As many as one in
three Kansas public school students are enrolled in districts that will be
seeking funds from the state due to increased enrollment or decreasing property
values.
three Kansas public school students are enrolled in districts that will be
seeking funds from the state due to increased enrollment or decreasing property
values.
The final number
won’t be known until late today, which is the deadline for school districts to
submit applications for extraordinary needs funding under the new block grant
school finance law.
won’t be known until late today, which is the deadline for school districts to
submit applications for extraordinary needs funding under the new block grant
school finance law.
Those applications
will then be considered Monday, Aug. 24 by the State Finance Council, which is
headed by Gov. Sam Brownback and includes legislative leaders.
will then be considered Monday, Aug. 24 by the State Finance Council, which is
headed by Gov. Sam Brownback and includes legislative leaders.
Brownback and top
Republican legislators repealed the former school finance formula, which
provided funding on a per pupil basis, and replaced it with a two-year block
grant that essentially froze the level of state operating funds available to
schools. Since then, a three-judge panel has declared the law unconstitutional.
That decision has been appealed by the state to the Kansas Supreme Court.
Republican legislators repealed the former school finance formula, which
provided funding on a per pupil basis, and replaced it with a two-year block
grant that essentially froze the level of state operating funds available to
schools. Since then, a three-judge panel has declared the law unconstitutional.
That decision has been appealed by the state to the Kansas Supreme Court.
The block grant law
also reduced state aid for all districts by 0.4 percent dollars to set up an
Extraordinary Needs Fund. In reviewing a district’s application for payment
from the fund, the State Finance Council must consider any extraordinary
increase in enrollment, or decrease in the district’s assessed valuation or any
other unforeseen circumstances impacting a district’s finances.
also reduced state aid for all districts by 0.4 percent dollars to set up an
Extraordinary Needs Fund. In reviewing a district’s application for payment
from the fund, the State Finance Council must consider any extraordinary
increase in enrollment, or decrease in the district’s assessed valuation or any
other unforeseen circumstances impacting a district’s finances.
The Kansas State
Department of Education has received applications from 22 mostly western Kansas
districts for funds because of decreasing valuations from dropping oil and gas
prices.
Department of Education has received applications from 22 mostly western Kansas
districts for funds because of decreasing valuations from dropping oil and gas
prices.
Media reports have
indicated as many as 15 school districts will seek funds because of increased
enrollment. These include Kansas’ largest school districts, Wichita USD 259,
and several other large ones, such as Kansas City USD 500 and Olathe USD 233.
indicated as many as 15 school districts will seek funds because of increased
enrollment. These include Kansas’ largest school districts, Wichita USD 259,
and several other large ones, such as Kansas City USD 500 and Olathe USD 233.
There is
approximately $12 million in the Extraordinary Needs Fund. The amount requested
from the districts with falling assessed valuations totals more than $6
million. The figure requested from school districts because of increased
enrollment wasn’t totaled yet, although Kansas City USD 500 will be seeking
$2.7 million because of an estimated increase of 500 students.
approximately $12 million in the Extraordinary Needs Fund. The amount requested
from the districts with falling assessed valuations totals more than $6
million. The figure requested from school districts because of increased
enrollment wasn’t totaled yet, although Kansas City USD 500 will be seeking
$2.7 million because of an estimated increase of 500 students.
Earlier this year
during the first round of requests for additional dollars in the Extraordinary
Needs Fund, the State Finance Council approved less than half of the requested
funding — $478,000 out of $1.2 million.
during the first round of requests for additional dollars in the Extraordinary
Needs Fund, the State Finance Council approved less than half of the requested
funding — $478,000 out of $1.2 million.
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