State. Rep. Bill Otto made an about-face yesterday when he said he expects Gov. Sam Brownback’s plan to revise the state’s education finance formula to get some significant support in the legislature.
Last month during a USD 257 board meeting, the Le Roy Republican criticized the plan, which would eliminate the existing formula that allocates per student dollars based on specific needs. Then, Otto maintained the governor’s plan to strayed from an equitable funding method would ensure its demise.
With new details about the plan recently announced and an additional $1.9 million going to the schools in his district — the proposal provides for a $43 million total increase for public education in Kansas in 2013 —
Otto is singing a different
tune.
“Usually when you go around and take a tour and people talk to you, it’s just a waste of time because people don’t listen. But apparently, the governor listened this time,” Otto said.
The initial concern for Otto was too significant of a burden would be put on local property owners to fund schools, ensuring that students in places like Iola and Moran wouldn’t have access to the same quality education as students in Burlington or Johnson County, where low mill levies bring forth much higher returns.
Because the details of the plan stipulate that many rural, property-poor school districts would still receive additional state dollars above the per pupil state aid, Otto said the plan has a real shot at becoming law.
Both the fourth-term representative and his fellow Legislator State. Sen. Jeff King, a senate education committee member, are waiting to say if they will vote in favor of the policy during the upcoming legislative session.
“I’m going to reserve judgment,” Otto said. “They still haven’t gotten the plan in written bill form, so when they file the bill I’ll have to look at it.”
King agreed.
“I applaud the governor for his effort in approaching school finance, and our southeast Kansas schools would benefit,” he said. “But the devil is in the details of any proposal.”
With only the first year of the plan laid out by the governor’s office, King said he’s reserving overall judgment until he “sees how it works” in future years.
All but one school district in King’s legislative jurisdiction would see funding increases in 2013 under the governor’s proposal.
