Issue Position: Public Schools

Issue Position

The public schools are the foundation of the future of our state and nation. Strong public schools build our communities today and help prepare our young people to meet the challenges of the future. While we must always spend our tax dollars wisely, our schools are our highest priority.

Article 6, Section 6 of the Kansas Constitution requires the Legislature to make "suitable provision for the finance" of public education. In several decisions our courts have found the legislature has failed to follow the state constitution. Most recently, the State Supreme Court concluded Kansas schools have been inadequately funded for over a decade. While some believe we should amend the Kansas Constitution to eliminate the court's power to enforce the requirement that we suitably finance the public schools, I believe the better course is to invest in our children's future and make the sacrifices necessary to properly fund our schools.

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