"Power, Constraint, and Policy Change" analyzes state court influence on state education finance reform. Beginning in the early 1970s litigants began filing suits in state courts to change state education funding in order to prevent disparities in education resources between wealthy and poor communities. These cases represent a…

In 2003, the New York State Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York, upheld a trial court decision that funding for public education in New York City was unconstitutional and decreed that the state needed to increase operating aid to school districts by $5.6 billion per year ("Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc. v. State of New York…

Equity issues in public school finance have been discussed in terms of three waves. The first wave was a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court to provide equal education to all students as a fundamental right. After a ruling against the plaintiffs in "San Antonio v Rodriguez" (1973), the fight shifted to a second wave in the state courts.…

The first section of this article examines the historical record of Ohio's Second Constitutional Convention in an effort to discern what the delegates meant by "thorough and efficient" system of education. Included in this analysis are other historical documents that give further indication of the intent of the delegates. A brief review…

The consequences of the 1971 California Supreme Court decision "Serrano vs. Priest," in which the court sought to level disparities in school expenditure, and of the 1978 Proposition 13 property tax limitations are examined. The book concludes that changing the way California finances schools without changing the way it governs them has…

In 1989, the supreme courts of Montana, Kentucky, and Texas declared their respective school finance systems unconstitutional. Explores why these cases represent a major change in litigation and will prompt a third wave of school finance reform litigation. (MLF)

The Supreme Court of Tennessee, in "Tennessee Small School Systems, Inc. v. McWherter," declared that Tennessee's method of financing its public schools violated the state constitution. The court's mode of analysis relies on the state equal protection clause rather than the state education clause. Examines implications for school finance…

Extensive review of the research literature on the impact of school finance litigation on finance reform. Classifies 200 studies reviewed into four groups: general literature, single-state studies, multi-state studies, and direct litigation-effect studies. Concludes that litigation contributed to higher levels of school funding. (Contains 113…

Advocacy for drastic change in the governance and structure of Illinois educational finance is the theme of this collection of oral presentations. Section 1 contains testimonies by G. Alan Hickrod and Lawrence E. Frank delivered to the Citizens Council on School Problems, focusing on K-12 educational funding problems and solutions. Section 2…

The Texas supreme court upheld the constitutionality of Senate Bill 7 in a case referred to as "Edgewood IV." Three previous laws enacted to reduce fiscal disparities among Texas's school districts had been ruled unconstitutional by the Texas supreme Court. Summarizes the relationship between the legislation, the litigants, and the legal…

Discusses recent school finance litigation and legislation in Ohio resulting in school finance reform with an emphasis on educational adequacy. Focuses on the politics of school finance reform. (Contains 41 references.) (PKP)

Examines the effects of 1992 Tennessee school-finance reform legislation to remedy unconstitutional inequalities in state funding of local school districts, particularly small, rural school districts. Finds that while legislation reduced fiscal inequity among school districts, differences in student mathematics and reading scores remained…

The New Jersey legislature revised the school funding formula by eliminating $250 million in state aid over 4 years to 150 suburban districts and sending nearly $1 billion more to 30 less affluent districts. Contends that the method will ensure mediocrity and stifle innovation. Proposes three other funding formulas. (MLF)

An amendment to the Alabama constitution, adopted in 1956 in an attempt to absolve the state from maintaining a public school system, was declared unconstitutional in August 1991 by the Montgomery County Circuit Court. Discusses the political circumstances surrounding the case, the court's decision, and the future course of education finance…

This report offers an analysis of school finance litigation during 1998. It summarizes cases in New Jersey, Ohio, Arizona, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and New York. These states were sued due to failure to provide a thorough and efficient system of common schools, ineffective efforts to provide equitable financing to poorer school…