As Michigan public schools prepare their 2024-2025 budgets, schools should be aware of the short-term borrowing options available to cover their projected operating cash-flow shortfalls....more
While bonds can be used to finance capital needs for Georgia school districts, other strategies are available that do not require a referendum. Tax anticipation notes, multi-year lease purchases, certificates of...more
As Michigan public schools navigate the preparation of their 2023-2024 budgets, we wanted to again provide you with a reminder of the short-term borrowing options available to cover projected operating cash-flow shortfalls....more
While a recent Pennsylvania ruling issued In February 2023 has been hailed as a victory for the underfunded school districts in the state, it could be a long road ahead before meaningful change makes its way to the students,...more
Win in Court doesn’t Assure More Pennsylvania School Funding - “Pennsylvania is the latest state where the public school funding system was found to be unconstitutional, but the experience in other states suggests there’s...more
In response to several Florida school boards considering mask mandates in advance of school openings, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed an executive order threatening to withhold state funds from any school boards...more
For some time now, improving broadband internet access has been a priority for school districts and other political subdivisions across Ohio. Moreover, one of the main challenges faced by school districts in their efforts to...more
Judge Gina R. Russo of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas recently issued a decision awarding three Ohio public school districts $42 million, plus interest, based on the Ohio Department of Education (ODE)’s unlawful...more
Case Provides Valuable Guidance for Public Agencies Wanting One Contractor for Two Phases - A contractor that had two separate contracts with a school district — one for preconstruction services and the other for...more
Education is always a top public policy issue in Florida, and the 2019 legislative session was no different. This year, lawmakers made major investments in K-12 funding, expanded career and workforce education, revised school...more
After a 17-day delay, state budget negotiations have concluded, and Governor Mike DeWine signed Ohio’s $69 billion two-year state operating budget into law. On June 30, lawmakers passed an interim budget, which ran through...more
The 86th Texas Legislative Session came to a close on Memorial Day. Over 7,300 bills were filed at the beginning of session, with over 1,250 ultimately becoming law. The 140-day session focused on major policy issues versus...more
Another rainy day in Georgia did not stop members of the General Assembly from an early start. Early morning committee hearings in both chambers led into action on the floor where the Senate considered a number of measures. ...more
Wednesday marked Legislative Day 23 under the Gold Dome and presented another buffet of policy debate and action for legislators and lobbyists alike. After a substantial first course consisting of the House’s version of the...more
Governor Cuomo’s 2018-2019 school aid proposal calls for an increase of about 3 percent or $769 million in total school aid. This is significantly lower than the $1.6 billion increase recommended by the Board of Regents. Many...more
Earlier this month, the Kansas Supreme Court issued an opinion in Gannon v. Kansas holding that the state’s current system of funding public education was inadequate under the state's constitution. The Court relied primarily...more
On September 19, 2016, an Albany, New York trial court in Maisto v. New York rejected plaintiffs’ claims that the state was constitutionally underfunding eight small-city school districts. Stinson Leonard Street attorneys...more
The Appellate Division, Third Department today upheld a constitutional challenge to New York’s tax cap. The suit, brought by NYSUT, asserted several different legal theories challenging the constitutionality of the statute....more
On July 7, Michigan Governor Snyder signed into law a package of bills, all with immediate effect and most with a tie bar to at least one of the other bills in the package, creating an early warning system to identify the...more