School districts’ lawsuit over state funding heads to trial
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A lawsuit that could result in drastic changes to how Pennsylvania funds public education goes to trial Friday in a Harrisburg courtroom. It’s been seven years since a handful of the state’s districts first went to court to challenge a system they consider unfair. The case centers on spending disparities among Pennsylvania’s 500 districts and the comparatively low percentage of K-12 education that is paid for by state government. The plaintiffs argue that the reliance on property taxes results in “a system of haves and have nots.” But Republican legislative leaders, defendants in the case, say Pennsylvania’s educational spending compares favorably to other states and that student achievement backs them up.