Kansas Schools Shortchanged on Special Ed Funding

0:00It's April 21st. This is Kansas News today, your AI-powered local news. Johnson County School Districts have been shortchanged on special education funding by the Kansas legislature since 2011. State law requires them to cover 92% of the costs, but they're falling way short, leaving local schools to pick up the slack with their own budgets. Superintendents from major districts like Shawnee Mission, Olaid the public schools and Blue Valley have teamed up to call out the issue. For example, Olaid he pulled $44 million from its general fund, just to keep programs running, proving that local taxes are filling the state's gap. Teachers on the ground are feeling the squeeze, dealing with understaffing and having to get creative to cover every kid's needs day by day. Parents are speaking up, too, saying the shortfall doesn't just hit special ed students, it drags down resources for everyone from teacher pay, too. General programming. Districts are coping by cutting back where they can, leaving jobs open, and asking voters for more cash through bonds.

1:05Needs in special education keep growing, making the funding hole even tougher to plug without full state support. For next year, lawmakers tossed in an extra $6 million, but leaders say it's not enough. They're pushing hard for that full 92%. With the current school funding formulas set to expire in 2027, Districts plan to keep the pressure on for real change.