The Latest: Lawyers seek up to $1.5B more for Kansas schools

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on the debate surrounding Kansas’ new school funding law (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

Attorneys for four public school districts suing Kansas are arguing that a new school funding law is as much as $1.5 billion short of providing adequate funding.

The attorneys filed legal arguments Monday with the Kansas Supreme Court against a new state law that phases in a $548 million increase in spending on public schools over five years.

Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt argued Monday that the GOP-controlled Legislature approved a “massive” funding increase.

The districts’ attorneys say that after the first year, the increase would barely keep up with inflation.

The state Supreme Court ruled in October that Kansas’ current funding of more than $4 billion a year isn’t adequate. It plans to hold a hearing May 22 on the new law.

___

2 p.m.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt argues in a new court filing that the state’s new education funding law provides a “massive” increase in spending on public schools.

Schmidt filed a written defense of the law Monday with the Kansas Supreme Court and included almost 1,300 pages of supporting documents. The court has scheduled a May 22 hearing on whether the new law provides adequate funding.

Schmidt’s filing said the law phases in a $548 million increase over five years. The Supreme Court ruled in October that the current funding of more than $4 billion a year isn’t sufficient under the state constitution.

Schmidt filed his defense the same day Gov. Jeff Colyer signed a bill fixing a flaw in the law that otherwise would have shorted schools $80 million.