Post by Logan on Mar 23, 2016 4:17:09 GMT -6
New Kansas school finance plan promises to hold districts harmless on equity aid
A new school finance plan that would ensure districts don’t lose state aid seized the attention of lawmakers Tuesday as they race toward a weeks-long break.
The plan — with identical bills introduced in both the House and Senate — also shifts control of a fund to help districts facing extraordinary circumstances from lawmakers and the governor to the State Board of Education.
Lawmakers hope that if the plan passes the Legislature and is signed by the governor it will satisfy the Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled in February the state’s school funding system is inequitable between rich and poor districts, and is therefore unconstitutional.
Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover, chairs the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee, and he indicated he wanted the panel to work the bill Wednesday, setting up a potential vote on the Senate floor Thursday or Friday. The House Appropriations Committee also met Tuesday and was expected to hold hearings Wednesday.
Read more: cjonline.com/news/2016-03-22/new-kansas-school-finance-plan-promises-hold-districts-harmless-equity-aid
A new school finance plan that would ensure districts don’t lose state aid seized the attention of lawmakers Tuesday as they race toward a weeks-long break.
The plan — with identical bills introduced in both the House and Senate — also shifts control of a fund to help districts facing extraordinary circumstances from lawmakers and the governor to the State Board of Education.
Lawmakers hope that if the plan passes the Legislature and is signed by the governor it will satisfy the Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled in February the state’s school funding system is inequitable between rich and poor districts, and is therefore unconstitutional.
Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover, chairs the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee, and he indicated he wanted the panel to work the bill Wednesday, setting up a potential vote on the Senate floor Thursday or Friday. The House Appropriations Committee also met Tuesday and was expected to hold hearings Wednesday.
Read more: cjonline.com/news/2016-03-22/new-kansas-school-finance-plan-promises-hold-districts-harmless-equity-aid