Legislative Panel Kills School Funding Formula Proposal

The legislative proposal to make big changes to the state’s school funding formula suffers a blow at the hands of a House committee. The panel divided along urban and rural interests regarding how much money each school district should receive from the state. Rural lawmakers say a proposal to consider the cost of living in the urban districts makes the proposal unfair. So, the committee has voted it down. Lawmakers will try to work out an agreement that will satisfy the concerns of most areas of the state. A lawsuit questioning the adequacy and equitability of the school funding formula is before the courts. It’s on hold, pending the outcome of the legislative effort.