TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Consolidating public school districts in Kansas could save millions of taxpayer dollars, although not enough to solve the state’s budget crisis this year, according to a new report released Monday.
Kansas has 293 school districts and last forced consolidation in the 1960s when the state overhauled education governance. Since then, legislators have relied on districts to decide for themselves when it’s time to merge, offering a few financial incentives to ease the process.
In its report, the Legislative Division of Post Audit looked at methods that would reduce the number of districts to either 266 or 152.
The first scenario — in which the state would have 50 fewer public school buildings and 230 fewer teachers and administrators — would save $18 million. Auditors said the consolidation could happen among districts that already split grade levels, such as one that has the elementary school and the other the high school.
The second scenario would close 304 schools and reduce the number of teachers and administrators by roughly 1,500, saving $138 million. The audit said this would be accomplished by eliminating all districts with fewer than 1,600 students.
Sen. Terry Bruce, chairman of the Legislative Post Audit Committee, said the information was helpful but noted the political difficult of forcing districts to merge.
