Judge Grants State Stay In School Funding Formula Lawsuit

A judge in Jefferson City has granted a request from the State to issue a stay in a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of Missouri’s funding formula for public schools. But, it’s not cut and dried. Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan has granted the State what Assistant Attorney General Jim McAdams says it wanted – the opportunity for the Legislature to deal with funding formula problems. Attorney Alex Bartlett, representing the plaintiffs – about 250 school districts – says the will might be present at the State Capitol, but the expertise might not exist. In the end, the stay is granted – giving the Legislature a chance to deal with the problem – on the condition the State agrees with the plaintiffs that the current system is constitutionally inadequate. Failure to do so will leave open the door for the plaintiffs to forge ahead with their legal action. The State has fifteen days to agree the system is broken or provide proof that it is not broken.