Cite as 351 Ark. 31 (2002)
[12] For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the State has not fulfilled its constitutional duty to provide the children of this state with a general, suitable, and efficient school-funding system. Accordingly, we hold that the current school-funding system violates the Education Article of the Arkansas Constitution, and we affirm the trial court on this point.
VI. Equality
The State next argues that the trial court erred in finding that the school-funding system was inequitable. On this point, the State contends that there are two types of equity: (1) horizontal, or dollar, equity where the State equalizes per-student revenues available across the state; and (2) vertical equity where efforts are made by the State to meet the special needs of certain students through categorical funding, such as the English-as-a-second language program, special education, gifted-and-talented programs, and vocational-technical training. According to the State, it is virtually impossible to equalize all revenues when special needs come into play and when certain value judgments must be made.
The State further maintains that it has met the Federal Range Ratio test and the GINI Index of Inequality for equal revenues available per student. Equal revenues per student is the correct test for equality, according to the State, and, thus, the trial court erred in concluding that the test for equality is the actual money spent per student rather than state money made available to the school districts. Finally, the State argues that any disparity in the wealth of the school districts is offset by two legitimate governmental purposes in funding the schools the way it does: (1) the necessity to fund other state programs, and (2) local control of public schools by the school districts.[1]
[13] There is no doubt in our minds that there is considerable overlap between the issue of whether a school-funding system is inadequate and whether it is inequitable. Deficiencies in certain
- ↑ At least two post-1994 legislative Acts specifically refer to the desirability of local control. See Act 1307 of 1997, codified at Ark. Code Ann. § 6-20-302(b) (Repl. 1999) and Act 917 of 1995.
