TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has filed a widely expected appeal of a ruling that found the state isn't spending enough money on its public schools to provide a suitable education. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced this week that the appeal had been filed after vowing last month to challenge the ruling. The Shawnee County District Court panel declared in its December ruling that the current funding is "inadequate from any rational perspective of the evidence." The panel said the evidence suggests base state aid should increase to at least $4,654 per student — which would amount to about $548 million a year. However, the panel also suggested the figure could be much higher. Kansas is facing a shortfall of nearly $600M in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
