A Jackson County judge on Wednesday ruled that part of the Kansas City Public Schools' policy on student transfers to other districts is illegal.

The ruling came in a lawsuit that stems from the Kansas City district's loss of accreditation on Jan. 1.

Under state law, students attending district schools may transfer to schools in adjacent districts.

The Kansas City district said it would pay tuition to the receiving districts only if the transferring student had spent the previous two semesters in the Kansas City district.

That part of the policy violates Missouri law, Circuit Judge W. Brent Powell ruled.

However, questions about that law will be taken up in court during a trial scheduled to begin Monday in Jackson County Circuit Court.

The Blue Springs, Center, Independence, Lee's Summit, North Kansas City and Raytown districts filed suit late last year over the issues of how student transfers from Kansas City will be paid for and how transportation issues will be handled.

In Wednesday's ruling, Powell said the districts did not have standing to challenge the Kansas City district's policy on student transportation.

Attorneys for the Kansas City district and the other districts either could not be reached or declined to comment Wednesday.