A bill in the Kansas Senate would reduce the amount of state aid to most school districts in Kansas in the current fiscal year.
The measure is what educators in Kansas feared the most — a bill that would force districts to cut their budgets before the current fiscal year ends in July.
The measure would cut state aid for Local Option Budgets, that portion of school budgets raised through local property tax.
The state provides money to help equalize those taxes between wealthy and low-income districts.
Johnson County districts stand to take some of the biggest cuts in the state, according to an analysis from the state Department of Education.
- Blue Valley — $3.3 million
- Shawnee Mission — $4.1 million
- Olathe - 2.5 million
- DeSoto — $508,000
- Gardner-Edgerton — $304,000
- Spring Hill — $158,000
The Kansas City, Kan., district stands to lose about $1 million.
The state Department of Education analysis estimates that across Kansas districts could lose $39 million in state aid if the bill passes.
The Senate Bill 71 was introduced on Tuesday and has its first hearing next week in the senate Ways and Means Committee.
