By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
Just as USD 489 and districts across the state were adjusting to a proposed bill replacing the state’s current school funding formula with block grants for the next two years, Director of Finance Tracy Kaiser warned board members at Monday’s work session of a brand-new bill that deserves “watching.”
Kaiser said the bill (Senate bill 294) will not affect USD 489 next year, but is proposed as a pilot funding formula for several school districts for the 2015-16 school year.
“(The bill is) creating a new formula that is just as confusing as the one we had in the past. It’s based on census numbers,” Kaiser said. “We are still trying to figure it all out. … It will affect six school districts next year, up to 106 the following and then everyone the year after that.”
If the measure is adopted, Kaiser said the six schools that would implement the new formula first are those designated as “Innovative School Districts” — Concordia, Marysville, McPherson, Blue Valley, Hugoton and Kansas City.
According to the Kansas Department of Education website, “the purpose of the designation of innovative districts is to allow up to 10 percent of the state’s school districts, at any one time, to opt out of most state laws and rules and regulations in order to improve student achievement.”
Kaiser said it is unknown which 106 schools would follow in the 2016-17 school year.
She added said if Gov. Sam Brownback approves the block grant funding, Hays USD 489 will be $211,000
short at end of the school year, but said she is not concerned about making up the difference because of savings accrued from workers compensation changes, medical insurance savings and more.
At next week’s board meeting, Kaiser will present an updated presentation depicting the exact figures and what areas will make up for the budget shortfall.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Dean Katt said block grant funds are USD 489’s best option.
“The block grant, the way it came out, is better for us than the other alternative when the governor cut allotments we could not make up,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t know how it will all play out, but we are not going to be in as bad of shape as a lot of districts because we don’t receive state aid.”
Brownback could sign the block grant bill this week. The hearing on the alternate funding formula is scheduled for a committee hearing Tuesday.
Kaiser said that bill appears to be on the “fast-track,” and Katt added he has not had time to even fully detail the “convulated” bill unveiled Monday.