Kansas schools poised to get break from state funding cuts (KS)

May 5, 2011

TOPEKA | Kansas schools received a little help Wednesday when the state House tentatively agreed to give them access to reserve funds to help cope with funding cuts.

The House moved a plan proposed by House Speaker Mike O’Neal that would free up an estimated $358 million that’s locked away in various reserve funds.

The bill, which will be up for final approval today, also includes a plan by Rep. Pat Colloton, a Leawood Republican, that would allow schools to divert money from capital projects to utilities and insurance expenses for one year.

O’Neal has been touting his bill as one way schools can avert severe budget cuts.

“If the circumstances in the state were not sufficient now to compel use of those funds, when would we ever have the school districts spend those funds?” asked O’Neal, a Hutchinson Republican. “With all due respect to those who want to accumulate the funds, now is the time to be using those funds.”

O’Neal’s bill would give school districts access to money locked away in accounts designated for such programs as at-risk and bilingual education, vocational education, professional development and driver education. The school could only dip into those funds for one year.

However, there’s been some question about how much Johnson County schools might benefit from the O’Neal bill. Local school officials said they can already access those funds, or there’s just not a lot of money that can be used for general operations.

School officials also have said they need to hold some money back for cash-flow issues that can arise when and if the state delays its payments to school districts.

“It may help a little bit for some, but for others it might not make a difference. I would put it in a so-so category,” said Gary George, assistant superintendent for quality management services for the Olathe School District. “It will give schools one more tool to address budget reductions.”