TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Top Republican lawmakers hope to pass a school funding plan that would avoid an increase in state spending while attempting to satisfy a Kansas Supreme Court order to help poor school districts.
The Senate planned to debate a bill Thursday that redistributes about $83 million of the state’s $4 billion-plus in annual aid to its 286 school districts.
If the measure passes the GOP-dominated Senate, the Republican-controlled House was expected to schedule a vote later Thursday.
The measure shifts some of the $83 million to poor districts but also guarantees that no district sees a reduction in the aid it’s been promised for the next school year.
The court threatened in last month’s ruling to shut down public schools statewide if lawmakers did not fix the problems by June 30.
