School Funding Key Late in Kansas Governor’s Race

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and Democratic challenger Paul Davis are making funding for Kansas public schools a key issue as their hotly contested race nears its end.

Davis was rallying Tuesday evening with teachers at the Statehouse after kicking off a 30-stop campaign tour through eastern Kansas with an event in Iola in southeast Kansas.

Brownback’s allies were circulating a report from the Kansas Legislature’s nonpartisan research staff showing that total per-pupil spending on public schools has risen almost 5 percent since the 2010-11 school year, when Brownback took office.

Critics contend such comparisons are misleading because they don’t focus on funds for schools’ daily operating budgets and the totals aren’t adjusted for inflation.

The election is Nov. 4, and the race appears to be a toss-up.