TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas new Democratic governor is meeting unexpected resistance to her plan for boosting public education funding from local school districts that believe her proposal wouldnt supply enough new money.
Gov. Laura Kelly touts her proposed increase of roughly $90 million a year as a simple way to comply with a Kansas Supreme Court mandate for an increase in education funding. She initially won over Schools for Fair Funding, a coalition of 48 school districts backing an ongoing lawsuit against the state, including the four districts that sued in 2010.
But the group withdrew its support before Kellys plan cleared its first legislative hurdle Wednesday, winning a Senate committees approval. An attorney for the school districts said a further review of Kellys proposal showed it would fall tens of millions of dollars short each year of satisfying the Supreme Court.
The change of heart is complicating Kellys efforts to push a funding increase through the Republican-controlled Legislature and could prolong the lawsuit just when an end seemed in sight. It also threatens to divide supporters of more funding in the face of many Republicans misgivings about higher spending and their frustrations with what they see as an activist court.
The committees voice vote sent Kellys plan to the Senate while also showing how the debate has been upended. The committees GOP majority backed the plan, while its Democrats did not.
Ive been flummoxed over this for the past few days, trying to figure out whats what and whats where, said Mark Desetti, a lobbyist for the states largest teachers union, which declared itself neutral on Kellys proposal.
The Supreme Court has issued six rulings in the past five years mandating increases in education funding, citing a duty under the state constitution for lawmakers to provide a suitable education for every child.
A 2018 law phased in a $548 million increase in the states $4 billion in annual funding by the 2022-23 school year. The court said it was inadequate because it did not account for inflation, and the state must tell the court by April 15 how it addressed the problem.
John Robb, an attorney for Schools for Fair Funding and the districts suing the state, said lawmakers face an arithmetic problem.
He contends the arithmetic requires phasing in another $364 million increase in education funding by the 2022-23 school year. The states spending would then be more than $900 million higher than it was from 2017-18.
Thats not how Kelly sees the math.
She argues the state can meet the courts mandate by increasing its annual spending by roughly $90 million a year or $364 million spread over four years. Under her plan, the states spending for 2022-23 would be about $640 million higher than it was in 2017-18.
Thats roughly $270 million short of Schools for Fair Fundings mark.
But the governor has said she is relying on recommendations from the independently elected and GOP-led State Board of Education last year. Some education groups, including the Kansas Association of School Boards, are still backing her plan.
She is eager to work with lawmakers and other partners to address the courts ruling and meet the needs of our students and teachers, spokeswoman Ashley All said after the committees vote.
