Topeka — The Senate approved a proposed school spending study, but some members questioned its value, and the bill faces an uncertain future in the House.
The bill directs the State Board of Education to initiate a study of the state's law for distributing money to its 304 school districts and the cost of providing students a "suitable" education.
Such a study was recommended by a task force appointed by Gov. Bill Graves last year. The panel concluded that the state must know the cost of providing a suitable education before undertaking major changes in the school finance law.
The bill defines a suitable education as including courses necessary to prepare students for college, including foreign language, fine arts and science.
But the vote Thursday was relatively close 24-16 and Senate Bill 134 drew opposition from Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson.
Graves' task force recommended spending $450,000 on the study, but a Senate Ways and Means subcommittee suggested just $225,000.
The House Appropriations Committee rejected the proposed study altogether and put the money into programs for children who are considered dropout risks.
Kerr noted that Kansas law already sets education standards for schools.
And Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, said the study could put legislators in a bind if it concluded that the state which already spends $2.27 billion on aid to public schools must increase spending.
But supporters said the point was to learn the price of a suitable education.
"One of the reasons people are avoiding this issue is because we don't want to know what it takes," said Sen. Christine Downey, D-Newton. "I don't think we should be afraid of the knowledge of what it is going to take in terms of resources."
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