The Kansas Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday in the latest lawsuit over school funding. At issue is whether the state is spending enough on schools.
The question here is if Kansas lawmakers are meeting a constitutional requirement to adequately fund schools. Alan Rupe, an attorney representing school districts, says student performance has faltered and the state isn't providing enough money for students to meet some educational goals. Rupe is trying to convince justices that those add up to a violation of the state Constitution.
“They’ll determine whether or not the Kansas Legislature has breached that duty owed to Kansas kids," Rupe says. "We think the evidence is extremely clear."
Lawyers for the state will argue that lawmakers have met the requirement. They say school funding is on track to set a record in 2017 and students outperform education standards set by the court. The state also says that if the court orders lawmakers to spend a certain amount of money, that’s a violation of the separation of powers.