Opinion ID: 2077353
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: summary of parties' argument

Text: The Coalition argues that (1) taken together, the religious freedom and free instruction clauses require the Legislature to provide a free education that at a minimum, [is] sufficient to allow each student to become an active and productive citizen in our democracy, to find meaningful employment, and to qualify for higher education, and (2) that the Legislature has failed to perform this duty. [20] The State contends that despite the lack of qualitative standards in the free instruction clause, the Coalition is asking this court to determine that the plaintiff districts lack adequate funding to provide a quality education. The State argues that (1) this determination would require one district court to examine the adequacy of virtually every educational resource and program of the plaintiff districts and (2) thus, what constitutes adequate funding for education is inherently a political question that is not subject to judicial review. The Coalition counters that this court, by ruling that the school funding system is unconstitutional, would not violate the separation of powers doctrine. It asks us to follow decisions from other state courts determining that the issue is justiciable. We conclude, however, that those decisions are not helpful either because the plaintiffs based their claims on equal protection or uniformity clauses in their state constitutions [21] or because their states' constitutional provisions are significantly different from ours. [22] The Coalition contends that if we decide the Legislature is not fulfilling its duty, it would not require us to prescribe the proper means of financing schools. This is correct, but if we were to declare the present funding constitutionally inadequate, we would be passing judgment on the Legislature's spending priorities as reflected in its appropriation decisions. Thus, we believe the critical issue is whether, without violating the separation of powers clause, this court may determine that the Legislature has failed to provide adequate funding for public education.