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Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to identify and delineate relevant literature focusing on school financing equity and from that literature to analyze the current funding of education in the state of Georgia. The scope of the study was limited to 1971 through 2001. This date was chosen because 1971 was the beginning of the modern era of the school financing equity debate. This study investigated and reported related literature focused on policy issues of school financing equity; analyzed various school finance equity studies; summarized pertinent court decisions resulting from school financing equity litigation; and reviewed analyses of resulting litigation pertinent to the issue of school finance equity. |<$A>The following conclusions are lessons for Georgia: (1)For more than 20 years threat of lawsuits has been effective maintaining and/or improving school funding equity; (2)The Education Reform Act of 2000, HB 656, reduced funding inequities by including SPLOST revenues and potential SPLOST revenues in calculations determining local school district wealth, but funding inequities still existed for the poorest school districts in Georgia; and (3)Challenges to school funding in Georgia may originate from alleged inequities in the state capital outlay funding. Potential success of litigation is marginal based on the resources of plaintiffs, court precedent, and politics.