Kansas lawmakers have the tall order of writing a new school funding formula this year to replace temporary block grants. The work so far has been behind the scenes.
There have been school funding proposals introduced in the Kansas Legislature, but committees have yet to advance any plans.
Republican House Speaker Ron Ryckman says he wants something that’s sustainable and is predictable when it comes to costs for the state and funding for schools. Ryckman wants to have a plan in place by April, but that’s not a hard deadline.
“We’re still gathering information and still meeting with the community. Our hope is something can be finalized before we leave for break. There’s not a timeline. We want to do it right, we don’t want to rush it,” says Ryckman.
Ryckman says they’re leaving all options on the table for now, including extending the temporary block grants. However, he says he’d rather get a new formula than extend the grants.
Stephen Koranda has more: