This analysis by the KASB matches our views on the current transportation funding issue. We highly recommend it for anyone who’d like to understand it better. We particularly think constituents of Rep. Ryckman and Sens. Wagle and Denning should give it a read.
“The Post Audit study also found that while results vary among districts, overall the transportation aid formula does not cover the costs of providing transportation services to students as required by law. Specifically, the auditors said: “Based on our sample, the current funding formula appears to understate the comparative cost of transporting students who live at least 2.5 miles from school.”
“In other words, while the attention has been placed on “over payments” to some districts, no attention has been paid to findings that the Legislature’s own auditors say the transportation aid system is not covering mandatory costs for all districts – at a time when the Kansas Supreme Court has found that the entire school finance is unconstitutionally inadequate and is asking the Legislature to produce evidence it is correcting the problem.”