School district weathering delay of payment from state

The state of Kansas’s continuing budget woes forced it to withhold nearly $100 million owed to public school districts earlier this week, though the money is supposed to hit district coffers today.

Citing cash flow issues, the state delivered just half of the $198 million it owed schools on Monday. Elaine Frisbie, Kansas deputy budget director, said earlier this week the state expected to be able to paid the remainder today.

The good news, if there is any, is that the four day delay isn’t expected to cause much trouble for Shawnee Mission.

“It can be a very challenging situation, but we don’t expect any major problems this time around,” said Leigh Anne Neal, associate superintendent for communications and public information.

Neal said that when the state has delayed payments in the past, the district has used cash flow management techniques to avoid problems. January also happens to be the month the district receives one of its largest local funding deposits, which makes dealing with this month’s delay somewhat easier.

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About the author

Jay Senter
Jay Senter

Jay Senter is the founder and publisher of the Johnson County Post.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he worked as a reporter and editor at The Badger Herald.

He went on to receive a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. While he was in graduate school, he also worked as a reporter for the Lawrence Journal-World.

His reporting has appeared in the Kansas City Star, The Pitch and The New York Times, among other publications.

Senter was the recipient of the Johnson County Community College Headliner Award in 2023.

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