Top Republican legislators and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly are negotiating over funding for Kansas public schools and proposals aimed at helping some parents send their children to private schools.
Conservative Republicans have tried to tie an increase in aid to the state’s 286 local public school districts to “school choice” initiatives but have been unable to pass a bill with that combination.
Democrats and education groups would prefer to provide the dollars with no new strings. Kelly’s office and GOP leaders hadn’t reached a deal Thursday.
However, the Republican-controlled Legislature cannot wrap up its business for the year without resolving school funding issues and finishing the next state budget.
