School districts across Kansas could soon face difficult decisions as gaps in special education funding continue to grow.State law calls for Kansas to cover 92% of excess special education costs, but that level has not been met. This year, funding sits around 67% and is projected to drop to about 65% next year.“The law says that they should meet 92% of the excess costs. This year they’re at about 67%,” said Frank Harwood with the Kansas State Department of Education.Because districts are legally required to provide those services, they must cover the difference themselves. Statewide, districts are shifting roughly $440 million from other areas to fill the gap.Harwood said that shortfall is putting added pressure on already tight school budgets.“There are really hard choices out there, and it is exacerbated by not having special education funded at the statutory requirement,” he said.Some districts are already weighing cuts.In the Blue Valley School District, officials say they are facing a $10 million shortfall tied to special education costs. That could lead to eliminating programs like fifth-grade orchestra, along with other potential reductions.At the same time, another proposed cut could impact student mental health services.House Bill 2513 would reduce funding for school-based mental health intervention teams from $16 million to $10 million. That’s a 37% decrease affecting about 80 districts statewide.“That would impact the number of those liaisons that could be available,” Harwood said.Districts could be forced to choose between reducing staff or scaling back services available to students.The funding challenges come as Kansas lawmakers continue to debate how to balance the state budget, with competing priorities among legislators.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. —
School districts across Kansas could soon face difficult decisions as gaps in special education funding continue to grow.
State law calls for Kansas to cover 92% of excess special education costs, but that level has not been met.
This year, funding sits around 67% and is projected to drop to about 65% next year.
“The law says that they should meet 92% of the excess costs. This year they’re at about 67%,” said Frank Harwood with the Kansas State Department of Education.
Because districts are legally required to provide those services, they must cover the difference themselves. Statewide, districts are shifting roughly $440 million from other areas to fill the gap.
Harwood said that shortfall is putting added pressure on already tight school budgets.
“There are really hard choices out there, and it is exacerbated by not having special education funded at the statutory requirement,” he said.
Some districts are already weighing cuts.
In the Blue Valley School District, officials say they are facing a $10 million shortfall tied to special education costs. That could lead to eliminating programs like fifth-grade orchestra, along with other potential reductions.
At the same time, another proposed cut could impact student mental health services.
House Bill 2513 would reduce funding for school-based mental health intervention teams from $16 million to $10 million.
That’s a 37% decrease affecting about 80 districts statewide.
“That would impact the number of those liaisons that could be available,” Harwood said.
Districts could be forced to choose between reducing staff or scaling back services available to students.
The funding challenges come as Kansas lawmakers continue to debate how to balance the state budget, with competing priorities among legislators.