TOPEKA — The chairman of the Kansas House education committee says his panel won’t vote on a school consolidation measure.
Rep. Ron Highland, R-Wamego, told The Topeka Capital-Journal Saturday he doesn’t intend to move forward this year with a House measure introduced by Rep. John Bradford, a Lansing Republican. The measure would pare down the number of school districts to one per county in most counties.
The Kansas Association of School Boards estimated the number of districts would drop from 286 statewide to 132.
A hearing in Highland’s committee on Wednesday attracted 41 opponents to the bill.
Highland says the measure has “too many unknowns,” such as whether it would truly generate savings. He also says a recent state efficiency audit produced recommendations for other potential avenues for savings.
