Gov. Sam Brownback says work on a new formula for funding Kansas' public schools should focus on how local districts spend their money, create incentives to shift dollars into classroom instruction and encourage merit pay for teachers.
The Republican governor said during an Associated Press interview that he'd like the GOP-dominated Legislature to draft a new formula next year. It would determine how the state distributes the bulk of its aid the 286 districts, now more than $4 billion.
He said a key issue is making sure that a greater percentage of dollars go to classroom instruction, rather than administrative overhead. And he said a new formula should encourage districts to use merit pay systems to reward their best teachers.
But educators and others say the state's spending isn't adequate.
