72-6476. Extraordinary need state aid; application; review, approval of amount; school district extraordinary need fund. (a) Each school district may submit an application to the state board of education for approval of extraordinary need state aid. Such application shall be submitted in such form and manner as prescribed by the state board, and shall include a description of the extraordinary need of the school district that is the basis for the application.

(b) The state board shall review all submitted applications and approve or deny such application based on whether the applicant school district has demonstrated extraordinary need. As part of its review of an application, the state board may conduct a hearing and provide the applicant school district an opportunity to present testimony as to such school district's extraordinary need. In determining whether a school district has demonstrated extraordinary need, the state board shall consider: (1) Any extraordinary increase in enrollment of the applicant school district for the current school year; (2) any extraordinary decrease in the assessed valuation of the applicant school district for the current school year; (3) any other unforeseen acts or circumstances which substantially impact the applicant school district's general fund budget for the current school year; and (4) in lieu of any of the foregoing considerations, whether the applicant school district has reasonably equal access to substantially similar educational opportunity through similar tax effort.

(c) If the state board approves an application it shall determine the amount of extraordinary need state aid to be disbursed to the applicant school district from the school district extraordinary need fund. In approving any application for extraordinary need state aid, the state board may approve an amount of extraordinary need state aid that is less than the amount the school district requested in the application. If the state board denies an application, then within 15 days of such denial the state board shall send written notice of such denial to the superintendent of such school district. All administrative proceedings pursuant to this section shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act. Any action by the state board pursuant to this section shall be subject to review in accordance with the Kansas judicial review act.

(d) There is hereby established in the state treasury the school district extraordinary need fund which shall be administered by the state department of education. All expenditures from the school district extraordinary need fund shall be used for the disbursement of extraordinary need state aid as approved by the state board under this section. All expenditures from the school district extraordinary need fund shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the state board of education, or the designee of the state board of education.

(e) The provisions of this section shall expire on June 30, 2017.

History: L. 2015, ch. 4, § 17; L. 2016, ch. 45, § 9; July 1.