School Funding Formula Heads to House

Members of the House get their chance to debate a change to the school funding formula, with supporters uncertain of its fate. It took the intervention of Governor Matt Blunt to get a special committee to reconsider its rejection of the proposal. But Blunt added incentives to attract urban votes and that has angered some rural lawmakers. Senator Charlie Shields of St. Joseph devised the new formula and has high hopes the House will come through. The new method would base the school funding formula on a minimum per-pupil expenditure, not the local school district levy, which is based on property assessments.