© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

No Guidance From Kansas Education Department Until High Court Rules

Sam Zeff
KCUR 89.3

While most school districts in Kansas prepare for a possible shutdown at the end of the month, educators are looking for some guidance from the state Department of Education (KSDE).       

Everyone is waiting to see whether there will be a special session of the Kansas Legislature to try and fix the inequity between rich and poor districts.

If it’s not fixed by the end of the month, the state Supreme Court has said it will prohibit districts from spending or raising money.

But does that only mean state funds? What about local taxes or federal money?

"We're waiting to see what the court orders," says KSDE spokesperson Ann Bush. 

Bush says school districts can expect no guidance from the state until KSDE sees what, if any, order comes out of the Supreme Court.

Last week, Shawnee Mission Schools Superintendent Jim Hinson said he will use local property taxes raised in this fiscal year to keep his district open. Other superintendents have said they might use federal money to continue feeding poor kids during the summer months and keep special education services open.

Bush says the department is working on those answers but without specifics from the court, she says, it’s impossible to tell educators what they can and can’t do.

She says the department is focused on working with the governor and lawmakers to prevent a closure.

Sam Zeff  covers education for KCUR and is co-host of the political podcast Statehouse Blend. Follow him on Twitter @SamZeff.

As KCUR’s metro reporter, I hold public officials accountable. Are cities spending your tax money wisely? Are police officers and other officials acting properly? I will track down malfeasance by seeking open records and court documents, and by building relationships across the city. But I also need you — email me with any tips at sam@kcur.org, find me on Twitter @samzeff or call me at 816-235-5004.
No matter what happens in Washington D.C., Kansas City needs KCUR. And KCUR needs you.

Our ability to report local news — accurate, independent and paywall-free — depends on you. Donate now to support fact-based news.