Kansas Supreme Court: Find more school funds

• Underfunded Schools Discrminate Against Minorites

The Kansas Supreme Court declared state school funding inadequate Monday and gave lawmakers until April 12 to come up with a plan to add new money for K-12 education. The court did not specify how much money was needed, but in its opinion referenced a 2001 study commissioned by the Legislature that put the figure at about $1 billion a year. Republican legislative leaders, who hold a majority in the House and Senate, were quick to say the court order does not necessarily mean higher taxes. And Attorney General Phill Kline, a Republican, quickly offered a list of options that didn't include spending more money, such as changing state law. Democratic legislative leaders, however, warned that tax increases may be the only answer. The Supreme Court's brief, unanimous decision came in a 1999 lawsuit claiming that schools are underfunded and that the school-finance law discriminates against poor, minority and at-risk students. [more]