ACLU-WV files suit challenging West Virginia school funding
A lawsuit filed by American Civil Liberties West Virginia asks the West Virginia Supreme Court to declare the state's 44-year-old school funding formula inadequate and to order fixes, using Lincoln County as a primary example. The petition names legislative leaders, statewide fiscal officers, the state Department of Education, the state board and local county officials as respondents. State school board president Paul Hardesty has repeatedly warned of shortfalls driven by special education costs, noting 45,000 special needs children, a $224 million county deficit last year and 234,000 students statewide; the filing echoes the 1982 Recht decision and could prompt court-ordered reform.
Lawsuit claims funding formula is constitutionally inadequate
Context
The state has used the same school funding formula for 44 years. Lawmakers talked about replacing it but did not pass changes. Now a court case could ask justices to order funding reforms.
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