As I write this, not even 24 hours have passed since the news that the Kansas Supreme Court would release oversight of the Gannon settlement that aimed to restore adequate and equitable funding to every Kansas school district. The countless conversations I’ve had in this short time make it clear that many K-12 advocates and leaders are worried about what comes next. I understand that feeling.
Here are a few perspectives I’ve gained as I reflect on those conversations, as well as my own 20+ years working in public schools and now at KASB. These truths have helped me refocus on a bright future for our state’s public schools — and why it’s worth our effort.
Kansas is fortunate. Public education funding is in our state constitution, which sets us apart from most other states. This is a good thing for our local communities, schools and residents. It means that the state bears responsibility for providing a great public education for every student, regardless of zip code. This can be summed up as equity of opportunity — something the generations before us believed every Kansas child deserved.
This financing structure has proven to be impressively sensitive to the vast diversity of the 286 school districts in our state. It replaced a model where each community had to fund its own schools with local tax dollars, creating great disparities between schools, communities and opportunities for Kansas kids. In the decades since this change, a great deal of thought and debate has helped ensure that a state-focused funding process is dynamic enough to account for differences in enrollment, geography and student characteristics — all while balancing the burden on local taxpayers.
School finance takes all of us. Fulfilling the constitutional promise of adequate and equitable funding to local school districts is not magic. It requires dedication and compromise. And it generates the best results when people come to the table focused on responsible solutions that benefit Kansas kids and communities. This isn’t new. Kansans have pushed for more equitable education opportunities across this state since the concept of state aid was first introduced in our state in 1937.
Students benefit from ample school funding. You can’t help but look at the tremendous strides Kansas schools have made over the past five years when the Kansas Legislature did its part to fully fund the base state aid. Graduation rates, skills for college and career, state assessments and so much more. Our schools thrive when they have the funds to hire and retain great teachers and staff, operate safe facilities and invest in programs and resources that drive student success.
The work isn’t done. In fact, the work began generations ago. When I think about the people who farmed in Mitchell County where I grew up — my parents, grandparents and even my grandparents’ grandparents who were immigrants on a homestead, it’s clear they believed that Kansas was a place of opportunity for all. From big cities to small towns, generations of Kansans acted on a belief their schools could amplify the opportunity that this state offered. They believed their public schools were the path to a brighter future for Kansas and for Kansans.
And still, today, Kansans expect their neighborhood schools to meet the needs of their community and the next-generation workforce.
Please take time in the next week to thank your legislators for making school funding a priority over the last few years. Let them know how important it is to your local schools and community. Share what it allowed you to do, the opportunities it provided to strengthen student success. Explain why an equitable school funding process matters to you and your community. These are conversations for K-12 leaders, school board members and anyone else who believes their local schools are doing important work for kids and for Kansas.
This moment is our chance to continue the work of past generations, and KASB is as committed as ever to partnering with our members and with lawmakers to carry this legacy forward.
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