Lake View hearing set for Feb. 22

Special appointed masters Bradley Jesson and David Newbern will hold a case conference with attorneys on both sides of the Lake View school funding case at 1:30 in the Supreme Court courtroom on Thursday, February 22. Earlier this month, the attorneys submitted a joint report to the masters that outlines which issues remained unresolved.

The state had been given a Dec. 1 deadline last year to address shortfalls in its funding system, but weeks before the deadline, four school districts — Barton-Lexa, Little Rock, Pulaski County Special and Rogers — asked the court to keep jurisdiction over the Legislature.

The districts said that while the Legislature had appropriated more money to schools, we still hadn't adequately addressed three main issues:
1. facilities;
2. programs for non-English speakers; and
3. money for rapidly growing districts.

Again, we need to provide a comprehensive definition of "adequacy" that includes all facets of our obligation as a legislature under the state constitution, including not only funding but every intricate aspect of what comprises an adequate education in the state. This definition, combined with an ambitious legislative package to fix the funding issue once and for all, will shut the door on the Lake View case for good.