Here are the political reasons a northeast Kansas school district plans to stand alone

A school district in rural northeast Kansas is withdrawing its membership from the Kansas Association of School Boards, claiming the nonprofit's priorities no longer match that of the district's conservative community.

If Jackson Heights USD 335 follows through, it would be the only one of Kansas’ 286 public school district in the state without a membership.

“Over the years, we have observed a growing misalignment between our values, beliefs, and the direction KASB represents,” superintendent Jim Howard wrote Nov. 14 to KASB executive director Brian Jordan. “Our vision for public schools and the educational landscape has evolved, leading us to believe that continued representation by KASB may not be in the best interest of USD 335.

"Additionally, we have realized that the membership fees we contribute need to be more commensurately reflect the value or benefits we receive from the association.”

KASB is a nonprofit that offers legal advice, research, training, executive staffing and legislative advocacy for school districts around the state.

Jackson Heights takes issue with some of the organization's priorities when lobbying the Kansas Legislature and the financial expense that Howard says isn't worth the investment.

Jackson Heights objects to legislative lobbying priorities

Howard told The Capital-Journal that he views KASB as being increasingly liberal in its lobbying efforts to legislators and advocating for items he said hurt his district.

The chief concern from the last legislative session was a school funding provision in Senate Bill 113. KASB opposed changing the funding formula that uses the enrollment from the previous year or the year before to current or last year’s enrollment.

The amendment to the funding formula survived in the bill, but it was the sole provision vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly when she approved SB 113.

Jackson Heights’ enrollment grew this school year after a nearby school closed, and the district wasn’t able to secure more per-pupil funding for the students currently enrolled. Howard said the district lost almost $600,000 in funding while shrinking districts received the same amount of money.

“My two cents would be that the three things that they tend to push blindly is: More money, less accountability and no school choice. And we fundamentally disagree with that,” Howard said.

KASB said it determines legislative positions by garnering input from across the state. Its board of directors is comprised of 18 school board members, each representing one of 18 geographic regions. Its legislative platform is built by a committee process that includes a larger sampling of school board members across the state.

“We represent districts of all shapes and sizes from the tiniest rural district to the largest urban district, and there are a lot of different opinions and ideologies,” said Kristin Magette, assistant executive director of communication and engagement at KASB. “We have a really well-developed process where we spend late July through the end of September traveling the state and the KASB regions that we have identified and getting feedback from, from members on what they believe the most important issues are for their local board, their local districts, their communities and counties.”

Magette said the final legislative platform is the culmination of that information-gathering process and is approved by a vote by members at its annual conference. Delegates are allowed to make amendments and strike provisions before the platform is approved.

When issues arise during session, KASB returns to its legislative assembly for consultation of how to proceed.

“Every time we hear from those districts (that disagree with a position), we really look at it as a chance to listen, to hear about what their local perspectives are, and then certainly to adapt where we can, while still being true to our legislative platform," Magette said. "We can't change because what are the things that have been approved by our delegate assembly. We have to stay true to those.”

Many Kansas school boards are becoming more conservative

Though KASB currently represents all public school districts in Kansas, there has been some discontent in the past.

Jim Karleskint, a former Republican state representative from Eudora and former superintendent, now lobbies on behalf of the United School Administrators of Kansas.

Karleskint said he heard similar complaints of liberal bias when he was superintendent of Holton USD 336, as well as those saying they received too little return on the investment. Though he is personally supportive of KASB, he said he still hears complaints in his role as a lobbyist.

“In the last, say, two to four years, school boards have become more conservative," Karleskint said. "Members of school boards are becoming more politically conservative. And some feel that KASB does not represent them as well as they should when it comes to lobbying efforts.”

Jackson Heights first announced its intent to leave KSAB last week in a Facebook post responding to social media chatter alleging liberal bias in a graphic depicting positions taken by Democrats and Republicans on a variety of issues. The post said Jackson Heights upholds its community’s conservative values but offer a balanced perspective of topics of debate.

The decision to leave KASB is mentioned in reference to the conservative values.

Although it’s the first time the district publicly stated its desire to leave KASB, Howard said the school board is on board. The district won’t technically be out of the organization until it doesn’t pay the next round of dues, but he said the district is unlikely to use KASB services before the membership expires in January.

Howard said he thinks Jackson Heights’ decision to leave KASB could lead other districts to consider a similar course.

“We feel like we feel like this is an opportunity for other schools to see what (KASB) is about," he said. "And frankly, I've tried to explain to other superintendents that the Legislature doesn't listen to them anymore.”

What will happen next for Jackson Heights schools and KASB?

If Jackson Heights does end up leaving KASB, it will have to take on some responsibilities the organization previously handled, such as finding alternative sources for legal advice and policy review. It also wouldn't be able to access some insurance plans they had as members.

Howard said KASB has been accommodating in discussions and has offered to continue offering services to the district even if they revoke their membership.

“If there's something we still feel we need, (they're) willing to help just like a service center like any of the others," Howard said. "We don't have to be members to still buy the service.”

Jackson Heights paid $5,835 for memberships into KASB and $2,750 in legal fees for the past school year. KASB said its funding is allocated as a fraction of school budgets. With 512 students, Jackson Heights is close to the median size for a district in Kansas, which KASB said is 550.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Jackson Heights schools to leave Kansas Association of School Boards