Weekly Look Ahead: Fifth week shaping up to be busy, filled with changes
By Timothy R. Graham
Director of Government Relations
Anyone paying attention to committee agendas over the past few days knows one thing is for certain - nothing about this week is settled.
The schedule that the Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) is publishing right now is accurate at this moment - but it will almost certainly change. Committees have added and dropped bills with little notice, and in some cases, agendas have been revised four or five times since Thursday, Feb. 5. That’s not an exaggeration. It’s simply the pace of the Statehouse right now.
With that caveat, here is where things stand as the fifth week of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session gets underway.
KNEA is tracking a wide range of education-related bills, plans to offer testimony on seven, and will continue to monitor several others as they move through a fast-moving and increasingly fluid legislative process.
MONDAY, FEB. 9, 2026
Senate Bill 340 - Kansas Promise Scholarship/Corequisite Courses
Summary: Amends the Kansas Promise Scholarship Program to prohibit scholarship funds from being used for remedial coursework, including courses offered in a corequisite format. The existing program limits, income eligibility thresholds and $10 million annual appropriation cap remain unchanged.
KNEA position: Monitoring
Senate Bill 406 - Workforce Pell Grant Eligibility
Summary: Directs the governor, in consultation with the State Workforce Development Board, to approve short-term workforce training programs for federal Pell Grant eligibility. It would require the board to establish an application and appeal process, coordinate funding to prevent duplication, and align state and federal workforce resources.
KNEA position: Monitoring
Summary: Requires annual teacher training and age-appropriate student instruction on child sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. It includes parent opt-out provisions and allows use of Erin’s Law curriculum or similar resources.
KNEA position: Monitoring
House Bill 2618 - Reporting of Federal Education Funds
Summary: Requires the Kansas State Board of Education to report to the Kansas Legislature on federal funds received by the state.
KNEA position: Monitoring
House Bill 2523 - Higher Education Affiliations
Summary: Authorizes affiliation agreements among universities, community colleges and technical colleges. Allows operational consolidation while preserving institutional identity and replaces certain local tax authority with state funding.
KNEA position: Monitoring
TUESDAY, FEB. 10
House Bill 2482 - College and Career Readiness Exams
Summary: Removes statutory requirements tying Kansas to ACT-specific exams. Allows the State Board of Education to select any nationally recognized college entrance and career readiness assessments while maintaining no-cost, optional testing for students.
Hearing: 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10
Room: 546-S
Committee: House Committee on K-12 Education Budget
KNEA position: Neutral, testimony planned
Senate Bill 382 - Virtual School Statewide Assessments
Summary: Clarifies that full-time virtual school students may take required statewide assessments in a virtual setting administered by their virtual school. Establishes proctoring, camera monitoring, device usage, and security requirements to ensure test integrity.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10
Room: 144-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Education
KNEA position: Monitoring
SB 383 - Special Education Reimbursement/Contracted Providers
Summary: Modifies special education reimbursement provisions related to contracted service providers. Clarifies how districts may claim and receive state special education funding for contracted services.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10
Room: 144-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Education
KNEA position: Neutral, testimony planned
SB 181 - State General Fund Spending Cap
Summary: Establishes a statutory cap on annual state general fund expenditures beginning in FY 2027. Spending growth would be limited based on inflation and population growth, with certification by the state treasurer. Applies to both legislative and gubernatorial budget proposals.
Hearing: 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10
Room: 112-N
Committee: House Committee on Appropriations
KNEA position: Oppose, testimony planned
HB 2142 - Bullying Policies/Independent Review Process
Summary: Requires each school district to adopt an independent review process as part of district policies prohibiting and preventing bullying.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10
Room: 218-N
Committee: House Committee on Education
KNEA position: Oppose, testimony planned
HB 2565 - Compensation for KSSB & KSSD Employees
Summary: Requires that employees of the Kansas State School for the Blind and the Kansas State School for the Deaf be paid at the same rate of compensation as a teacher employed by Olathe USD 233 in the current school year.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10
Room: 218-N
Committee: House Committee on Education
KNEA position: Monitoring
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11
House Bill 2320 - Children in DCF Custody/School Stability
Summary: Requires transfer of student records within two business days when Department for Children and Families (DCF) changes a child’s placement. Allows children in DCF custody to attend any district or remain in their school of origin and requires coordination on transportation when needed.
Hearing: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11
Room: 546-S
Committee: House Committee on K-12 Education Budget
KNEA position: Support, testimony planned
Senate Bill 381 - Social Studies Curriculum and Civics Exam
Summary: Requires K–12 instruction on communist and socialist regimes and mandates that students entering grade nine on or after July 1, 2026, pass an American civics exam to graduate. The exam mirrors the U.S. naturalization test and applies to public, private, and parochial schools.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11
Room: 144-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Education
KNEA position: Oppose, testimony planned
Senate Bill 384 — Public Innovative Districts
Summary: Creates a framework for designating public innovative school districts with increased flexibility from certain statutory requirements to encourage new instructional and governance models.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11
Room: 144-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Education
KNEA position: Monitoring
THURSDAY, FEB. 12
House Bill 2637 - Community Eligibility Provision (Free Meals)
Summary: Requires eligible school boards to formally consider participation in the federal Community Eligibility Provision for free school meals. Includes a financial hardship opt-out and requires the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) to assist districts seeking participation.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12
Room: 218-N
Committee: House Committee on Education
KNEA position: Oppose, testimony planned
House Bill 2717 - Compulsory School Attendance Age
Summary: Decreases the minimum age requirement for compulsory school attendance from age 6 to age 7.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12
Room: 218-N
Committee: House Committee on Education
KNEA position: Monitoring
Many of the bills reported on up to this point are seeing activity this week, even if they are not formally scheduled for hearings.
Both the House and Senate budget committees are working through their budgets, making decisions that will shape education funding and priorities moving forward.
Meanwhile, the House cell phone bill has taken an interesting turn — one worth watching closely.
KNEA will remain engaged at the Statehouse and keep members informed as the session moves forward. Stay updated at www.ksutd.org.
Timothy R. Graham can be reached by email at timothy.graham@knea.org.