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“Steve Karlin, superintendent of Garden City USD 457, which sought more than $1 million in emergency aid and received less than $60,000, disputed the panel’s suggestion that his district’s needs don’t warrant extra help from the state. “’I’m disappointed with the result,’ Karlin said. ‘I think given what happened with schools over the last several years, any further reduction in revenue creates an extraordinary need.’ “Karlin was referring to past cuts to certain types of school aid, in particular funding for everyday operational expenses.”… “Tim Hallacy, superintendent of Silver Lake USD 372 in Shawnee County, said the fact...

“Cory Gibson, the superintendent for Valley Center, said in an e-mail that school districts ‘were assured that the extraordinary fund would be there as a ‘safety net’ for growth, but this appears once again to be a failed promise by some lawmakers.’… “Brownback’s budget director, Shawn Sullivan, had proposed setting a 1 percent enrollment increase as the threshold. Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, made a motion to approve this proposal, but it was voted down by every Republican on the committee, including Brownback… “The old school finance formula would have automatically adjusted for increases in enrollment. The...

On August 24th, the State Finance Council didn’t give any district all of the funding they requested. Instead they assigned discount percentages to the requests, including only giving funding for population growths over 2% based on Sen. Susan Wagle’s recommendation. “’You look at most businesses in Kansas,’ Wagle said, ‘whether they’re technology, whether its recreation, hotel, restaurant. Doesn’t really matter what type of business it is. They are used to accommodating with specific personnel a fluctuation in their clientele.’ “’Two percent above last year’s enrollment can easily be accommodated in the classroom I would think,’ Wagle said, ‘and...