The State has officially appealed the Gannon adequacy decision.

“Since the panel’s ruling, Gov. Sam Brownback has reduced school funding 1.5 percent in the face of a budget shortfall, dropping the amount of base state aid per pupil from $3,852 to $3,811.

“This move prompted Schools for Fair Funding, the group that represents districts pushing for more funding, to seek to reopen the already-settled part of the lawsuit that deals with equity among districts. The matter will go before the three-judge panel on March 5, said John Robb, the group’s attorney.

“’We look forward to the Supreme Court affirming the trial court that the school finance being underfunded is unconstitutional,’ Robb said in response to Schmidt’s appeal.

“Robb also touched on Brownback’s proposal to shift the state to a block grant system of funding schools as a way to end school finance litigation while lawmakers develop a new formula.

“’It really doesn’t matter whether it’s the new formula or the old formula or a block grant, it’s the underfunding of the schools that’s unconstitutional, and that’s what the Supreme Court is going to find.'”

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