Kansas City, Mo. ? School board leaders in Kansas are studying how the state doles out education money amid growing talk of changing the existing finance formula.

The Kansas Association of School Boards said Tuesday that it has appointed a study committee of board members and superintendents. The group had its first meeting last week.

The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of an expected lawsuit against Kansas officials by a coalition of more than 70 districts over school funding issues. The coalition, Schools for Fair Funding, said in June it would file the lawsuit in October.

And Sen. Sam Brownback, the Republican nominee for governor, has said the finance formula needs to be rewritten to reflect current education needs and to avert further legal challenges.