Numbers differ in school finance issue

There are reportedly differing numbers available on the impact of a school funding equity bill passed in late June by the Kansas Legislature that has varying effects on districts across the state.

According to District 12 Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, figures that she has obtained on the impact of House Bill 2001, passed by lawmakers at the end of a two-day special legislative session, differ slightly from the numbers USD 234 officials received following passage of the bill.

Figures from the Kansas State Department of Education provided to USD 234 show the district losing a total of $133,635 in local option budget (LOB) aid and capital outlay aid for the 2016-17 school year. The total includes a loss of $106,658 in LOB and $26,977 in capital outlay.

Tyson said the figures she obtained from the Kansas Legislative Research Department show USD 234 losing $84,925 in LOB and $26,977 in capital outlay after adjustments from the previous block grant formula, for a total loss of $111,901.

Tyson said the numbers sent to the school district and provided to the Tribune were "not the final version of the bill."

"When we work a bill, there can be different versions with amendments throughout the process," she said.

USD 234 Business Manager Gina Shelton has said the district received numbers reviewed by Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner of education. The funding loss for the district is due to decreased enrollment this year.

According to KSDE figures provided to the Tribune, USD 235 in Uniontown would lose about $1,800 in LOB aid next school year, going from $878,969 in estimated LOB aid expected under the block grant to $877,143 under the old formula. The figures show that USD 235 would not lose any capital outlay aid next year.

According to Tyson's figures, USD 235 would gain $5,971 in LOB aid next year after adjustments from the block grant formula.

"This is part of the reason school finance needs to be addressed, the different numbers," she said, adding she has been working to support schools and "getting ideas from local school officials for future ideas for school finance."

"The figures could change, but these are the numbers we had for the final bill," she said.

Tyson said she voted for HB 2001.

"My main reason to vote for the bill was to keep schools open," she said. "We could not risk the courts stopping funding going to our schools and closing their doors. That has happened before in the 1970s in New Jersey. I did not feel it was an idle threat by the courts. It wasn't something I wanted to leave to interpretation over one percent of our state funding."

District 13 Sen. Jake LaTurner, Pittsburg, said he also voted in favor of HB 2001.

"The Supreme Court ordered us to equalize schools," he said. "The block grant locked them (districts) into what they were receiving in 2015 ... some districts have lost enrollment or had changes in valuation. That's why some districts lost money under the (equity) plan. They (court) threatened to shut down schools. I don't think that's an option anyone wanted."

"When the court threatens to shut down schools, you do everything in your power to prevent that," LaTurner said. "I don't think that was appropriate."

LaTurner said Friday he contacted the Kansas Legislative Research Department and the figures he obtained were the same numbers Tyson had received. He agreed that the figures from that department represented numbers from the final version of the equity bill.

District 4 Rep. Marty Read, R-Mound City, said he did not have any figures available on the equity bill. Read also voted for HB 2001.

"I trust Caryn's numbers," he said. "I voted for this bill. I didn't have a choice. They were going to shut the schools down."

The three legislators who spoke to the Tribune said they favored House Bill 2655, a previous school funding bill lawmakers passed in March.

"My wish was for a hold harmless provision in this one (new bill.) That would have been ideal," LaTurner said.

"I liked the hold harmless better. It left money in all my schools," Read said. "We needed to get this passed to keep the schools open, because if we didn't then the court would blame us for shutting the schools down, and education people would blame us for shutting the schools down. I decided we had to keep the schools open and then punch the court in the face this fall. They're trying to use those kids as a tool for their political agenda."

The court struck down that bill and once again gave legislators a deadline of June 30 to fix inequities in funding or schools may not be able to reopen due to an unconstitutional funding system. Gov. Sam Brownback signed the bill, which passed with overwhelming majorities in both legislative chambers. The equity fix is estimated to cost about $38 million and relies on various funding sources without cutting aid to schools.

HB 2655 contained a hold harmless provision designed to ensure school districts didn't lose money.

"The best option would have been the hold harmless bill the courts deemed unconstitutional," Tyson said. "The block grant established numbers for two years so districts could budget. The bill we were forced to pass did not allow us to continue with the block grant numbers. It puts a hardship on the schools. The courts are deciding our priorities, not elected officials. They're deciding winners and losers."

Shelton said she is currently working with the KSDE figures provided to the district. She said "numbers could change" and she should have more information on which figures she will be working with to prepare the budget during an upcoming state budget workshop July 18.

District 2 Rep. Adam Lusker, D-Frontenac, whose districts includes a small portion of Bourbon County, could not be reached for comment on this story.