The Kansas Supreme Court has denied a petition by school districts to reopen a 2006 school finance case.

Friday’s ruling from the court means that any new challenge to

the state’s school finance system must start over at the district

court level.

Attorneys for a coalition of 74 districts argued that the state

is failing to comply with the court’s earlier ruling that state aid

to schools was unconstitutionally low.

Attorney General Steve Six fought the districts’ request to

reopen the case. He says a 2005 Kansas law requires that any

challenge to school finance be filed first in district court.

Six also says the economic downturn has hurt all of Kansas

government and schools can’t be immune from budget cuts.