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Jan 11, 2013 - 3:50:24 PM

This afternoon, the Shawnee County Court handed down a decision in Gannon vs. State of Kansas. The court said that the Legislature may not lower state school finance dollars from 2008 levels and that the previously-set $4,492 per pupil base state aid may not be altered.

The current BSAPP is $3,838. Theis' decision states that does not meet constitutional standards for providing a "suitable" education to Kansas public school students.

"The State of Kansas is hereby enjoined," Theis wrote, "from performing the unconstitutional act of enacting any appropriation, or directing, modifying or canceling any transfer, or using any accounting mechanism or other practice that would will, or may in due course, affect, effect or fund less than the base student aid per pupil of $4,492."

Friday's decision follows a 2005 Kansas Supreme Court ruling in another school finance case that determined the Legislature had not met its constitutional obligations and ordered a larger education appropriation.

The three-judge panel included judges Franklin Theis, Robert Fleming and Jack Burr. The decision is expected to be appealed.

Click here to download the court's decision. The document is 287 pages long and may take a long time to download depending on your internet connection.