The House Appropriations Committee took up school consolidation during hearings on the state's budget problems. Chairman Kevin Yoder, an Overland Park Republican, said merging some of the state's 293 districts could make the state's public school system more efficient and reduce the state's costs.

Some committee members, particularly Democrats, were skeptical. Also, Andy Tompkins, a former Kansas education commissioner, told the panel the state isn't likely to see big savings unless districts close schools and lay off teachers.

Still, Yoder wasn't ready to give up on the idea because aid to public schools is state budget's biggest item.

"At first glance, it seems pretty challenging, but it also seems really challenging to continue to cut 4, 5 and 6 percent from the budget," Yoder said. "If this continues to get worse, what are we going to do? We better vet some of these options now."

Kansas has seen four rounds of spending reductions this year, and many Republicans like Yoder believe more will be needed to keep the budget balanced. Tax collections for July, August and September were about 5 percent short of expectations, a shortfall of $67 million.

The state has cut funding for schools by $130 million this year, reducing base aid by $215 per student, or 4.8 percent. Schools remain a target for cuts because their aid consumes more than half of the state's general tax revenues.

Lawmakers have argued for years that consolidating districts would reduce administrative costs. A few have even suggested allowing one district per county, 105 in all.

In 2002, legislators provided an incentive for districts to merge. The state can't recalculate - and perhaps lower - merged districts' combined state aid for at least three years.

Kansas has 11 fewer school districts now, but Yoder said the issue is whether the state can be more aggressive in encouraging consolidation - or whether legislators should step in and force it.

Legislators forced districts to consolidate in the 1960s, when the state had more than 1,800. But the bitterness in some rural communities was strong enough that lawmakers avoided the issue for years afterward.

Rep. Don Hineman, a Dighton Republican, said districts still resist merging, despite the state's incentives.

"There are other issues besides education," Hineman said. "That's loss of the employment base, the death of the community. They're going to put that off as long as they can."

Rep. Doug Gatewood, a Columbus Democrat, said he believes any administrative savings from consolidation would be "minimal."

Tompkins, now dean of Pittsburg State University's College of Education, said any plan to close schools to save money raises a practical question, particularly in rural areas: "How long do you want the kid on the bus?"

Rep. Jason Watkins, a Wichita Republican, said he doubts legislators have the will to pursue consolidation more aggressively.

But he added: "Would you save money and should we do it? Yeah, we probably should."