Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
Inadequate state funding for public schools and special education has greatly contributed to the Lawrence school district’s current budget crisis and a need to consolidate schools, district leaders told the crowd at a Chamber luncheon Wednesday.
School districts have been forced to shoulder the burden of paying for special education services that are underfunded by the Kansas Legislature. Advocates say there’s a dire need for more money.
The Lawrence school board on Monday will begin discussing the district’s legislative priorities earlier than usual.
Open enrollment in Kansas public schools will worsen existing inequities and funding issues as well as diminish the importance of voters’ representation on local school boards, some local leaders say.
Charrica Osborne remembers spending up to $800 of her own money every year on classroom supplies for her students at a Wichita public school as funding eroded under former Gov. Sam Brownback.
