Week two of the 2026 legislative session is not slowing down.

The first week of the Kansas Legislative Session included Gov. Laura Kelly’s final State of the State address, a hearing on bipartisan legislation banning cell phone usage during the school day, the unveiling of “The People’s Budget” for fiscal year 2027, and two rallies that drew a dozen Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) members to the Statehouse.

Timothy R. Graham, Director of Government Relations at the Kansas National Education Association (KNEA), was one of four individuals who provided neutral testimony during a Senate Committee of Education hearing Thursday, Jan. 15, on Senate Bill 302, which prohibits the use of personal electronic communication devices during instructional time.

Gov. Laura Kelly unveiled her proposed FY 2027 budget Wednesday, Jan. 14, continuing her administration’s long-standing commitment to public education, fully funding Kansas K–12 public schools for the eighth consecutive year. If enacted, Kelly would be the first Kansas governor in a generation to fully fund public education every year of their term.

Hundreds of Kansans rallied at the Statehouse Wednesday to demand labor rights and legislation that puts people over politics. Among them were more than a dozen Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) members standing in solidarity.

After 14 years in the Kansas Senate and eight years as the governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly delivered her final State of the State address on Tuesday, Jan. 13, setting the tone for the 2026 legislative session.

The Kansas Legislature is back in session, and the Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) is hitting the ground running.

As legislators and visitors entered the Statehouse on Monday, Jan. 12, they were greeted by KNEA-R members Ruthe Goff and Chris Huntsman at the first Ambassador Table of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session.

Nearly 100 Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) members attended the 2026 KNEA Advocacy Retreat on Saturday, Jan. 10, in Topeka.

As the world processes the results of the 2024 election cycle, one thing we should all agree on is that elections have consequences. The 2024 elections will undoubtedly have consequences for our association and its members.

The legislature passed a responsible tax relief package with a strong bi-partisan vote that is likely to be signed by Governor Kelly. So-called flat tax schemes that we have testified against did NOT prevail.

“I am proud to sign House Substitute for Senate Bill 387, continuing my deep commitment to fully funding our schools and supporting our students”

The second half of the session is starting to gain momentum but moving like a train up a hill, which is probably a good thing. Hastily passed bills debated in the darkness of night seldom end in good policy, so slowly easing into the last half of the session is a welcomed dynamic. 

A mid-week update and discussion of bills and issues Kansas NEA is tracking in the Kansas Legislature.

With Governor Kelly’s signature today, Kansas kids will attend school next fall in fully funded classrooms according to the state constitution. But, in an era of stark partisanship, the majority-party leaders in the Kansas Legislature made sure that full funding came at a steep price. 

Throughout the nation, a well-funded and highly coordinated effort to strip away the ability of educators to teach honestly is underway.

Senate Bill 455 allows students to pick and choose what school they want to go to, regardless of the time of year, without added funding to the receiving school district.

Throughout the nation, and indeed, in Kansas, a coordinated attack upon our public schools is underway. An Opinion-Editorial by KNEA President Sherri Schwanz.

Working from the Kansas State Department of Education’s“Navigating Change” document, Governor Laura Kelly has issued guidance for school districts with an emphasis on opening safely for the 2021-22 school year – and staying open.

There were several attempts to expand Kansas’ current voucher program (tax credit scholarships) and create a radical new voucher program coming from Kristey Williams (R-Augusta) K-12 Education Budget Committee.