Take a deep breath...the 2025 Kansas legislative session is about to begin
Public education is top of mind for us, but we'll need more Kansans than ever in the fight to protect the many things we value.
Time to get back in the game 😊
I did not intend to be radio silent this long after the election, but looking back at my last newsletter the day after the election (Stunned…and oh so tired), I think the long break was probably needed. You might give that a quick read for a reminder of how the election results turned out in Kansas and to learn what we’ll be up against this year.
With the 2025 Kansas legislative session set to start on Monday, it’s time for all of us to get back in the game. And to bring more people along with us.
I’m going to try to make this newsletter short and sweet, but there are a couple of things I want to touch on.
Public education top of mind
Now that the GOP has expanded their supermajority after the November election, pubic education advocates believe we are going to have a fight on our hands to protect Kansas public schools from:
Expansive voucher programs that divert our tax dollars to private schools, putting public school funding at risk.
Disruptive changes to the school finance formula that expires in 2027. Leadership seems intent on making changes (likely not for the better) instead of simply renewing the current formula that has been approved by the courts as adequate and equitable.
Reckless tax cuts that could result in large cuts to public education as we previously experienced under the Brownback tax experiment.
State Board of Education with an extremist majority that could lead to book bans, religion in public schools, and/or rejection of federal funds.
That’s a lot. But…
We stopped a massive voucher attempt in Kansas in 2023. And we can do it again.
To learn how we did that, check out our newsletter from April 2023,
or listen to episode #157 of the Have You Heard podcast featuring myself, state Senator Dinah Sykes, and Leah Fliter from the Kansas Association of School Boards.
How can we do it again?
We know Kansans value public education. Our public schools educate 90% of Kansas kids, create cohesive communities, enhance our property values, and support our local and state economies. Whether you have kids that attend public school or not, maintaining strong public schools benefits all Kansans.
So, the task we have before us is to make sure as many Kansans as possible, including ourselves, are paying attention and engaging with our state legislators by starting with these easy steps below.
Step 1: Become informed on issues impacting public education
Below are some of my top recommendations for gaining a better understanding of the issues impacting our public schools and/or for staying up to date as issues arise in Topeka:
Education Focused
A timely opportunity — these are three of my favorite public education advocates. If you are near Johnson County, join me in attending this event on Sunday. These three are truly experts — highly recommend!
Thank you to state Senator Cindy Holscher for putting this FREE event together. Follow Game On for Kansas Schools on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Follow Kansas Association of School Boards on Facebook and their advocates Leah Fliter & Shannon Kimball on X.
Check out The Education Wars by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider.
Check out The Privateers by Josh Cowen
Education plus other issues
Subscribe to this Six Degrees of Activism newsletter and follow us on Instagram.
Follow Moms for Kansas on Instagram.
Subscribe to the Kansas Reflector and follow them on Facebook or other social media.
As you become informed, one of the most important things you can do is talk to others about these education issues and help them become informed and engaged, especially when action alerts go out and we need as many Kansans as possible reaching out to their legislators.
Step 2: Find your Kansas state legislators
As various bills move through the legislative process, there will be times when we’ll encourage people to reach out to their legislators. But, before you can do that, you’ll need to know who represents you in the Kansas state House and state Senate. You can do that here:
KSLEGLOOKUP.ORG/SEARCH — Lookup tool from Mainstream Coalition
Note: Your legislators in Topeka will be those under the KANSAS section once you enter your street address and zip code. Save the contact information for your legislators so you’ll have it at your fingertips when needed.
Even if you think you know who represents you, I encourage you to double check as your representation may have changed since the November election and Senate redistricting.
Step 3: Let’s Connect!
This year, I really want to make our work during the legislative session more effective and efficient. There are often times when we hear about certain legislators who may be more persuadable when it comes to one bill or another.
On that note, I would really appreciate it if you could fill out this google form survey to help me determine where you all are located and who represents you in Topeka.
My goal is for Six Degrees of Activism to connect with Kansans in every legislative district across the state. Filling out the survey will also help us determine where there are gaps so we can attempt to find Kansans in specific districts.
The more Kansans we can have reaching out to their legislators as harmful bills pop up that go against our values, the more effective we can be at protecting those values.
Thanks everyone!
Thanks, Erin! Ready to use my voice to support Kansas public schools and gun safety!