Yesterday,The New York Times reported the Kansas state Senate passed Governor Sam Brownback's plan to overhaul public school funding.  Brownback's proposal essentially scraps the current school funding formula, which the Governor claims is too complex and directs too much away from the classroom learning, opting instead for a district block grant. The proposed "block grants" would be based on a district's current aid for the next two school years. 

Unfortunately, the grant options also means school districts would lose $51 million in aid they expected for this school year--in spite of an earlier court ruling that required $548 million more was needed for a constitutionally-adequate Kansas school finance system.

When a plan, like this one, fails to recognize known costs--which is exactly what block grants do--a loss of funds can easily be masked. For example, suppose a district with 1,000 students in weighted average daily attendance (WADA) has M&O funding of $6 million. The funding level is $6,000 per WADA. [6,000,000 ÷ 1,000 = 6,000]

Now, suppose there is a change away from formula funding to Kansas-style block grants, and the district's total revenue decreases by $100,000. Formula funding is the foundation for calculating WADA, so let's say the change to block-grant funding still resulted in a loss of 33 WADA.

We still have a total of 967 WADA in our district, and, in spite of losing revenue, the district's revenue per WADA actually increases by $101. [5,900,000 ÷ 967 = 6,101]

In the event the total funding is not reduced, but the WADA still dropped due to the move away from cost-based formula funding, the revenue per WADA would jump to $6,205. [6,000,000 ÷ 967 = 6,205]

And, if the move to block-grant funding is accompanied by a modest increase in funding--everyone's a guaranteed winner!--the revenue per "new" (and smaller) WADA would increase even further.

What's not to like about that?

Plenty. Not basing funding on recognized, legitimate costs can result in waste on one end and abuse on the other.

Governor Brownback and the Kansas Legislature know not what they do...or, they have a hidden agenda. Either way, it is not good for Kansas children.