School Funding To Be Debated

Kansas legislative committees are planning to debate school funding proposals this week in response to a court mandate to boost state aid to poor districts.

A Senate Ways and Means subcommittee was convening Monday morning to discuss K-through-12 spending proposals, with the full committee considering them as early as Tuesday.

The House Appropriations Committee planned a briefing Tuesday from Attorney General Derek Schmidt on the Kansas Supreme Court’s recent ruling in a lawsuit filed by parents and school districts.

The court said past cuts in aid to poor school districts created unconstitutional gaps in funding between them and wealthier districts. It ordered lawmakers to fix the problem by July 1.

The House committee plans to discuss school funding proposals Thursday.