unresolved—and is growing more urgent. In this solo episode of The Advocate , host Shannon Kimball breaks down where things stand, from an unexpected halt in House activity to the fast-moving shift into conference committee negotiations. This episode covers: Key education bills still in...

This week on The Advocate , Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball break down a fast-moving week at the Kansas Statehouse. They discuss the Senate’s debate over a statewide bell-to-bell cell phone ban, ongoing budget negotiations around special education funding and a controversial amendment related to student walkouts and truancy. The episode also covers legislation impacting local school governance, sc...

In this episode of The Advocate , hosts Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball return after turnaround week to find the pace at the Kansas Legislature picking up. They break down major developments in the state budget, including ongoing debates around special education funding, where both House and Senate proposals fall significantly short of meeting legal obligations—leaving local districts and taxpayer...

Turnaround Week has come and gone at the Kansas Legislature, and in this episode of The Advocate , hosts Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball break down what it all means for Kansas public schools. From the fast-moving action on the House floor to a quieter Senate, this episode unpacks the biggest education bills still in play — including the evolving cell phone ban, major changes to bond election comm...

It’s officially crunch time at the Kansas Statehouse — and this week on The Advocate , Shannon and Leah unpack the bills that could reshape public education in Kansas for years to come. We’re talking: A full-blown special education funding crisis, with districts forced to pull nearly half a billion dollars from classroom budgets just to meet legal obligations. The House passage of HB 2468, the fed...

This week on the podcast, Leah and Shannon tackle one of the biggest issues facing public schools: the widening gap between expectations and funding. In this episode, they break down how that gap is playing out from Washington, D.C. to the Kansas Statehouse — starting with federal education funding for 2026 and what “flat funding” really means for schools facing rising costs. A major focus of the...

It’s been another busy week at the Statehouse, and KASB is back with a full legislative update. In this episode, Leah and Shannon break down key committee hearings on election policy, school meals, and school finance, including testimony on bills that could criminalize public officials’ speech, require income verification for free meals and mandate toilet training for school entry. They also highl...

Are charter schools coming to Kansas—and what would that mean for public education? In this episode of The Advocate , Leah and Shannon recap one of the busiest weeks yet at the Statehouse. They break down major bills impacting local school governance, including HB 2452 on school board elections, expanding voucher proposals and legislation that could open the door to charter school expansion throug...

The 2026 Kansas legislative session is moving fast, and education is front and center. Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball break down key developments from opening week, including proposed cell phone restrictions in schools, KASB’s concerns with SB 302 and HB 2421, and what’s next as these bills advance. They also cover highlights from the Governor’s budget, including special education funding, school...

The Kansas Legislature’s Education Funding Task force met throughout 2025 to discuss possible changes to the state’s constitutional school funding formula, which will expire in 2027. Join Leah and Shannon for an analysis of the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Task Force's deliberations, the outlook for 2026, and why school board members need to be prepared to advocate for all Kansas kids....

In this episode of The Advocate podcast, Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball dive into the implications of the federal education funding freeze and what it means for Kansas public schools. They explain how recent actions by the U.S. Department of Education have stalled key K-12 funding streams and how the U.S. Congress enacted a controversial nationwide voucher program."  The conversation outline...

The quicker-than-usual legislative session is over. Leah and Shannon discuss what happened in the veto session, as well as the year as a whole. Underfunding, misinformation, tax plans, voucher bills and an extension for the statewide mill levy headlined some of the top education issues this year.  Be on the lookout for the KASB Legislative Listening Tour in August and September to make sure your v...

Leah and Shannon discuss what the legislature accomplished before its first adjournment. The K-12 budget plan was finalized with only $10 million in additional SPED money for 2026, though it will only look like $7.5 million. The two talk about what this means, as well as what programs were cut going forward. They also look at tax plans and a bill that would allow the attorney general to step into...

Leah and Shannon discuss issues that they, and other education advocates, are encountering with legislators not fully-grasping school funding topics like: cash balances and differences between general education, local option budget and SPED funding.  The two are monitoring the Senate's budget plan without additional SPED funding in the future and cuts to programs this fiscal year. That is exp...

Leah and Shannon discuss the flurry of bills being debated in Topeka before the legislature's first adjournment. The Senate is proposing SPED gets no new dollars for next year. The pronouns bill advances in the House, and a voucher bill and school board micromanagement bill get House committee hearings. Wednesday, March 12 is our KASB Day at the Statehouse! Sign up to join us: kasb.org/events

Leah and Shannon talk about the busy week ahead. The SPED funding battle still looms large in budget discussions, multiple tax bills could affect school funding and some positive bills on mental health and KPERS are expected to be discussed this week.

Leah and Shannon discuss the Senate passing two bills, one a voucher and another stripping local control for BOEs, but neither with veto-proof majorities. They also talk about the House budget only including an additional $10 million for SPED.  Next, the KASB Advocacy Team is anticipating the education funding task force holding its second meeting on what the next school funding formula should loo...

Leah and Shannon discuss what the House Appropriations Committee agreed to cut from the K-12 budget plan, what two vouchers debated in committees look like and we hear about the priorities put in front of federal officials on the KASB trip to Washington D.C.

2025, Episode 3: Leah and Shannon discuss the plan to increase SPED funding by $30 million in FY 26 and 27, how the statewide mill levy change shouldn't decrease funding for schools, voucher bills that will be debated in committee hearings next week and more!

2025, Episode 2: This week, Leah and Shannon discuss possible property tax and statewide mill levy cuts, voucher bills, a Greeley County bond fix and preview next week's K-12 budget discussion.

2025, Episode 1: The Advocate is back! Leah and Shannon discuss the start of the legislative session, the State of the State address and what they heard in committee meetings this first week.

Welcome back to The Advocate! Leah Fliter and Shannon Kimball discuss the recently passed K-12 Budget bill, SB 387, which fully funds the Gannon formula and provides an additional $75 million in state funding to special education. The team also looks back at the successful lobbying efforts for public education earlier this year. Though the regular legislative session has ended, Governor Laura Kell...

Tune in for the latest from Leah and Shannon at the Statehouse!  This week, they cover House Sub for SB 387, enrollment count and literacy bills in the Senate and the conference committees that will begin meeting next week.  Listen now!