In 13 states, parents and school districts are suing, saying schools aren't getting enough money to serve the needs of students.
In no other state are the courts more baked in to school funding than in Kansas, though.
There, the state Supreme Court will hear arguments on the latest funding case within the next week. If justices don't approve of the legislators' fix to the system, the court could shut down public schools on June 30.
One of the plaintiffs in that case is the Kansas City school district. "I understand that people want to paint us as money-grubbing mongers," says district Superintendent Cynthia Lane.
"But really what we want is adequate resources to do the job we know how to do."
Lane's students are poor: 80 percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Most, she says, live in homes without computers or books. That's why her district is suing the state.
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