State Senator Jeff Longbine has reacted for JCPost.com  to the information contained in the Kansas Supreme Court ruling on school finance.

Longbine noted the Court also sent the case back to a three judge panel in Shawnee County District Court  for review the question of whether the State is adequately funding state base aid. ” I think if you read between the lines of the ruling, what they’re really wanting is the Legislature to clearly define what a suitable education is, because that’s a difficult standard the way the Constitution is written, to determine exactly what is a suitable education.”

Longbine said there is a lot of work left to be done on the ruling. He noted there needs to be a lot of interpetation, and there will be need to be discussions with the education community and fellow legislators  to develop a plan going forward two ways. “First, how do we comply with $129 million by July 1, and where does that come from?  And then the second point is how do we develop a funding mechanism for education that meets our constitutional requirements, and satisfies the Court?”

Longbine stated multiple options will need to be discussed ranging from utilizing ending balances, which would be a short term solution, to possible slowing down or modification of the tax reforms enacted in 2012.   “Other than that it’s going to be chopping budgets further to the tune of $129 million to put that money into education.”

No final decisions have been made at this point.