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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Horton’S Odyssey: The Politics Of School Finance Reform In Connecticut, Lesley Denardis
Horton’S Odyssey: The Politics Of School Finance Reform In Connecticut, Lesley Denardis
Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications
School finance reform has been one of the most controversial and contentious issues in public policy over the last thirty years. Public schools have served as battlegrounds over fundamental questions of equality, liberty, and access to social and economic opportunities. Since the historic decision rendered by the California Supreme Court in Serrano v. Priest (1971) equated public education with a fundamental right, a wave of legal and legislative reforms swept the nation including the state of Connecticut. Following the lead of California, plaintiffs in the Horton v.Meskill (1977) case argued that the Connecticut’s heavy reliance on the property tax to …
From Equity To Adequacy: Evolving Legal Theories In School Finance Litigation: The Case Of Connecticut, Lesley A. Denardis
From Equity To Adequacy: Evolving Legal Theories In School Finance Litigation: The Case Of Connecticut, Lesley A. Denardis
Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications
Since the landmark school finance decision Serrano v. Priest (1971) ruled that California’s reliance on the property tax to finance public schools violated equal protection provisions in state and federal constitutions, a wave of school finance litigation swept the United States. Connecticut followed with Horton v. Meskill (1977) and most recently with CCJEF v. Rell (2005). The Connecticut State Supreme Court has been a key actor in the policy making process concerning school finance reform in Connecticut. This study will trace the history of school finance litigation in Connecticut and the evolving legal theories used to undergird major court cases. …