Opinion ID: 1277785
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the trial court correctly granted summary judgment dismissing plaintiffs' other claims.

Text: Plaintiffs assert that the trial court should not have granted summary judgment dismissing their other claims. We disagree. Plaintiffs contend that the present system of funding capital expenditures is unconstitutional in the sense that, as ruled by the Arizona Supreme Court in the case of Roosevelt Elementary School v. Bishop, 179 Ariz. 233, 877 P.2d 806 (1994), there is no equalization of funding through the foundation formula for capital expenditure needs, the foundation formula providing funding and equalization only for maintenance and operation needs of the schools. The Roosevelt case involved a challenge to Arizona's school financing system, and under a general and uniform education article of the Arizona Constitution, the Arizona Supreme Court concluded that the state was required to make capital expenditures between districts substantially equal. Roosevelt, 877 P.2d at 814-16. In Thompson v. Engelking, 96 Idaho 793, 805, 537 P.2d 635, 647 (1975), this Court concluded that the uniformity requirement of Article IX, § 1 applies only to uniformity in curriculum, not uniformity in funding. This Court adhered to this conclusion in ISEEO I. 123 Idaho at 579-80, 850 P.2d at 740-41 (stating that the uniformity requirement in the education clause requires only uniformity in curriculum, not uniformity in funding). This analysis is applicable to the means the Legislature provides for funding facilities and other capital expenditures of school districts. Plaintiffs also contend that, similar to the decision of the Washington Supreme Court in Seattle School District No. 1 v. State, 90 Wash.2d 476, 585 P.2d 71 (Wash.1978), the Idaho Constitution is being violated to the extent that the school districts are required to submit special override levy elections to the voters (1) in order to fund basic maintenance and operation needs, and (2) for special facilities levies. We note that during oral argument before this Court counsel for Plaintiffs acknowledged that Plaintiffs do not now contend that the Legislature has violated the thoroughness requirement of Article IX, § 1 concerning maintenance and operation expenses other than those related to facilities. We proceed with this understanding in mind. The Seattle School District case involved a unique state constitutional provision regarding education, placing on the Washington Legislature a paramount duty to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders. WASH. CONST. Art. IX, § 1. The Washington Supreme Court concluded that special levies did not satisfy the state's paramount duty of providing an education and that levies could only be used to fund enrichment programs. Seattle Sch. Dist., 585 P.2d at 93-104. The Seattle School District case does not persuade us to accept Plaintiffs' view of this issue. Our constitution does not make providing public education a paramount duty of the Legislature. See Engelking, 96 Idaho at 805, 537 P.2d at 647 (holding that the right to public education under Article IX, § 1 is not a fundamental right). Accordingly, we affirm the trial court's grant of summary judgment to the State on these issues.