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MONDAY • DECEMBER 21 • 2015
STATE LEVEL
LOCAL LEVEL
Classroom spending definition key to debate
For schools, renovations top $100M
By John Hanna Associated Press
Topeka — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback says he and many Kansas legislators won’t be ready to consider big increases in aid to public schools until they are confident that enough of the money already spent on education is finding its way into the classroom. But the lawmakers who expect to work on a new school funding law next year don’t yet have a clear definition of what makes up classroom Gov. Sam spending. Their uncerBrownback tainty is likely to cloud says he discussions about how to wants to see distribute nearly $4.1 bilmore state lion in annual aid to 286 education school districts and how dollars go much to increase it. directly toward Brownback said he and instruction. like-minded legislators would be willing to consider whether the state is spending enough on schools if more money were going directly to instruction. “But right now, you’ve got this high percentage that’s not getting to the classroom,” Brownback said in a recent Associated Press interview. Brownback’s critics see such arguments as an attempt by Brownback and his allies to justify inadequate education funding. “What is the classroom? What does that involve?” said Democratic state Rep. Ed Trimmer, of Winfield, a retired Please see CLASSROOM, page 2A
toward the Lawrence College and Career $1.7 MILLION Went Center, where high student interest in the program
prompted the district to finish about half of the area of the building that was originally planned to be completed later.
$10 million over bond issue largely went to secondary facilities By Rochelle Valverde Twitter: @RochelleVerde
$936,000
At Quail Run Elementary School was spent mostly to replace the building’s roof, which district officials said had an interior gutter system that was causing issues with moisture in the school, though no mold was reported.
$660,000
Earmarked for Lawrence High School was used for a variety of upgrades and add-ons, most notably including new doors on every classroom, as well as about $200,000 for a new intercom system. Journal-World File Photos
The Lawrence school district’s renovations of its 20 schools have already cost more than $10 million in addition to the $92.5 million bond issue, and district officials say that amount will rise as construction continues through the upcoming year. While one factor is the rise of construction costs since planning for the bond projects occurred, the largest increases have gone toward SCHOOLS making improvements at the secondary level, including additions to the Lawrence College and Career Center. “The elementary schools were obviously the focus of the bond issue, and so when we went into it with the secondary schools, we knew we didn’t have enough money to do everything we needed to do,” said Kyle Hayden, assistant superintendent of business and operations for the district. About three-quarters of the $92.5 million bond went toward the district’s 14 elementary schools, with most of that focused on six older schools in central and eastern Lawrence: Sunset Hill, Kennedy, Cordley, Hillcrest, Pinckney and New York. Please see SCHOOLS, page 5A
Neighbor frustrated over missed community shelter meetings By Conrad Swanson Twitter: @Conrad_Swanson
The Lawrence Community Shelter has fallen short on its commitment to meet quarterly with the city’s association of neighborhoods, an agreement it made before moving to a new facility in 2012. The shelter, 3655 E. 25th St., has missed its past four meetings, said Prairie Park Neighborhood Association President
Lindsey McCaig — and the absence has had negative consequences. The last community meeting was held in December 2014 with then-executive-director Steven Robinson. The quarterly meetings are a part of the shelter’s management plan, which was written in May 2010 as a part of the process to obtain a Special Use Permit, or SUP, said Scott McCullough, director of the city’s planning and development
noticed an increase of crime
On two separate occasions, my children found bloody in the Prairie Park Neighborrubber gloves in the park right next to the school.” hood, which roughly spans — Lindsey McCaig, Prairie Park Neighborhood Association president services department. In essence, the SUP is the permit that allows the organization to legally house its guests. The meetings typically offer neighbors a chance to voice any concerns they might have
with the shelter or its guests and give the organization an opportunity to keep them updated on any new developments, McCaig said. In the year since the last meeting, McCaig said, she has
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23rd Street south to 31st Street and from Haskell Avenue east to city limits. “On two separate occasions, my children found bloody rubber gloves in the park right next to the school,” McCaig said. Both times the gloves were accompanied by drug paraphernalia, she said. Please see SHELTER, page 2A
Vol.157/No.355 24 pages
Turning a page The annual KU Alumni Association calendar looks a little different this year, in honor of the university’s Sesquicentennial. Page 3A
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