Opinion ID: 1936279
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: limits of decision

Text: The state public school financing system is obviously a very complicated one. While the certified questions to this Court are very broad, no one should imagine that the questions can be presumed to call all provisions of the several statutes included in the financing system into question. The ruling in this opinion, for example, should not be misinterpreted to require absolute equality in the distribution of state educational resources in all cases with no recognition of reasonable classifications. Furthermore, this opinion does not relate to local control. This opinion relates only to the state's obligation to maintain and support public schools financially under Const 1963, art 8, § 2. As already indicated local control is largely exercised through the local school board, which sets local school policy and hires and supervises local school personnel. The people of the local school district in turn exercise their control through electing and watching over the local school board. The people also elect the State Board of Education that under Const 1963, art 8, § 3 is granted leadership and supervision of the public schools. It is common knowledge that the State Board of Education has traditionally left the local school boards with wide discretion to manage their own affairs. In any event, none of the matters relating to the exercise of local control is in question in this opinion.