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In a near-unanimous vote Monday night, the USD 204 Board of Education decided to join Schools for Fair Funding, the organization that is expected to again file a lawsuit against the state of Kansas in an attempt to increase funding for schools.

The only member opposed to the action was Ray Cox, a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives. Included in information packets given to each board member regarding the lawsuit was a statement claiming the state predicted back in 2006 a $427 million deficit in 2009.

“No way. I was there, no way,” Cox said. “No way could anybody predict that in 2006 for 2009. Nobody knew there was going to be a recession. Nobody.”

Superintendent Robert Van Maren said it wasn’t just the recession that caused tremendous cuts to school district budgets across Kansas, but that the state had, over the past three years, spent money it didn’t have. The recession certainly exacerbated the problem, Van Maren said, but didn’t directly cause it.

Cox questioned whether the district could afford to join Schools for Fair Funding, for which the fee is $2 per full-time equivalent student.

“I agree with you Ray,” Van Maren said. “I just don’t think we have any other options at this particular point of time.”

Van Maren said the latest update regarding upcoming budget cuts was that $4.5 million could be cut from educational funding over the next two years, making the point that whatever amount it would cost to pay for a lawsuit would be better than the alternative loss in state funding the district might face.

“I don’t like having to spend money for a lawsuit … but I think we also, as a local board, have a responsibility to our patrons to speak as a whole to the Legislature,” board president Gregg Gibson said. “And if it’s a group of us across the state that are speaking as one, then … obviously those voices will be heard more than just a few of us writing letters to our local representatives.”

USD 204 joins 34 other districts currently involved in the organization, including USD 259 in Wichita and USD 453 in Leavenworth. A former lawsuit brought by Schools for Fair Funding resulted in a close to $150 million increase for state schools in 2005.

“All the money we got as a result of that lawsuit’s been taken away,” Van Maren said. “Every penny.”

Van Maren said Schools for Fair Funding had set an original goal of having enough districts to represent 100,000 students involved before it would go forward with a new lawsuit. With more than 125,000 students being represented currently, he said he expected action to be taken against the state in the near future, especially as Gov. Mark Parkinson is expected to announce news regarding the budget sometime in the next few days.

“My guess is the action will coincide with any announcement of another cut by the governor,” Van Maren said in a later e-mail.

Van Maren said the district would be allowed to use money out of the local option budget to fund its membership with Schools for Fair Funding. He warned, however, it could be three to five years before courts ruled on any potential lawsuit. Board member Lewis Wood said the amount of time spent would be worth it if the end result was more money for schools.

“I move that we go ahead and bite the bullet and join them in this suit,” Wood said. “Not that our money is so important, but I think that our name and students we represent will carry more weight the more districts sign on with this … I think we need to stand up and be counted as joining in this fight.”

Also on Monday, the board:

• Unanimously approved the agenda.

• Unanimously approved minutes from the Oct. 19 meeting.

• Unanimously approved the treasurer and clerk’s reports.

• Unanimously approved warrants totaling $92,019.02.

• Discussed the retire-rehire option that would be available under the early retirement incentive plan. Van Maren said that those eligible could take their retirement and then, following a 60-day absence from the district, could be rehired part-time on the first step of the salary schedule. At the least, Van Maren said, this option would save the district $12,000 per year.

Van Maren said there were six USD 204 employees eligible for this option, and he had already discussed it with three of these eligible candidates. He said anyone deciding to take part in the retire-rehire option could collect their full benefit from the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.

“The benefit is to everybody,” Van Maren said. “It’s a benefit to them and it’s a benefit to us.”

Van Maren said he believed the district couldn’t go forward with additional early retirement incentive plans until the consensus estimate regarding the state of the economy is released, which he said he expects to happen today.

• Heard the superintendent’s update. Included in Van Maren’s report was that the district was an Energy Star leader, with more than $800,000 in energy cost avoidance. He said he had asked Jim Hann, the district’s energy manager, to make even more drastic changes in regards to energy efficiency.

“Especially in these times, every penny counts,” Van Maren said.

Hann is expected to report to the board during the next scheduled meeting about what these additional changes might be.

• Approved new contracts for Candice Border, Bonner Springs Elementary food service worker, Sarah Hatoum, Clark Middle School mathletics supplemental instructor, Pam McGuire, CMS vocal music supplemental instructor, and Steven Moore, psychologist.

• Changed the date of the budget review to Dec. 7.

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