Yoder championed draconian education cuts in Topeka & has carried that legacy to Washington
“The only honest thing about this outlandish ad is that Congressman Yoder clearly wants voters to hold him accountable for his education record,” said DCCC Spokesman Tyler Law. “We agree that Kevin Yoder should take ownership of his record of slashing education funding to protect corporate handouts. That’s why we are going to expose the Yoder-Brownback agenda for the morally bankrupt disaster that it is.”
Fact Checking Yoder’s Misleading Claims
CLAIM: “Increased funding for early childhood education”
THE FACTS:
- Kevin Yoder voted for the devastating sequestration cuts (Budget Control Act of 2011). [S 627,Vote #677, 7/29/11]
- The Kansas Parent Teacher Association said that the FY 2013 sequestration cut $4.8 billion dollars from early childhood education through higher education. According to the Kansas State Department of Education, Kansas was going to lose an estimated $59 million dollars in federal funds.
- In 2013, Yoder voted repeatedly to keep the sequester cuts:
- Republican Budget: Voted for Republican Budget, Which Contained Cuts From Sequestration. [H Con Res 25, Vote #88, 3/21/13]
- RSC Budget: Voted for the RSC Budget, Which Contained Cuts From Sequestration. [H Con Res 25,Vote #86, 3/21/13]
- Voted for Sequester Cuts to House Committee Appropriations.[HR 115, Vote #82, 3/19/13]
- House Democratic Budget: Voted Against the House Budget That Replaced the Sequester with a Balanced Approach.[H Con Res 25, Vote #87, 3/21/13]
- House Progressive Caucus Budget: Voted Against CPC Budget that Replaced Sequester.[H Con Res 25, Vote #85, 3/20/13; Economic Policy Institute, 3/13/13]
- Senate Democratic Budget: Voted Against Senate Budget That Replaced the Sequester with a Balanced Approach.[H Con Res 25, Vote #83, 3/20/13; Politico, 3/12/13]
- Voted Against Consideration of Replacing Sequester Cuts with Balanced Approach.[H Res 48, Vote #33, 2/27/13]
- Voted Against Consideration of Replacing Sequester Cuts with Balanced Approach.[H Res 66, Vote #41, 2/27/13]
- Voted Against Consideration of Replacing Sequester Cuts with Balanced Approach.[H Res 99, Vote #59, 2/27/13]
- Continuing Appropriations Measure: Voted Against Striking Sequester Cuts.[HR 933, Vote #61, 3/06/13]
- Voted For FY2016 Republican Study Committee Budget.[H Con Res 27, Vote #138, 3/25/15; The Hill, 3/23/15]
o RSC Budget Would Cut FY16 Nondefense Discretionary Spending By $88 Billion Below Sequestration Levels. “The RSC blueprint would lower nondefense discretionary spending for domestic programs next year to $405 billion, $88 billion below the baseline set by the 2011 deal. Altogether, discretionary spending next year would total $975 billion under the RSC’s budget, much lower than the $1.018 trillion top-line number established by the 2011 law. Over the 10-year window, the RSC budget would cut nondefense spending by $1.3 trillion and increase defense spending by $435 billion.” [The Hill, 3/23/15]
- Voted Against Authorizing Funds For Early Childhood Education Scholarships. In July 2015, Yoder voted against an amendment to the Student Success Act that would, “authorize funds for the Secretary of Education to provide grants for early-childhood education scholarships, professional development and licensing credentials, or increased compensation for educators who have attained specific qualifications.” The amendment failed 205 to 224. [HR 5, Vote #417, 7/08/15]
- Voted Against Authorizing A New Preschool Development Grants Program. In December 2015, Yoder voted against the Every Student Succeeds Act that would have authorized a new Preschool Development Grants program “for states that propose to improve coordination, quality, and access for early childhood education for low- and moderate-income children from birth to age five.” [S 1177, Vote #665, 12/02/15; First Five Years Fund, 1/18/16]
VERDICT: FALSE
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CLAIM: “Increased funding for Head Start program”
THE FACTS:
- In 2011, Yoder voted for $61 billion in draconian cuts for a continuing resolution to finish fiscal year 2011. The cuts would drop an estimated 218,000 children from the Head Start program and would cut 55,000 teachers and teacher assistants from schools [HR 1,Vote #147, 2/19/11; CNN,3/14/11].
- Voted ForFY16 Republican Budget That Would Slash Education Funding. In March 2015, Yoder voted for the FY16 Republican House budget. The resolution passed 228 to 199. [H. Con Res. 27,Vote #142, 3/25/15]
o Administration Estimated House Republican Budget Would Cut 46,000 Children From Head Start, $450 Million From Special Education Funding. “If cuts are spread proportionately under that allocation, the Administration estimates that the Republican funding bill will cut 46,000 children from Head Start, cut $1.3 billion from Title I, and cut $450 million from special education relative to the President’s request.” [House Budget Committee,5/14/15]
VERDICT: FALSE
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CLAIM: “That’s why I’m fighting to get Washington out of the way, returning power to parents and teachers…”
THE FACTS:
- Kevin Yoder recently voted against the “Every Student Succeeds Act”, which passed the House and became law with a wide bipartisan majority. The law was praised for bringing more control to local school districts.
- Rep. Lynn Jenkins said: “The Every Student Succeeds Act finally replaces No Child Left Behind and removes any Common Core mandates from our schools by handing more classroom decisions back to local districts, school boards and teachers where they belong,” Jenkins said in a statement. “They know best how to help their students excel in the classroom — not Washington bureaucrats.”
- The Kansas Department of Education clarified that the ESSA would return flexibility to the state: “The ESSA includes many reforms that returns flexibility to the state while maintaining accountability for the success of all children.”
- The National PTA endorsed the ESSA saying that it would provide greater flexibility to states and districts: “The Every Student Succeeds Act is an improvement over current law. National PTA commends Congress for providing greater flexibility to states and districts to meet the needs of all students and acknowledging the essential role of family engagement to student achievement and meaningful school improvement efforts.”
VERDICT: FALSE
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CLAIM: “…and protecting the funding to our local schools.”
THE FACTS:
- Funding For Kansas Schools Has Declined $500 Million Since Yoder Proposed His First Cuts To Education. In August 2014 in an editorial, the Kansas City Star cited a report by Mark Tallman, an official with the Kansas Association of School Boards. “When measured against changes in the cost of living, funding for educational programs that can actually be spent on teachers, administrators and student support programs has declined by $500 million since 2009,” Tallman’s analysis said. [Kansas City Star,8/15/14; Tallman Education Report,8/11/14]
VERDICT: FALSE