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“The leader of Kansas City, Kan., public schools told a three-judge panel Thursday the state’s new block grant funding system harms the district’s ability to educate its students…Cynthia Lane, superintendent for USD 500 in Kansas City, Kan., said Senate Bill 7, which put the block grant system into effect, will decrease the district’s funds by at least $2.6 million. Those cuts will cause the district to hold off on needed maintenance and other programs. “Those cuts make the district’s situation particularly difficult given its increasing enrollment. She said the district’s enrollment has increased about 500 each year and...

“’When 85 to 95 percent of your expenditures are fixed, and you receive notice halfway through the year that you have to cut, you have to make decisions,’ Stessman said. ‘When we are running close to zero in all of our accounts, there is no leeway.’ “Eight school districts recently applied for additional money from the state’s Extraordinary Need Fund, which was created as part of the new school finance law. The districts requested a total of about $1.2 million, and $498,000 was approved by the State Finance Council. Three districts that submitted requests didn’t receive any additional...