Robin Hood plan

From Freepedia

The Robin Hood plan was a media nickname given to legislation enacted by the U.S. state of Texas in 1990 to provide court-mandated equitable school financing for all school districts in the state. The law forced the creation of guidelines and formulas by which money from wealthy school districts would be redistributed to poorer ones.

In 1984, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed suit against state commissioner of education William Kirby on behalf of the Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio, citing discrimination against students in poor school districts. The plaintiffs charged that the state's methods of funding public schools violated the state constitution, which required the state to provide an efficient and free public school system. The case, Edgewood Independent School District et al. v. Kirby et al, went to the Texas Supreme Court who unanimously sided with Edgewood.

In 1990, the state legislature finally reached consensus and approved a funding bill that would increase state support to public schools. The plantiffs were unhappy with the legislation and the courts sided with the plaintiffs again. In 1991, after the Texas Supreme court threatened to cut off state funds to schools, the legislature finally approved a funding plan based on suggestions from the court. Although the new law was challenged again, the court ruled in 1995 that the new plan was constitutional.

Resources

• "EDGEWOOD ISD V. KIRBY". The Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 13 April 2005.