The Kansas Supreme court has ruled that the state’s new school finance formula is unconstitutional and does not adequately fund education. A funding figure that would meet the test of what is “adequate” was not presented by the Court.
The question is whether or not there will be a consensus of legislators to increase the funding necessary to satisfy the Court and what the source of money would be to do so. In addition, as the Court noted earlier, some students, especially in more economically poor districts were not performing adequately in some subject areas. This prompted some legislators to urge that attention for funding should focus on those areas where students were not performing well.
The Supreme Court’s ruling this week indicates that the focus is still on the question of equity. The Court was not satisfied that the legislature resolved the question of equity and it ordered a more fair distribution of state funding so that students in poor districts would have the same educational opportunities as those in more affluent districts.
I tend to agree with those who say that money will not solve our educational problems. It will take more than money, it will take a whole reworking of our system of education.
