(AP) — A former member of the Kansas State Board of Education is opposing a school finance suit, saying school districts don’t need more money.  Wichita Republican Walt Chappell submitted an amicus brief to the Kansas Supreme Court this month. He says school districts could save nearly a billion dollars by consolidating, making teachers work longer hours and cutting funding for low-income students.

The school finance lawsuit accuses the state and Legislature of underfunding schools by hundreds of millions of dollars. In January, a Shawnee County District Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, an alliance of about 50 school districts.

The case since has proceeded to the Kansas Supreme Court.