Baldwin school superintendent says odds favor court striking down state’s school funding plan

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Baldwin school district Superintendent Paul Dorathy said at Tuesday’s school board meeting that the Kansas Supreme Court was more likely to strike down the Legislature’s latest school funding plan than to approve it.

While updating the Baldwin school board on the status of the school finance case, Dorathy guessed that the odds of the court ruling against the funding plan were about 60-40. Dorathy added that the only sure thing at this point was that everything was uncertain.

The court heard arguments May 10 on whether the plan Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law last month provides equitable funding for schools. Dorathy said a ruling is expected before June 1, which would give the Legislature the opportunity to respond to any decision striking down the plan when it returns to formally wrap up the 2016 session.

If the funding plan is struck down, the Legislature could attempt to address the court’s concerns or simply leave the legislation in place and adjourn, Dorathy said. Leaving the legislation in place could prompt the court to close public schools in July.

An order closing schools could have the “teeth” to compel the Legislature to act, Dorathy said.

“I think the court knows what will get people stirred up, and that’s kids not going to school,” he said. “We may have to have a special board meeting to deal with it, no matter what direction it goes.”

In other business, the board:

• Approved financing the roof repairs on the Baldwin Elementary School Intermediate Center with a $284,000, 10-year note from Kansas State Bank of Baldwin City. The note has a 3 percent annual interest rate.

• Approved the purchase of 110 iPads for Baldwin High School for $51,000.

• Established meal prices for the 2016-2017 school year, keeping all prices at their current levels.