Kansas Schools Struggle with Special Ed Funding

0:00Parents in Johnson County, Kansas, are seeing real changes in their kids' classrooms because of tight school budgets. Districts like Blue Valley and Shawnee Mission are cutting resources and programs due to shortfalls and special education funding. Superintendents say they have no choice but to scale back to make ends meet. The big issue comes from how Kansas fund schools. There are separate pots for general operations, bonds, and special education. The state is supposed to cover 92% of extra special ed costs, but they haven't hit that mark since 2011. So districts pull money from general funds to cover it legally. Parents and leaders are speaking out about the hits to teacher pay and student programs. One Blue Valley mom said it's taking away what drew families there in the first place. Superintendents agree the strain limits what they can offer kids every day. This stems from a 2017 Supreme Court ruling that restored general school funding to about 2009 levels plus inflation. But it skipped special education, leaving districts stuck without new revenue options like a business could find.

1:05With the current funding formula set to end in 2027, Kansas voters should watch the 2026 elections closely, especially for Governor and State House seats. The state just needs to step up and fix this for our schools. You've been listening to Kansas News today, AI-powered local news.