The Kansas Supreme Court issued a ruling this past week that will require the Kansas legislature to write a new formula for funding public schools by June 30. State Senator Jeff Longbine told a legislative coffee audience in Junction City on Saturday that was already on the drawing board and the intention of the legislature anyway.

The ruling requires the state to continue to meet the equity portion of the school finance formula and adequacy standards, and there must be attention to the bottom 25% of performing students statewide.”Those students in that group are severely under performing, particularly on math and reading. The Court tells us that we need to develop a formula that will address that.”

A specific amount was not specified by the Supreme Court, or how the formula should be addressed. “But they did indicate it needs to be addressed. That’s going to  be a real challenge.”