THE LAW QUESTION OF THE WEEK:  

Which school choice laws changed this year? Are you watching for new legislation in the next session?

GO TO:  CONTACT on the Home Page to post a reply.

 

 

Are there legislative priorities for:

lwv scales

—  Charter Schools?

—  Public Schools?

—  Tax Credit Scholarships? 

 

 

HERE ARE COMPARISONS ACROSS STATES, FIND YOUR STATE.   IS A HIGH RANKING GOOD?

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CHARTER EXPANSION BILL THE U.S. LEGISLATURE JUST PASSED?

HERE ARE SOME STATE LEGISLATION PROPOSALS

WHEN THERE ARE LAWS, THERE ARE LAWSUITS! 

What is happening in your state?  See the list below and add to it.  It would be interesting to do a post on the types of lawsuits that are in process.  Some are about the constitutionality of choice programs, some are funding  issues, civil rights, equity, and others. A good site to review court decisions is Education Justice.

LAWSUITS: ALABAMA

Topic:  Tax credit scholarship program

  • Southern Legal Poverty Center filed suit against State in 2013.  Argument that tax credit voucher were a civil rights and equal opportunity violation.  Case dismissed by federal judge in April 2014.
  • Ross et. al vs State filed by Alabama Education Association ruled Accountability Act was unconstitutional in May, 2014.  The Accountability Act included provisions for tuition income tax credit for families and funding for private schools. An appeal was filed.

LAWSUITS: COLORADO

Topic: Private school voucher program

  • Larue vs. Colorado Board of Education filed by the ACLU against a pilot program for vouchers. The trial court held that the program was unconstitutional, but on appeal, the court reversed the trial court.  The case has been appealed to the State Supreme Court.  amici briefs

Topic:  Education funding

  • Dwyer vs. Colorado.  Keep the Promise to Fund Schools as Colorado Constitution Requires.  Education Justice. July 2014.

LAWSUITS: FLORIDA

Topic:  School choice constitutionality

  • Citizens for Strong Schools  filed by the Southern Legal Counsel in 2009.  In 2013, State Supreme Court upheld right of judicial system to question legislative educational policy.  Amended complaint filed in 2014 by SLC against the Florida Department of Education charging that the State of Florida is violating its constitutional mandate to provide a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools, and preK educational opportunities.

Topic:  Tax credit scholarship constitutionality

LAWSUITS: INDIANA

Topic:  Private school vouchers

  • Meredith et al vs. Daniels et al filed by Institute for Justice.  State Supreme Court ruled that the Choice Opportunity Program vouchers for low and middle income families was constitutionality.

LAWSUITS: LOUISIANA

Topic:  Private school voucher prograam

  • Brumfield vs. Dodd  provides vouchers to low income families from ‘C – F’ public schools.  Over 90% of recipients are black. The U.S. Department of Justice ruled in November 2013 that the voucher program impeded desegregation plan.  The program provided vouchers for The Goldwater Institute filed an appeal.

LAWSUITS: NEW HAMPSHIRE 

Topic:  Private school vouchers

LAWSUITS: NEW JERSEY 

Topic:  Funding for low income districts.  Bacon vs. NJDOE  2014

LAWSUITS: NEW MEXICO 

Topic:  Right to education and adequate support for at risk children. Martinez vs. State of New Mexico.  Filed by MALDEF.

LAWSUITS: NEW YORK 

Topic:  Funding for low income districts. Maisto vs. State of New York 2014

LAWSUITS: NORTH CAROLINA 

Topic:  Private school vouchers

Topic:  School funding

  • Leandro case ruling in 2001 that North Carolina was not providing adequate and appropriate funding for at-risk students. This is an on going case.  In 2013, the issue of adequate coverage for preK schooling for at risk students was raised after budget cuts were made. Court ruled that Leandro case ruligs still in effect, but constitutionality of legislative actions in 2012 were not before the court, see geauxmaids.com.
  • Hoke County vs. North Carolina.  NC Policy Watch. 2013.  NC Supreme Court rules on PreK Case. See also: https://nces.ed.gov/edfin/pdf/lawsuits/Hoke_v_NC_IV.pdf

LAWSUITS: OHIO

Topic:  Private school vouchers.  Zelman vs. Simmons-Harris. Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program 2002.  Federal U.S. constitution’s Establishment Clause used to defeat case to overturn vouchers.  U.S. Supreme Court ruled that vouchers were legal if they were neutral with respect to religion.  Legal Information Institute, Cornell University.

Topic:  Constitutionality. Taking the Right of Education Out of State Constitutions. Education Justice. May 2014. 

LAWSUITS: OKLAHOMA

Topic:  Students with Exceptionalities. Lawsuit by Educators Attacks OK Scholarship Program for Special Needs Children.    Oliver et al vs. Barresi. 2013.

LAWSUITS: PENNSYLVANIA

Topic:  Funding .  PARSS and NAACP v. Legislative leaders et al.  In 2011, the legislature stopped using funding formulas and stopped trying to close funding gaps.  Districts must use property taxes which is a disadvantage for low income areas.

 LAWSUITS: RHODE ISLAND 

Topic:  School Funding. RI Supreme Court is deeply concerned but denies relief to school children.  Education Justice.  2014.

 LAWSUITS: WASHINGTON STATE 

Topic:  Constitutional limits of funding to charter schools.   League of Women Voters et al vs. State filed in July, 2013. Appeal filed in State Supreme Court August, 2014 re charter school funding. Washington lawsuit summary judgment.