Latest Updates
Feb. 26 | Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Education Committee
S.B. 491 was introduced on February 5 by the Senate Education Committee and it has been scheduled for a hearing on March 2 at 1:30 p.m.
We have communicated with the bill’s sponsor, and he fully supports the goal of amending the bill so homeschools (and the out-of-state online programs they often use) do not fall within the bill’s perimeter. We are working closely with him to accomplish this. We are not requesting any action be taken on this bill at this time.
Summary of S.B. 491
As written, S.B. 491 includes “nonpublic schools.” Since homeschools are classified as nonaccredited nonpublic schools, they would be impacted by this bill.
S.B. 491 would establish the Office of the Education Inspector General (EIG) within the Kansas Attorney General office and enable it to do the following:
- The EIG will respond to suspected professional misconduct by individuals or agencies, including schools.
- It empowers the EIG to investigate reports of suspected educator misconduct
- It empowers the EIG to issue subpoenas requiring the submission of documents and witness testimony
- It empowers the EIG to audit schools and monitor compliance with all requirements
In addition to establishing the EIG, it makes several other changes to Kansas Law:
- It requires school staff to have a criminal history record check and be fingerprinted
- It creates an educator misconduct registry
- It requires persons and organizations to report suspected educator misconduct
- It protects individuals who file reports of suspected educator misconduct from retaliation
- It requires schools to file periodic reports to establish compliance with all requirements
- It requires the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to release criminal record information—including cases where the records were expunged and cases where the defendant was not adjudicated guilty of a crime—to certain government agencies
- It authorizes fines up to $25,000
We are working with the sponsor to amend S.B. 491 so that it no longer impacts homeschools in Kansas.