TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on arguments before the Kansas Supreme Court on public school funding (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

Kansas Supreme Court justices who are skeptical that state lawmakers have sufficiently increased school funding this year are struggling with whether they have enough information to say exactly what’s adequate.

Four of the court’s seven members expressed doubts Tuesday about a new law approved this year that phases in a $548 million educating funding increase over five years. The court heard arguments from attorneys on whether the increase is adequate under the state constitution.

But skeptical Justice Dan Biles later suggested in questioning attorney Alan Rupe that the Supreme Court might have to order more fact-finding by a lower court about what funding would be adequate. Rupe represents four school districts suing the state.

Chief Justice Lawton Nuss also questioned whether the Supreme Court needs more information.

___

9:35 a.m.

Three of the Kansas Supreme Court’s justices have expressed skepticism that a public school funding increase approved by lawmakers this year is adequate under the state constitution.

The seven-member court heard arguments Tuesday on the state’s plan to spend $548 million more, phased in over five years. The increase approved by lawmakers this spring and signed by Gov. Jeff Colyer was the second hike in two years. Many lawmakers see it as a sizable boost.

But Justice Dan Biles suggested from the bench that the increase still would leave Kansas five years behind in providing adequate funding to its schools. Justices Eric Rosen and Marla Luckert also were skeptical of the increase.

State solicitor general Toby Crouse said the hike gives the state a “fulsome funding system.”

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are looking for hopeful hints from the state Supreme Court that they’ve increased education funding enough to satisfy the justices and head off any potential threat of a court order shuttering public schools.

But attorneys for four school districts suing the state were preparing to argue Tuesday that the plan lawmakers and Gov. Jeff Colyer settled on this spring, a $548 million increase phased in over five years, still falls as much as $1.5 billion short of providing a suitable education for every child. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a lawsuit filed by the districts in 2010, when this year’s high school graduates were fifth-graders.

The court ruled in October that the state’s current education funding of more than $4 billion a year isn’t sufficient under the Kansas Constitution, even with an increase approved last year. The school districts want the justices to declare that legislators are still short — and to order lawmakers to approve more spending by the end of June.

The justices have promised only to issue their next ruling by June 30. In past hearings, they’ve peppered attorneys for the state and the school districts with questions and have not been shy about expressing frustration with lawmakers.

“What we are interested in is having the Legislature live up to the court’s charge,” said Alan Rupe, the school districts’ lead attorney. “What the Legislature has come up with is a plan that falls way short.”

Colyer, who is Republican, and the GOP-controlled Legislature have worried that if the court isn’t satisfied, it will declare that the state cannot distribute its education dollars through an unconstitutional funding formula — effectively keeping schools closed until legislators approve a fix.

The court threatened to do just that in 2016 to get lawmakers to increase aid to poor school districts. But Rep. Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican and chairman of a special House committee on school funding, said he would be shocked if the court went that far this time.

“You cannot argue that we did not put in a substantial amount of money and school districts won’t benefit,” Patton said.

But the districts’ attorneys note that a study commission by legislators this year said improving schools could cost as much as $2 billion more a year, depending on the state’s ambitions for improving standardized test scores and graduation rates.

MCPHERSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities and school district officials are investigating an alleged school threat Tuesday morning, according to a statement from USD 423 Superintendent George Leary.

“An anonymous threat was made referencing a possible shooting at Moundridge High School this morning, ” according to Leary.

Just after 11:30a.m., the USD 423 reported the McPherson County Sheriff’s office and Moundridge Police Department were continuing their investigation and following up on several leads.

The district also informed parents if they had picked up and student from school, they are not to return to school at any time Tuesday, according to Leary.

RILEY COUNTY  —The sister of a Kansas State student critically injured in a fatal Missouri boat crash May 19 is asking the public for help.

Twenty-one year old Ashley Lamb of Olathe was flown to a Springfield hospital after the 2a.m. crash that killed three others.

According to the GoFundMe page, Lamb, a senior at Kansas State University, is in the hospital’s ICU facing a long road to recovery.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Hayden Frazier, 22, of Overland Park, Saturday on three preliminary charges of boating while intoxicated in connection with the crash.

The three victims who were killed are 23-year-old Joseph LeMark, of Overland Park; 24-year-old Daniel Lewis, of Overland Park; and 21-year-old Hailey Hochanadel, of Olathe, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a criminal threat and have a suspect in custody.

Early Monday, Washburn University Institute of Technology (Washburn Tech) received a phone call stating there was an explosive device in one of their buildings, according to Lieutenant Andrew Beightel.

The call forced an evacuation at the school.  During an investigation, Topeka Police Officers we’re able to gather information and work with the Washburn University Police Department to identify the possible suspect that placed the call for the bomb threat, according to Beightel.

Just after 1:30p.m., officers were able to locate 35-year-old Antwon Deon Walker. Police arrested him on requested charges of aggravated criminal threat.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call the Topeka Police Department at 785-368-9400 or Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007.

WICHITA – A Pennsylvania man who owns a company called Horseshoe Hill Outfitters was sentenced to five years on probation, banned from doing business in Kansas and fined $30,000 for violating the Lacey Act, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Robert P. McConnell, 48, Slippery Rock, Penn., pleaded guilty to four counts of importing deer into Kansas in violation of the Lacey Act, which regulates the trade in wildlife, fish and plants that has been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold. Horseshoe Hill Outfitters advertises what it calls “trophy North American big game hunting adventures” in Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Ontario.

In two counts, McConnell admitted importing deer that were not from an accredited heard, were not officially identified and did not have a certificate of veterinary inspection. In two other counts, he admitted importing domesticated deer.

McAllister commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work on the case.