UPDATE -- 6/28
UPDATE -- 6/27
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed legislation that would increase aid to poor school districts to meet a court mandate and end a threat that the state's public schools might shut down. The bill increases poor districts' state funding $38 million for the 2016-17 school year by diverting funds from other parts of the state budget.
Signed Sub for HB 2001 ensuring Kansas schools remain open. #ksleg https://t.co/avdf731rSc pic.twitter.com/H9kuTwDy5L
— Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) June 27, 2016
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Kansas legislators passed an education funding plan Friday after top Republicans rewrote it to gain broad, bipartisan support to satisfy a court mandate and end a looming threat that public schools across the state might shut down.
The votes were 116-6 in the House and 38-1 in the Senate, sending the measure to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, who told reporters he would sign it. It was the second day of a special session for the GOP-dominated Legislature forced by a state Supreme Court ruling on education funding last month.
"We're in the second day of the special session," Brownback said. "We were able to come together and get plaintiffs' lawyers agreeing to it as well. I think this really bodes well."
Lawmakers struggled with how to pay for a $38 million increase in aid to poor school districts for 2016-17 — in a dispute that ultimately focused on less than 1 percent of what the state already spends.
Kansas is embroiled in a lawsuit filed by four school districts, and legislators were fashioning a one-year funding fix ahead of a potentially more contentious legal and political battle over schools next year. The immediate issue was complying with the Supreme Court's mandate to make the distribution of state aid fairer to poor school districts.
"I think that solves the problem," said John Robb, an attorney for four school districts suing the state over education funding. "We should be able to put that chapter behind us."
Besides bipartisan support, the plan had endorsements from school districts that both stood to gain and lose some aid. Robb said if the plan were enacted, they and the state would jointly tell the court that its order had been satisfied.
"Everybody ought to be just warm and fuzzy about it," said House Speaker Ray Merrick, a Stilwell Republican.
GOP leaders' first plan cleared committees in both chambers Thursday. But dissention among Republicans forced Merrick to send the plan back to committee for a rewrite.
The sense of urgency came from the Supreme Court's warning in its recent ruling that schools might not be able to reopen after June 30 if lawmakers didn't make further changes. Many have summer programs, continue to serve meals to poor children and provide services year-round to special education students.
The Supreme Court ruled last month that the education funding system remains unfair to poor schools, despite three rounds of changes over the past three years.
The court is considering separately whether Kansas spends enough overall on its schools — and could rule by early next year. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and GOP legislative leaders already have committed to overhauling the education funding system next year.
The state's fiscal woes are complicating the work. Legislators are trying to avoid an overall increase in state spending.
Kansas has struggled to balance its budget since GOP lawmakers slashed personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback's urging to stimulate the economy. State tax collections have fallen short of expectations 10 of the 12 past months, something the governor blames on slumps in agriculture, energy production and aircraft manufacturing.
Legislative researchers said 77 of the state's 286 districts would lose some aid; 169 would gain; and 40 would see no change. Under GOP leaders' first plan, 141 districts would have lost some aid.
Kansas school superintendents head to Capitol on talks of school funding
Many superintendents from across Kansas were in Topeka on Friday to witness talks on the school funding plan.
Blue Valley Superintendent Todd White said after the hours of meetings and talks during the special session, he was generally pleased with the deal.
"Today was the dialogue. It was the compromise. It was the continuing of the conversation," he said.
White was glad state leaders avoided a school shutdown, putting to rest any concerns that students and staff wouldn't be in the classroom later this year.
"We can look forward to a July 4 knowing that school is going to start in less than a month," he said. "We're ready for a great kickoff."
