Education (School Choice)

This bill proposes adding a new provision to the Kansas Constitution to restrict how public money is used for K-12 education. Specifically, it would limit state funds to secular public schools and explicitly ban the use of any public money to aid or maintain private nonpublic schools. The measure requires a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers to pass and would then be placed on the ballot for voters to approve or reject in 2026. If passed, the change would legally prevent the state from directing taxpayer dollars toward private educational institutions.

SB 75 creates an income tax credit for Kansas taxpayers with dependent children enrolled in private schools instead of public school. It provides $8,000 per child for accredited private schools or $4,000 for non-accredited private schools, directly affecting families choosing private education. The credit is capped at $125 million for 2025, with annual adjustments based on prior year usage, and prioritizes taxpayers who received the credit previously. Taxpayers must provide Social Security numbers for children and cannot claim the credit if their child received a scholarship under another program. Excess credit amounts are refunded if they exceed tax liability.