Overland Park ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius told northeast Kansas educators on Wednesday she was prepared to advocate for increased education spending in the 2004 legislative session.

“I’ll be one to lead the charge,” she said. “We need more resources for education — no question about it.”

But representatives from Lawrence public schools and Kansas University who attended the meeting said Sebelius’ plan still lacked details.

“I think we found out we’re all of one mind when it comes to what we need to do, and that’s increase funding,” said Cindy Yulich, a Lawrence school board member. “I didn’t hear anything about how we’re going to get there.”

Sebelius led two meetings Wednesday, at Kansas City Kansas Community College and Johnson County Community College. She already has conducted meetings at Goodland and Garden City and will complete the tour with meetings in Hays, Topeka, Pittsburg and Wichita between today and Tuesday.

She is touting the 14 goals of her policy team, which, in addition to increased base funding, include:

• Expanding early learning programs, especially for high-risk students.
• Funding commitments to a 1999 law, Senate Bill 345, which includes increases in university faculty salaries.
• Developing a plan to recruit and retain teachers.
• Creating an annual education summit and an advisory panel of business leaders interested in education.

Most of those who attended the program Wednesday evening at Johnson County Community College were most concerned about increasing base funding for public schools. Several Johnson County school administrators said they favored developing a new school finance formula that would allow wealthier districts, such as those in their county, to contribute more to local schools.

“The reality is whether the state uses the current formula or another formula, it must be fully funded in order to work,” said Gary George, assistant superintendent of the Olathe school district. “All costs have been trimmed, fees have been increased and programs have been postponed.”

Though many of the governor’s proposals concern primary and secondary education, KU officials who attended said they had a strong interest in the task force’s work.

Christopher Morphew, associate professor of education, said the key would be how Sebelius used the information from the “listening sessions” during the legislative session. He noted that the group was clearly pro-education.

“I’m sure she’s going to say, ‘I’ve been around the state and talked to people in education and parents and I know what they need,'” Morphew said. “That’s useful, but I think she can’t say she’s talked to everybody.”