We believe the Kansas Supreme Court made the right decision in finding the legislature substantially complied with its Gannon VI mandate. While legislative action is rarely perfect, we appreciate the bipartisan effort to increase school funding and believe this will provide our school districts a level of budgetary certainty that allows investment in staff and programs in ways that have been lacking for many years. We also believe this funding is sustainable and that the court showed appropriate deference to legislative and agency decision-making. We urge our community to remember this case isn’t merely about money, but is about providing necessary resources to Kansas children so they may reach their potentials and contribute to the civic and economic welfare of our state.

We also support the Court’s decision to maintain jurisdiction. If the Court had chosen to maintain jurisdiction in the Montoy case, it would not have taken the past 9 years to file and resolve the Gannon litigation. Despite the State’s argument to the contrary, filing brand new litigation should the state fail to live up to the legislative commitments forming the basis of the Gannon remedy is unacceptable. Kansas children have spent nearly a decade waiting for adults to do the right thing by restoring funding to the levels agreed to in the 2006 Montoy case. That should never happen again.

https://shawneemissionpost.com/…/local-lawmakers-advocacy-g…

Originally posted to Facebook 06/14/2019.