BALDWIN CITY — Does more money automatically mean better schools? That was the key question during Monday night’s debate on school finance at the Baldwin High School. One of the participants, Dave Trabert, of the Kansas Policy Institute, said it seems like people in government think that throwing money at a problem is the solution. Government says citizens have little choice of cutting taxes or cutting services. “It’s this either or,” Trabert said. It’s a matter of schools using money more effectively, not increasing funding for education, he said. Kansans can have lower taxes and high quality services, he said. It’s the only way to have sustained economic development and job creation, he said. However, numerous studies, including one by the Legislative Post Audit, show that more money does indeed mean a better education, said Mark Tallman, of the Kansas Association of School Boards. Every state whose students do better on achievements spend more money that Kansas does on education, he said. Even Gov. Sam Brownback urges to local school districts to spend more on education by taking off limits on local property taxes. “What is the reason to remove limits on spending if money doesn’t make a difference?” Tallman asked. Appropriate state funding allows schools to pay competitive salaries for teachers, smaller classes, better teacher and administator training, and wider number of courses for students, he said. Tallman said it’s important to fund the smaller rural schools as well as bigger school districts. The forum was sponsored by state Rep. Teri-Lois Gregory, R-Baldwin City.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m.
