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USD 247 prepares for possible budget cuts

“The courts have said that we’re supposed to get more money. The legislators are saying they don’t have the money to give,” said Dr. Glenn Fortmayer, USD 247 Superintendent. Kansas school districts like USD 247 have been experiencing budget cuts for the past six years. However, the next round of cuts may have a major impact on the district. “They are looking to reorganize how the funding formula is going to be done,” said Dr. Fortmayer. A Kansas district court recently ruled that public schools are unconstitutionally under funded. To combat this ruling, lawmakers are rewriting the funding...
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Schools are facing more cuts

“It is fine to review that calculation and consider whether there is a better or fairer way to equalize funding. But having a large funding reduction apply to the current year would be difficult for school districts, which already budgeted for and made contractual agreements based on their LOB funding…In addition to these possible cuts, the House Appropriations Committee approved an amendment Thursday that would delay the state’s capital outlay equalization funding to school districts. The state would pay $25 million of the payments due in February and delay the remaining $20 million in funding until June 20....
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Why money matters in schools

We have legislators in Kansas who claim that money does not matter in school funding. Although that defies common sense, there are also studies with real data that show money does matter. Here’s a post from Bruce Baker. The footnotes show additional resources. https://schoolfinance101.wordpress.com/2015/01/20/how-and-why-money-matters-in-schools-one-more-time-updated/...
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