Legislature should fund schools and go home

State leaders need to stay cool and focused as the special session on school finance begins Thursday in Topeka. Finger-pointing won’t keep schools open. What likely will – finding and equitably distributing $38 million, which was the idea endorsed last week by Gov. Sam Brownback.

Kansans will be watching nervously to find out whether the Legislature and the governor can make the Kansas Supreme Court’s June 30 deadline to restore equity to the distribution of state supplemental aid among wealthy and poor school districts. Some lashing out at the court seems inevitable, including consideration of a proposed constitutional amendment to curb its powers to enforce the constitutional provision on school funding. But that debate shouldn’t distract from the main event, which is answering the court and keeping schools open.

Wichita voters should note how their senators and representatives handle a possible tug-of-war over equalization of funding. The massive 34-member Johnson County delegation clearly stands ready to defend the Olathe, Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley districts against a possible loss of funding. Several Johnson County lawmakers have been pushing for another “hold harmless” provision – a risky move that could exacerbate inequity and prolong the court fight.

“My job as a senator is to protect my school districts,” conservative Sen. Greg Smith, R-Overland Park, told the Kansas City Star.

How many Sedgwick County senators would say the same thing? How many area House members would echo that commitment?

Most Wichita Republicans have been more critical of the Supreme Court than vocal in advocating for USD 259, which saw no increase in the law rejected in the May 27 ruling but would gain as much as $10 million if the old equalization formula were resurrected (about $5.3 million of which would go to local property tax relief). The school board has approved longer days and a shorter school year among other efforts to cover $23 million in increased costs.

For her part, Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, has said the court didn’t mention a figure and that restoring equity “can be done with current funds.”

Despite all the differing perspectives across the state, and among the parties to the lawsuit that brought Kansas to this brink, no one wants to see the court carry out its threat to block $4 billion in funding and effectively shut down the school system.

Allowing that to happen would be poor leadership and politics. Much more important, that outcome would be a blow to Kansas’ families and economy.

This story was originally published June 23, 2016 at 12:08 AM with the headline "Legislature should fund schools and go home."