USD 259

On Monday night, the Wichita School Board approved an expense of up to $2 million to update the district's cyber security. Representatives from USD 259 say steps are being taken to keep its computer network safe after an attempted hack of the district-wide system last year.

Budget cuts are looming at Wichita Public Schools with the board soon making recommendations for the next fiscal year. The district is facing an estimated $16 to 30 million cost increase.

Wichita Public Schools could face up to $27 million in cost increases for the 2017 fiscal year. The district’s top financial official discussed the number on Tuesday to provide a first look at the challenges ahead with no increase in state funding in the foreseeable future.

USD 259’s budget is essentially the same as it was last year, but with high amounts of projected cost increases, the district’s CFO Jim Freeman says adjustments will have to be made.

When kids miss a lot of school days, it can affect their academic performance, and they can easily fall behind in learning.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more days of school, or roughly 18 days a year.

Educators say students who fail to show up for school in those early years--kindergarten through third grade-- also face an increased risk of dropping out of high school. This fall, the United Way of the Plains launched a new initiative called “Be There” to help solve some of the issues that contribute to absenteeism.

The Wichita Public School district has released enrollment numbers for the 2015-16 school year.

The report indicates that enrollment numbers for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade currently sit at 49,498 students, a level that hasn’t been seen in more than ten years. It’s an increase of 110 students over the previous academic year.

Overall enrollment for Wichita Public Schools is 51,113 students, a decrease of 197 students from the previous academic year.

Governor Sam Brownback announced on Thursday that he was cutting funding for Kansas public schools at rate of 1.5 percent. That means a reduction of $28 million in funding across the board. KMUW’s Sean Sandefur reports how this might affect Wichita Public Schools…

The statewide cuts will take effect on March 7.

Wichita School Board President Sheril Logan says her district must clear $3 million from their budget, and they’ll need to do it quickly.

Nearly 22 thousand Wichita Public School students have been enrolled so far online, before school starts in August. Schools are also open for in person enrollment through Thursday night.

Partners for Wichita and the Kansas Food Bank are teaming again this year to provide meals on weekdays between March 14 and the 22 in their “Filling the Gap – Lunches for Kids” program.

Volunteers expect to serve about 3,500 meals at 14 locations during spring break for public schools in Wichita. That’s roughly double the number served last year.

“We’re aware that about 24 percent of the children in our area are at risk of hunger," says Pastor Sally Fahrenthold, who helped coordinate the program.