© 2024 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

Olathe Schools Will Spend Millions More In Next School Year

Sam Zeff
/
KCUR 89.3

The Olathe School Board meeting Thursday night was decidely more upbeat than about this time two years ago. At that time,the board was facing a $2 million deficit and had laid off 80 people to fill budget hole.

But last night, the board heard the district will probably be able to spend about $14.5 million more in the 2017-2018 school under the school funding plan passed this week by the Kansas Legislature.

About $9.5 million of that will come from increased state aid. The rest will be raised locally. Some of that will come from a special levy the district can use to help pay for the new Olathe West High School that opens in August.

The school funding package now on Gov. Sam Brownback's desk adds $184 million in new funding next year and $100 million more the year after that. So far, nobody knows if the governor will sign the plan or veto it.

Acting Superintendent Patricia All told the board while next year's funding is solid, year two and beyond is shaky. "The base state aid is not enough to do what you to do going forward," All says. "It's not the plan the schools need for the long term."

The board also discussed what might happen should the state Supreme Court find the school funding legislation unconstitutional. Many lawmakers believe the funding is short of what the court will accept. The high court has threatened to shut down public education June 30 if it finds lawmakers put too little money into the plan to adequately fund education in Kansas.

Time is running short for the justices to read briefs, hold oral arguments and render a judgment.

No special shut down plan was shared with the board. Staff told them even if schools are closed, the district may be able to pay some essential employees and bills.

If schools are closed, the problem will be handed off to John Allison who takes over as superintendent July 1. Allison was part of the board workshop Thursday night.

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

You deserve to know what your taxpayer dollars are paying for and what public officials are doing on your behalf – I’ll work to report on irresponsible government spending in the Kansas City area and shed light on controversies that slow government down. And when you hear my voice in the morning, you know you’re getting everything you need to start your day. Email me at sam@kcur.org, find me on Twitter @samzeff or call me at 816-235-5004.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.