block grants

What's ahead for Kansas school funding? The Kansas Supreme Court has threatened to shut down schools if lawmakers can't come up with a funding method that's constitutional. Many are now wondering how lawmakers will respond. One idea? Shifting money around, from wealthier districts to poorer districts.

Kansas lawmakers have approved a budget for the new fiscal year that starts in July. But, they haven't included any additional money for public schools, despite a supreme court order saying the current funding method is unconstitutional and some schools are getting short-changed.

Here's a summary of the day's Kansas news headlines from the Associated Press, as compiled by the KPR news staff.

Critics of additional funding say schools are not doing enough to identify and eliminate wasteful spending.

Funding cuts to classroom education and certain policy changes are prompting some teachers to leave the state of Kansas. Neighboring Missouri is hoping to capitalize on this exodus of educators.

Three Kansas school districts will be getting additional financial aid to contend with a drop in state education funding.

A panel of judges in Shawnee County is considering whether to block a new method of funding Kansas public schools. Four school districts are asking the court to suspend the new method of giving "block grants" to schools and return to the former school finance system.

Regional headlines from the Associated Press

Regional headlines from the Associated Press

Some public schools are worried that the new system for funding public education will lead to fewer teachers and larger class sizes.