Overland Park, KS: District transfers $19M from general ed fund to SPED; increasing costs
The Blue Valley School District is facing financial challenges, including declining enrollment, increased special education costs, and insufficient state reimbursements, leading to significant budget cuts.
The district revealed it had to transfer nearly $19 million from its general fund to cover special education expenses.
Kansas law requires the state to reimburse 92% of these costs, but Blue Valley is only receiving 62%.
“There’s really no way to reduce the amount that we have to, that we’re being required to do, without seeing negative impacts,” said Dr. Gillian Chapman, superintendent of Blue Valley Schools.
Last year, the district cut $6.5 million, primarily from administrative expenses. However, officials stated that the next round of cuts will inevitably affect students.
“We simply can’t continue to cover the cost that the state is not reimbursing us as statutorily required,” Chapman said. . . .
ndate 92% reimbursement. And we haven’t seen that. If we were there, we wouldn’t have to make these cuts that we’re looking at today,” said Clay Norkey, a member of the Blue Valley school board.
Blue Valley leaders are working to reduce, rather than eliminate, programs to ensure students continue to have learning opportunities. . . .
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