May 19-- The Kansas Supreme Court today blocked a lower court order that would have shut down state public schools after June 30. The controversy stems from a disagreement over school funding.

The one-paragraph high court order says all further proceedings in the school finance lawsuit against the state remain on hold, until the justices rule on the lawsuit.

Last week, Shawnee County District Judge Terry Bullock declared that public schools would not be permitted to spend any money after the end of next month, unless legislators correct constitutional flaws in the Kansas formula for distributing education dollars.

If put into effect, Bullock's order would have prevented schools from opening in the fall.

Attorney General Phill Kline asked the Supreme Court to intervene.