Kansas lawmakers have until the end of June to fix how public schools are funded, but the special committee tasked with finding a fix is nowhere close to being done.
“We are not working on a school finance plan. We have not discussed a school finance plan. I see nothing on our agenda for this week or next week that we are going to do that,” said Sen. Pat Pettey, D-Kansas City, a member of the education committee.
In February, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled block grants unconstitutional. The court gave lawmakers until June 30 to fix the inequities or threatened that schools across the state would be closed in the fall.
“The conversation appears to be an either or situation,” said Rep. Melissa Rooker, R-Fairway.
One option floating around the statehouse includes reverting back to the old school funding formula. While districts, like Kansas City, Kansas, would gain millions of dollars in state aid, districts in Johnson County would not. Olathe and Shawnee Mission School Districts, in particular, would lose money.
The court ruling OK'd the old formula but gave lawmakers room to explore other options.
Important Kansas legislative dates:
- Friday, March 18: Last day for non-exempt committees to meet
- Monday, March 21: Last day for non-exempt bills in either house
- Wednesday, March 23: Last day for conference committees to agree
- Friday, March 25: Drop dead day
- Wednesday, April 27: Veto session begins
- Wednesday, May 18: Day 90
“I think it’s incumbent upon us to find a solution that will hold our districts harmless and provide the relief for districts the court intended,” said Rooker. “I do not think the intent of the court is to create a new list of winners and losers.”
The other option, popular among the Republican leadership, is to ignore the court’s ruling completely.
“We may have to tell the [state] Supreme Court, 'Thank you for your opinion, but we are going to have to be responsible for appropriating the money with the circumstances we are faced with,'” said Rep. Jerry Lunn, R-Overland Park.
Lunn is the vice chair of the special committee.
“I don’t think it’s fair to hold the kids hostage,” he said, referencing the June 30 deadline. “I mean, this is really put the gun to the head and say, 'Give me the money or the kids are going to get it.'”
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Ariel Rothfield can be reached at ariel.rothfield@kshb.com.
