A bill that would convert funding for the state’s 286 school districts into a system of block grants still has not been introduced in the Senate, and the bill’s author is giving no indication about when it might come.

Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover, who chairs the Senate Ways and Means Committee, had said earlier that he hoped to have the bill introduced by the end of last week. The committee voted early last week to have a bill introduced — a formality that means when it is introduced, the Ways and Means Committee will be listed as the sponsor — but it’s believed Masterson is still working on the exact wording of the bill.

And he is apparently keeping details of the plan a closely guarded secret. Normally, on any bill dealing with school finance, the Department of Education would be called upon for technical assistance and to produce spreadsheets showing what the fiscal impact would be on each school district. But agency officials said they have not been contacted about Masterson’s block grant bill.

Gov. Sam Brownback called for repealing the school finance formula in his State of the State address, arguing that it’s too complicated for anyone to understand. He proposed funding schools with block grants for the next two years while lawmakers work on developing another formula.

Separately, Sen. Steve Abrams has said he is developing a new funding formula that he plans to introduce soon. Abrams is an Arkansas City Republican who chairs the Senate Education Committee. But, like the block grant bill, Abrams’ bill still has not been formally introduced and the details of that plan are also being kept quiet.