This is a copy of the email sent by Lawrence Superintendent Randy Weseman to school board members.
Board Members and Colleagues:
As you know, today marks another attempt by the legislature to make something happen. A joint education conference committee began at 10:00; who knows what the rest of the day will bring? I am planning on attending proceedings on Thursday if need be and maybe the hearing on Friday. Hopefully, we will have a funding package by the end of the day on Thursday.
While we are hopeful for a finance plan that will be acceptable to the Court, we must also plan for the Supreme Court Hearing scheduled for Friday and a potential decision by the Court next week of closing schools. To ignore this possibility is, in my opinion, irresponsible. Therefore, below please find two very important pieces that address both the Court Hearing on Friday and a possible closure next week.
Supreme Court Hearing (Friday, July 8, 2005)
The Court will be allowing testimony from both the defendant and the plaintiff in this case. Several of us plan to ask for the following exceptions should the Court decide to shut down schools. Those exceptions are:
1. Bond Payments
2. Construction Projects under construction
3. Utility Payments
4. Cost of Security
5. Staff pay checks for July and August
6. Self funded Health Insurance
7. Life Insurance
8. Property Insurance
9. Liability Insurance
Some of the above appears in Bullock's stay from a year ago.
Possible Closure next week
Unless there is some movement at today's joint session, I will begin the process of directing staff to prepare a list of things that would need to occur should the Court order a closure sometime next week. That list will be sent to you upon its completion. In addition, in the event of a shut-down, I am prepared to stay on and monitor the organization regardless of the salary implications.
Keep the faith....
Randy Weseman
Superintendent of Schools
Lawrence, Kansas
School Finance
More about school finance
- Webcast of live arguments before the Kansas Supreme Court (requires Windows Media Player)
- Brief of the Montoy suit (.pdf)
- Timeline of events in school finance lawsuit
- 6News video: School finance bill to face court
- Plaintiffs: School finance bill fails grade (06-13-06)
- State wants high court to dismiss school suit (06-02-06)
- Legislature approves school finance plan (05-10-06)
- Chat with Bob Corkins, Kansas Education Commissioner (02-02-06)
- House roll call on $148.4 million school finance plan (07-07-05)
- Supt. Weseman's contingency plan (07-06-05)
- More about school finance »
Related documents
- Conference Committee on Senate Bill 549
- House bill info
- Senate bill info
- Kansas public schools cost study
- Kansas public schools cost study executive summary
- Public Education Finances 2004 (.pdf)
- Senate roll call on $148.4 million school finance plan
- Supreme Court's Show Cause Order (07-02-05)
- Supreme Court's Order Denying Extension (.pdf)
- Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1603 (.pdf)
- Supplemental Note on Resolution No. 1603 (.pdf)
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