Kansas Chamber CEO Says No New Dollars Needed

The president and CEO of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce is telling legislators that they’re not required to increase spending to satisfy the state Supreme Court’s latest ruling on education funding.

Chamber CEO Mike O’Neal testified Thursday that legislators could direct the State Department of Education to shift unused funds among school districts to cover additional aid for poor school districts.

The House and Senate judiciary committees were meeting to discuss potential responses to the Supreme Court’s order last month that the education funding system be changed to help poor districts. Gov. Sam Brownback has called a special session for June 23.

Brownback has embraced a plan to boost state aid to schools by $38 million for the 2016-17 school year. Groups representing school boards and administrators also endorsed the idea.