First, we assert that whether they got more than authorized under the statute is more complicated than implied. The statute refers to a line of best fit but doesn’t say how to calculate it. Mr. Dennis calculated it as he was told to by a legislator at the time. Second, it is understood that funding provided is less than their actual costs, even with the “extra” districts like SMSD received. Third, that money has been spent and clawing it back would further hurt districts already unconstitutionally underfunded. We can hardly count the number of times we have found...
Read more
Leave a Comment Blog
LJ World Article on Call for Districts to Return Funds
“Rep. Larry Campbell, R-Olathe, who chairs the House K-12 Education Budget Committee, also said he thought it was unrealistic to expect districts to pay back the money. “’The money’s been spent,’ he said in an interview. “Campbell also noted that another section of the LPA report found that despite overpayments to some districts, overall state funding for transportation has not been meeting districts’ actual costs, based on a survey the auditors conducted of 16 Kansas School districts of varying sizes.” “…we are already in a situation where the state Supreme Court has said your funding is neither equitable nor...
Read more
Leave a Comment KASB Post: Senate Leader Wants Districts to Return Transportation Funds
Who would be helped if school districts have to pay back funds Sen. Denning thinks they shouldn’t have received? What is Sen. Denning trying to accomplish here? How does that help students? No one is contending schools made a profit on transportation funding. From the KASB Blog: “Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, says school districts may have to repay millions of dollars in transportation funding allocated by the Kansas State Department of Education.” https://kasb.org/0131-2/ Originally posted to Facebook on 1/31/18....
Read more
Leave a Comment KCUR Article on Recent Call for Education Funding Audit
We appreciate this thoughtful piece. We are not opposed to an audit of school funding. However, we adamantly oppose any suggestion that because of the recent issue with calculating transportation funding, none of KSDE’s work on the formula should be trusted. We will also adamantly oppose any attempt to delay or reduce the legislature’s Gannon response while an audit is undertaken. “When they asked teh education agency to suspend Dennis, it rattled educators and lawmakers [and education advocates] frustrated that Kansas continues, according to court rulings, to spend too little on its schools.” “They fear conservatives and the...
Read more
Leave a Comment