Loading ...ISTA v. The State of Indiana, et al.
I’m told the Indiana State Teacher’s Association is preparing to file suit against the State of Indiana arguing that schools are not adequately funded. The logic being, my colleague Rishawn Biddle from the Indianapolis Star tells me, is that schools are forced to meet higher standards but are not getting the money to meet those standards. Seeing how nearly 50-percent of your property tax bill goes toward schools this will be interesting. The schools are either asking the state and local governments to raise taxes or asking the state to change the funding formula. No word yet on whether schools will work to eliminate some of red tape and bureaucrats that run their organizations and free up money for classroom instructions. Stay tuned to this one…
March 21st, 2006 at 12:29 pm
My knowledge on this issue is so vague as to be useless, but a suit was successfully brought against the state of Ohio back in the 90s that alleged their system of funding the schools was unconstitutional under the Ohio Constitutional provision that requires the state to fund “a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the State.”
The Ohio Supreme Court found the funding system unconstitutional in part because of an “overreliance” on local property taxes that resulted in a deprivation of educational opportunity in some school districts.
I’m not sure if or how the issue has been resolved or whether there is a potential counterpart in Indiana’s Constitution.