THROUGH LEGISLATIVE ACTION, THE STATE OF KANSAS REDUCED ITS SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM 1500 TO 349 IN A SINGLE YEAR. INITIALLY IN 1896 THERE WERE 9,284 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MOST OF THEM ONE TEACHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THEY BECAME COMMUNITY CENTERS AND ALTHOUGH OUTMODED IN PRACTICALITY FOR EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES, THERE REMAINED 8,142 IN 1942. THE ADVENT OF HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION SUPERIMPOSED ADDITIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THE SECONDARY LEVEL. BY 1958 THERE WERE 2794 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND 330 DISTRICTS PROVIDING ONLY HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. THESE DISTRICTS WERE ADMINISTERED UNDER MANY DIFFERENT LAWS WITH NO CENTRAL AUTHORITY VESTED IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION OR THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. INITIAL EFFORTS TO REORGANIZE IN 1945 WERE NULLIFIED BY STATE SUPREME COURT ACTION. FINALLY SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATIVE ACTION WAS APPROVED UNDER THE UNIFICATION LAW OF 1963. A PLANNING UNIT WAS DESIGNATED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL UNDER DIRECT SUPERVISION OF THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. ITS RECOMMENDATIONS WERE VOTED ON AT SPECIAL ELECTIONS AND THOSE NOT APPROVED WERE REVISED AND RESUBMITTED FOR THE REGULAR ELECTION. THE POSITIVE RESULTS OF THIS ACTION ARE FURNISHED BY A GRAPHIC TABLE PRESENTATION IN THE REPORT. THIS DOCUMENT APPEARED IN THE "JOURNAL ON STATE SCHOOL SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT," VOL. 1, NO. 2, SUMMER 1967. (WN)