California fails to adequately finance its schools

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FINANCE LITIGATION

Robles-Wong v. California

Fact Sheet

Overview

• Robles-Wong v. California asks the State of California to fulfill its constitutional

obligation to support our public schools and students. This historic lawsuit was

brought forth by a broad coalition of students, parents, school districts and educational

organizations.

• Education is a fundamental right of every child in California. California’s Constitution

requires a school system that prepares students to become informed citizens and

productive members of society.

• This lawsuit declares that California’s unsound, unstable and insufficient school

finance system is neither aligned with required educational programs nor with student

needs. The amount of funding provided to education is not enough to deliver the

required programs to all students so that they meet the State’s educational goals, and

the funding system causes unequal learning opportunities.

• California has set clear requirements for what schools are expected to teach and what

students are expected to learn. The State has failed in its obligation to provide the

resources necessary for students to meet the required standards.

• The State’s failure to support the required educational program adversely affects all

students. Academic achievement measures show California’s broken school finance

system denies students the opportunity to become proficient in the State’s academic

standards.

• This lawsuit seeks to remedy the broken school finance system by (1) declaring that it

is unconstitutional and (2) requiring state lawmakers to uphold their constitutional

duty to design and implement a school finance system that provides all students equal

access to the required educational program.

Plaintiffs