Hergenreter v. Hayden

295 F. Supp. 251, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11742
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedSeptember 30, 1968
DocketT-4409
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 295 F. Supp. 251 (Hergenreter v. Hayden) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hergenreter v. Hayden, 295 F. Supp. 251, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11742 (D. Kan. 1968).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

THEIS, District Judge.

This suit was instituted by plaintiffs as a class action to challenge the legality of action by the State of Kansas acting through its state school officials in establishing a formula and allocating funds for state aid to be given school districts in the State of Kansas under the so-called Kansas School Foundation Act (K.S.A. § 72-7001 et seq.), the provisions of which statute require that twenty-five percent of the total amount of federal impact funds received by an eligible district be deducted from the amount of state aid to such impacted district.

Federal “impacted area” legislation was enacted by Congress in 1950 as Public Law 874, codified as Title 20 U.S.C. § 236 et seq., for the purpose of bringing about a contribution of the United States of America toward the cost of educating children in public schools located within federally impacted areas which, by reason of such federal impact, were being deprived of normal tax sources available for the financing of public school systems and to assist the localities in providing adequate educational facilities as a result of the increased pupil load brought to the involved areas by such federal activity.

The plaintiffs here are residents and taxpayers of Kansas School District No. 437, located adjacent to Forbes Air Force Base at Topeka, Kansas, in Shawnee County, a well-known federal military installation, and which is an impact area. The plaintiffs here seek to enjoin the defendants from current and future distribution of state foundation funds, and assert that this twenty-five percent deduction from the state aid fund to federally impacted areas is prohibited by the federal legislation, and that under the Supremacy Clause, Article VI, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution, such deduction is unlawful and the state law authorizing it is unconstitutional.

By previous action of this Court, Robert Docking, Governor of Kansas, has been dismissed as a party defendant, and the entitlement of the action has changed from Hergenreter v. Docking, et al, to Hergenreter v. Hayden, et al. Likewise, certain party plaintiffs have been added, as well as allegations, by amendments. Previously herein, defendants’ motion to dismiss was overruled. This action is presently before the Court for decision upon cross-motions of the parties for summary judgment based on the file, stipulations, admissions, pretrial order, and evidence introduced. It is conceded also by the parties that a three-judge court is proper and has jurisdiction of the parties and subject matter of this action.

The issue before the Court for decision, as stipulated by counsel and now determined by this Court, is stated as follows:

“Does the State School Foundation Act as found in K.S.A.1967 Supp. 72- *253 7001, et seq., specifically sections 72-7005 1 and 72-7010 2 conflict, in such a way as to make the state act unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, with United States P.L. 874, as found in 20 U.S.C.A. 236, et seq., specifically section 238(c) (1) because of the fact that the state Foundation Act takes into account the federal funds received by a school district under section 238(c) (1) of 20 U.S.C.A. in determining the amount of state aid such district is to receive?”

In 1965 the Kansas Legislature enacted a “School Foundation Act,” as cited, supra. The aim of this Act is to provide uniform educational opportunities to all children within the State of Kansas by supplementing local sources of revenue with state aid. By a formula set out in the Act a “State-shared guarantee” is determined. (See K.S.A. 72-7008.) To make allowance for local financial ability, there is subtracted from the “State-shared guarantee” a sum based upon the “economic index” of the county in which the school district is located. Two factors are taken into account in determining the “economic index” of the county, namely, property valuation and the income of the residents. The two factors are added together and divided by two. (See K.S.A. 72-7010.)

In addition to subtracting the figure produced by the application of the “economic index,” the Act provides that *254 “non-district revenues” must also be subtracted from the “State-shared guarantee.” (See K.S.A. 72-7010(d).) “Non-district revenue,” according to K.S.A. 72-7005, includes twenty-five percent of the funds received by a district under subsection (a) and (b) of Section 238, 20 U.S.C.A.

The undisputed evidence before this Court shows:

1. There are 123 federal impact area school districts in Kansas.

2. The total amount of federal impact area funds received, or estimated at this time to be received, by such local school districts in Kansas was $8,160,003 in 1966-67, and $8,298,645 in 1967-68.

3. For the 1967-68 year, P.L. 874 deduction from state aid per pupil under the Kansas School Foundation Act varied from a high of $71.39 at Ft, Leavenworth, to a low of $.32 at Piper, School District No. 203 (Defendants’ Exhibit C.).

4. During school year 1967-68, Unified School District No. 437 had in average daily attendance for 180 days, 1,-617.51 children whose parents resided on the Capehart Housing Project; and 360.69 children in average daily attendance for 180 days whose parents were employed on federal property or were in the military service of the United States but who did not reside on the Capehart Housing Project.

5. For the school year 1967-68, Unified School District No. 437 has received or will receive from the United States Government under Subsection (a) and (b) of Section 238, of Public Law 874, Title 20, U.S.C.A. by reason of the attendance of all the children referred to in stipulation number 4 above during the school year 1967-68, a total of $539,966.-31; that said District has received or will receive an additional sum of $158,-153 for the attendance of said children, Title 20 U.S.C.A. § 238(c) (4) and § 239 (a).

6. During the school year 1967-68, Unified School District No. 437 has received or will receive from the United States Government for each child whose parents resided on the Capehart Housing Project and who had an average daily attendance of 180 days, $300.33 under subsection (a) of Section 238 of Title 20 U.S.C.A.; and during the school year 1967-68, Unified School District No.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
295 F. Supp. 251, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11742, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hergenreter-v-hayden-ksd-1968.