Topeka ? Students enrolled at independent private colleges and universities in Kansas next year may be entitled to as much as 84 percent of all the need-based grants that are funded by the state, according to the Kansas Board of Regents.

If so, that would mean only $2.4 million would be available to students attending public four-year institutions such as Kansas University, while $13.3 million would be reserved for students at private schools such as Baker University in Baldwin City who make up only 17 percent of all the enrollment at four-year institutions in Kansas.

The uncertainty results from the fact that the Senate Ways and Means Committee initially added $2 million on top of Gov. Sam Brownback’s request for funding of the Comprehensive Grant program, bringing the total amount in the bill to $17.7 million.

But the committee added a proviso saying, “”the Board of Regents shall disburse not less than 75.0 percent or $13,318,753 to the Independent and Private Colleges.”

Later, the full committee deleted the additional $2 million, taking the total back down to $15.7 million. But it left in the proviso language saying that the private independent colleges should get 75 percent or $13.3 million.

The $13.3 million figure would actually be 84.5 percent of the total amount allocated for the need-based grants.

The grant program dates back to 1998, and traditionally the money has been split evenly between public and private institutions in Kansas.

Board of Regents spokeswoman Breeze Richardson said the money actually funds students, not the institutions themselves. The grants are only available to students who are Kansas residents attending four-year institutions in Kansas.

Last year, there were 141,539 students enrolled in four-year institutions. Of those, only 24,705, or 17.5 percent, attended private four-year schools. The six Regents universities and Washburn University in Topeka had combined enrollment of 116,834 students, or 82.5 percent of the total.

During debate on the bill Wednesday, Sen. Vicki Schmidt, R-Topeka, made a motion to restore the allocation to a 50-50 split between public and private schools. That amendment failed on a vote of 15-23.

The three senators who represent Douglas County — Democratic Sens. Marci Francisco of Lawrence, Tom Holland of Baldwin City and Anthony Hensley of Topeka — all voted for the amendment.