House Panel Fashions School Funding Plan

A Kansas House committee has approved an education funding plan that would boost the state’s total annual aid to public schools by $78 million.

The Appropriations Committee voted 12-11 late Tuesday to send the measure to the full House for debate later this week.

The measure is designed to satisfy a Kansas Supreme Court decision last month directing lawmakers to increasing aid to poor school districts.

The plan would provide an additional $141 million to poor districts. But it would offset the cost by trimming $63 million from other forms of aid to all school districts.

It would reduce the state’s funding for school transportation programs, teacher pensions and programs helping students at risk of failing.

School districts also could levy additional local property taxes to supplement their state funds.