Topeka ? Legislators are in special session because of a 1999 lawsuit against the state filed by parents and administrators in the Dodge City and Salina school districts over education funding.

They argued the state spent too little money on its schools and distributed its dollars unfairly, shorting bilingual education, special education and programs that help children at risk of dropping out.

In January, the Kansas Supreme Court said legislators had failed to fulfill a duty under the state constitution to provide every child with a suitable education. However, it was not specific about a remedy.

During its regular session, which ended May 20, the Legislature increased public school aid by $142 million, or about 5 percent. But the Supreme Court said that amount wasn’t sufficient.

Justices said the total increase had to be $285 million, or about 10 percent, pushing total aid past $3 billion annually. It ordered lawmakers to come up with the difference – $143 million – by July 1.

The court also said it could mandate an additional $568 million increase in education funding next year. That increase is based on a 2001 consultant’s study that found Kansas was falling more than $850 million short of funding its schools adequately.