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Tuesday • August 16 • 2016
Schools: Tests prove case
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Audit shows KPERS hoists Plaintiffs say declining exam scores long-term validate claims of funding inadequacy debt burden The failures reflected in the — assessments are directly attributable
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BY PETER HANCOCK • phancock@ljworld.com
Topeka — Plaintiffs in the ongoing school finance lawsuit are telling the Kansas Supreme Court that student test scores in reading and math prove Kansas is failing to fund its public schools adequately and that schools need roughly half a billion dollars a year in additional funding. But attorneys for the state counter that funding is at record levels and all schools are meeting state accreditation standards, and they say a court order for additional funding would be “a flagrant violation of the separation of powers.” Those are some of the central arguments that both parties made in briefs filed with the court on Friday. To bolster its case, the four plaintiff school districts point to recent scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP scores, that show minority students, particularly black students, and students from lowerincome households consistently score lower than white and upperincome students, and that in many cases the disadvantaged groups are falling further behind. The NAEP exams in reading and math are administered every
to the State’s inadequate funding of education.” — Alan Rupe, lead attorney for plaintiffs
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The Plaintiff Districts have not met their heavy burden of proving that current funding is constitutionally inadequate.” — Kansas Solicitor General Stephen McAllister
> SCORES, 4A Charlie Riedel/AP File Photos
Kansas fourth-graders scoring at “below basic” level in assessments: Reading:
2009
All students: 28% Underrepresented 43% students:*
2015
Math:
32% 49%
All students: 11% Underrepresented 24% students:*
2009
2015
17% 33%
*Average of black, Hispanic and low-income student percentages
Source: Court filings
U.S. Reps warn of ‘attack’ on fossil fuel industry By Roxana Hegeman Associated Press
Wichita — Kansas oil and gas producers listened to dire warnings Monday about their industry’s future from two House members during their convention in Wichita. U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins told the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association that there is still an assault on the
industry by President Barack Obama’s administration ranging from a regulatory environment to tax proposals. She claims the administration wants to put them out of business. U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo recounted the coal industry’s problems, and told oil and gas producers they should know they are next. He called it a “full-scale assault”
Journal-World
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VOL. 158 / NO. 229 / 26 PAGES
CLASSIFIED..............7D-10D COMICS...........................4C
By Rochelle Valverde rvalverde@ljworld.com
A multimillion-dollar shortfall in state pensions owed to City of Lawrence employees could negatively affect the city’s long-term budget, should contribution rates increase in the future. The $58.8 million shortfall in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System for City of Lawrence employees is not controlled by the city, but potential plans to close gaps in the state’s pension fund have included raising the employer contribution rate. The city employs about 750 full-time employees, and such a rate increase would impact the city’s bottom line. “If we have to contribute more, that has to come from somewhere, so we’d have to make some decisions,” said City Auditor Michael Eglinski. The city has always had pension debt, but this is the first year that accounting rules required that financial audit reports include net pension liabilities. City commissioners at their meeting on Tuesday evening will be discussing the annual audit from Eglinski, who takes a look at various financial indicators for the city. The report measures totals for 2015, and compares it to the last 10 years of data, as well as benchmarks for other cities comparable to Lawrence. Overall, Eglinski noted that the audit shows mixed results. The report found that the city’s financial position remains above area benchmarks in 5 of 11 categories that he measured. Owing in part to the inclusion of pension debt, the city’s long-term debt burden rose sharply from 2014
> AUDIT, 2A
BEAT THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL BLUES A parent’s guide to easing that first-day-of-school anxiety.
Pompeo
In
, 1C
> FUEL, 4A
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LJWorld.com | KUSports.com
by the environmental left on the fossil fuel industry. The Kansas delegation has been a staple fixture at the industry’s annual meeting, but only Pompeo and Jenkins participated in the legislative panel this year. All four Kansas House seats are up for election, along with the seat held by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran. Jenkins
Also: City may need to reassess fees for some services
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DEATHS...........................2A EVENTS...........................6A
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HOROSCOPE....................3C OPINION..........................5A
PUZZLES..........................3C SPORTS.....................1D-5D
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