Mandates Rise, Funding Gaps Widen as the 2026 Legislative Session Winds Down

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 down continued shortfalls in special education funding, cuts to student mental health services, new literacy and staffing mandates, CEP policy changes, voucher expansion, and the proposed tax lid bill—while also noting a small but meaningful budget win for school safety grants. The takeaway is clear: schools are being asked to do more with less, and advocacy for Kansas public education is more important than ever.