State of the State - case closed, money is bad for schools

[Rage Against the McKee]

Did you guys know that Rice County, Kansas, population 10,000 and change (that's total population) has 4 school districts? I just picked a random western county off the list. Those 4 counties spend an average $15,738 per pupil. The Kansas average is $13,124.

But yeah, the problem is we're just not "adequately funding" our schools...

How are they spending that much if (I assume) the cost of living is so low out there?

They don't have very many pupils.

[Unruly]

Did you guys know that Rice County, Kansas, population 10,000 and change (that's total population) has 4 school districts? I just picked a random western county off the list. Those 4 counties spend an average $15,738 per pupil. The Kansas average is $13,124.

But yeah, the problem is we're just not "adequately funding" our schools...

How are they spending that much if (I assume) the cost of living is so low out there?

They don't have very many pupils.

Sounds like we just want to shift the cost to the parents(driving the kids to school = time and money cost). Forcing them to drive all the way across the county to go to the single school district after the consolidation. After the districts get cut down to a single one, you know the next step is greatly slashing the number of schools etc.

Kind of a bummer.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

Did you guys know that Rice County, Kansas, population 10,000 and change (that's total population) has 4 school districts? I just picked a random western county off the list. Those 4 counties spend an average $15,738 per pupil. The Kansas average is $13,124.

But yeah, the problem is we're just not "adequately funding" our schools...

How are they spending that much if (I assume) the cost of living is so low out there?

They don't have very many pupils.

Sounds like we just want to shift the cost to the parents(driving the kids to school = time and money cost). Forcing them to drive all the way across the county to go to the single school district after the consolidation. After the districts get cut down to a single one, you know the next step is greatly slashing the number of schools etc.

Kind of a bummer.

Mathematically I think there would be very few situations a student would have to travel even close to "all the way across the county." That's not a reason to have 3 or 4 districts in sparsely populated counties.

[CNS]

Put the school on the far side of the county, if it makes sense, then let the free market figure the transportation out.  Quit waiting for the govt to solve all your problems.

[wetwillie]

People in western Kansas don't need schools, it's 98% agrarian and the 2% that aren't end up as contrarians in San Francisco

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

Kansas counties are tiny.

[Emo EMAW]

How does KS compare to even more rural western states?  WY, MT, ID, UT? 

[Kat Kid]

How does KS compare to even more rural western states?  WY, MT, ID, UT?

Well, we are better than those loser states for one thing.

[SdK]

MT is a lot better than KS.

[Rage Against the McKee]

People in western Kansas don't need schools, it's 98% agrarian and the 2% that aren't end up as contrarians in San Francisco

Most western Kansas counties outside of the Wichita area only have one or 2 cities, anyway. It's southeast Kansas that would get hit the hardest by this.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

I've only read news snippets, but it sounds like the court didn't order more spending just that the current funding be spent more equitably. That would be a huge victory for the brownbackites, if so.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I've only read news snippets, but it sounds like the court didn't order more spending just that the current funding be spent more equitably. That would be a huge victory for the brownbackites, if so.

Yeah. I'm sure they will rule against the state on overall spending pretty soon, though.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

How is that not the same case?

[Rage Against the McKee]

How is that not the same case?

 

The Supreme Court had said it would schedule arguments on whether school funding is adequate for spring 2016.

http://www.wibw.com/content/news/KS-Supreme-Courts-1st-school-funding-ruling-comes-Thursday-368404261.html

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

I've only read news snippets, but it sounds like the court didn't order more spending just that the current funding be spent more equitably. That would be a huge victory for the brownbackites, if so.

Yeah. I'm sure they will rule against the state on overall spending pretty soon, though.

Correct.

[ednksu]

The legislature just went full KSUW......never go full KSUW.
http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2015_16/measures/sb439/
g)?attempting to subvert fundamental laws and introduce arbitrary
power;
(h)?attempting to usurp the power of the legislative or executive
branch of government

[Cire]

I think that was introduced the morning of the court decision.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bones129]

 

[sonofdaxjones]

Not that I agree with everything that goes on in Kansas, but "fully funding schools" in ProgLib world is an unquantifiable number.

[Cire]

Well there is a formula that every one agreed on before the tea party


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

How is that not the same case?

 

The Supreme Court had said it would schedule arguments on whether school funding is adequate for spring 2016.

http://www.wibw.com/content/news/KS-Supreme-Courts-1st-school-funding-ruling-comes-Thursday-368404261.html

Man, our S. Ct. has a perverted dedication to judicial inefficiency. The school decisions are the only ones that come out in less than 3 years, and they manage to bifurcate those before punting on remand.

[ednksu]

Good to see Kansans see through the lies.  It's a shame more of them didn't vote this loser out of office.
http://cjonline.com/news/state/2016-02-29/kansas-poll-shows-deep-disapproval-us-congress-brownback#gsc.tab=0

[KSUBrian]

Did you guys know that Rice County, Kansas, population 10,000 and change (that's total population) has 4 school districts? I just picked a random western county off the list. Those 4 counties spend an average $15,738 per pupil. The Kansas average is $13,124.

But yeah, the problem is we're just not "adequately funding" our schools...

How are they spending that much if (I assume) the cost of living is so low out there?

Because they get the same amount of $$/pupil as higher cost areas whether they need it or not and continue to suck tax revenues from suburban areas to supplement low tax rates for rural communities.

[KSUBrian]

The equality spending for schools is complete crap until there is equality in taxation used to fund school spending.

[ednksu]

Did you guys know that Rice County, Kansas, population 10,000 and change (that's total population) has 4 school districts? I just picked a random western county off the list. Those 4 counties spend an average $15,738 per pupil. The Kansas average is $13,124.

But yeah, the problem is we're just not "adequately funding" our schools...

How are they spending that much if (I assume) the cost of living is so low out there?

Because they get the same amount of $$/pupil as higher cost areas whether they need it or not and continue to suck tax revenues from suburban areas to supplement low tax rates for rural communities.

Or to supplement things like busing or pay a higher margin for items because they are in the middle of no where.  But we need to axe those 3 of 4 of those one office secretaries because their 40k is really sucking the budget dry!

http://cjonline.com/news/2015-03-23/rural-majority-school-consolidation-complex-controversial