TOPEKA, Kan. The Kansas Supreme Court has denied a request from Democratic legislative leaders to intervene in the appeal of a ruling on school finance.
Wednesday’s order rejects a motion from House Minority Leader Paul Davis and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley to join the appeals process.
A three-judge panel in Shawnee County District Court ruled in January that the state’s current system of funding public schools violates the Kansas Constitution. The panel ordered increases in education spending.
The state appealed, and lawyers for the state and the plaintiff school districts and parents have been in mediation toward a settlement.
The Supreme Court said that in refusing to let the Democrat lawmakers join the appeal it was not limiting who could participate in the mediation, leaving the decision to the attorneys.
