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Kansas School Finance Trial Continues

Peter Hancock
/
Kansas Education Policy Report

The trial resumes today in the school finance lawsuit where 54 school districts are claiming the state of Kansas is under-funding public education.

As the trial enters its third week, the plaintiffs will call a number of current and former state officials to talk about how the school finance formula works, and how education budgets were cut over the last four years.

One of those scheduled to testify is Duane Goossen, who served as budget director and secretary of administration under Governors Bill Graves, Kathleen Sebelius and Mark Parkinson.

Then starting Wednesday, the state will put on its witnesses – economists who will argue there is no direct link between increasing education funding and improving student achievement.

Also on the state's witness list is Art Hall of the University of Kansas Center for Applied Economics. He argues that ordering a massive increase in school funding would harm the Kansas economy and damage other areas of state government.

Testimony will then turn back to the plaintiffs for the rest of this week and most of next week, with testimony scheduled to wrap up on Thursday, June 28th.

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