USD113 has been served with a petition to force the transfer of 18.8% of USD113 territory to an adjacent district. This has occurred despite USD113 leadership offering value neutral land transfer between the two districts, which has been declined by the petitioning district. USD113 has successfully negotiated land transfer between two other districts who were much more affected by the closure of the Wetmore Academic Center beginning in Fall 2023. 

Below is a summary of reasons why USD113 Leadership has stated publicly the land transfer petition is not valid and should not be accepted or approved by the Kansas State Department of Education.

♦ NO CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES - State guidelines require a material change of circumstances of a substantial and weighty measure to justify the taking of land from one school district to another. When Wetmore closed two (2) students transferred to Nemaha-Central. This does not meet criteria a a substantial and weighty change for the petitioning district.

♦ HISTORY - In 2009 Nemaha Central had the opportunity to combine with Bern/Axtell/Summerfield through the democratic process but chose to avoid consolidation. Sabetha stepped up and combined with Bern/Axtell/Summerfield when the economics were challenging. Now, USD115 is seeking to claim land they initially rejected and take 18.8% of Prairie Hills territory.

♦ LOCAL CONTROL - Education issues are best decided locally, not at the State level. USD 113 has proven that it has the ability to find reasonable local solutions by negotiating with USD 335 Jackson Heights and USD 380 Vermillion, who did sustain more substantial changes with the closure of the Wetmore Academic Center than USD115 did. Additionally, USD115 is petitioning for land that has already been negotiated to be given to USD380.

♦ OPEN ENROLLMENT AND STATEWIDE DOMINOES – The Kansas Legislature has now adopted “open enrollment", indicating land value does not follow students. If the State Board accepts USD115's petition, school districts all over Kansas may seek action to take land from neighboring districts creating a chain reaction. Granting the petiton could create statewide chaos, and these hearings will become routine. 

♦ EDUCATING OUT OF DISTRICT STUDENTS – Prior to open enrollment beginnign in fall 2024, 7.3% of all Kansas students already attend school out of district. Just like Nemaha-Central, Prairie Hills happily educates 123 out of district students. Choosing to educate out of district students, as both districts have historically done, is not a justification for taking school district territory.

♦ DISTANCE & CONVENIENCE – The Bern community is equidistant to both Sabetha and Seneca. There is no discernable difference. Families east and west of Bern attend school and regularly do business in Sabetha. Families work, attend church, and do business across northeast Kansas, regardless of their place of residence.

♦ CHECKERBOARD DISTRICTS – the Nemaha-Central petitionon seeks to geographically separate Axtell and Sabetha . This petition serves as a precedent for other parts of Kansas and can potentially lead to even more geographically separate boundaries that are not logical.

♦ CAPACITY – Sabetha has the capacity to educate all students. No need to hire new teachers or build new buildings. In contrast, Nemaha-Central has repeatedly acknowledged capacity concerns. In the past Nemaha-Central has even turned away students. Drawing new boundaries to encourage students to atend school where there are capacity issues defies common sense.

♦ FUNDING ISSUES - The KSDE Guideline for land transfer indicates that a primary consideration for a request to take land from one district and give to another is the impact of equalization of benefits. Currently, USD113 is one of 89% of Kansas districts who receive state aid. USD115 does not due to its existing wealth and is one of only 11% of districts who do not receive state aid under the equalization formula. If USD113 valuation decreases, as it would drastically with a forced land transfer, the State of Kansas will have to increase the amount of state aid USD113 receives, which translates into increased cost for tax payers across the state.