TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Lawmakers are reportedly falling short in funding for special education in Kansas schools, and as four school districts threaten litigation, we’re hearing more from legislators.
The Olathe, Shawnee Mission, De Soto and Blue Valley School Districts released a joint statement on May 20. In it, district leaders threatened to sue the state, saying the Kansas Legislature failed to “meet its legal obligation for special education funding.”
“For more than 15 years, the State of Kansas has not met its own law to fully fund special education at 92 percent of excess costs,” the joint statement reads. “Despite longstanding legal requirements, the Legislature and elected officials have consistently and deliberately chosen to shift those costs onto school districts and local taxpayers rather than fulfill their legal obligation.”
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The statement goes on to say that the four school districts paid more than $119 million to cover the shortfall during the 2024-25 school year…