GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — School officials in southwest Kansas say a recent conference trip to Florida that cost taxpayers more than $100,000 was necessary to become a model school district.

KWCH-TV reports 61 teachers and administrators with the Garden City School District attended the conference in June, although only 20 initially were scheduled to go.

School district spokesman Roy Cessna says an improved budget allowed the district to send a teacher from every grade level from each school to the conference.

He says the conference will help the district meet its five-year goal to become a model school district and was funded with a combination of budgeted school funds and federal and state grants.