In 1994, five low wealth counties filed suit against the state, claiming that the state did not provide adequate funding for them to educate their students. They were joined by six urban counties, who claimed that the state did not provide enough funds for them to educate their at-risk students and those with limited English proficiency.
The case – commonly called Leandro after one of the plaintiffs – resulted in 10 years of court appearances and decisions. In 1997, the state Supreme Court found that all children in North Carolina have a constitutional right to a “sound basic education,” defined as:
[O]ne that will provide the student with at least: (1) sufficient ability to read, write, and speak the English language and a sufficient knowledge of fundamental mathematics and physical science to enable the student to function in a complex and rapidly changing society; (2) sufficient fundamental knowledge of geography, history, and basic economic and political systems to enable the student to make informed choices with regard to issues that affect the student personally or affect the student’s community, state, and nation; (3) sufficient academic and vocational skills to enable the student to successfully engage in post-secondary education or vocational training; and (4) sufficient academic and vocational skills to enable the student to compete on an equal basis with others in further formal education or gainful employment in contemporary society.
The Supreme Court remanded the case to the original superior court judge, Howard Manning, who issued a series of opinions through 2004. The crux of these opinions was that:
The state was required to report on the steps it planned to take to ensure that all students were afforded a sound basic education. As part of its response, the state funded a new pot of money – Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Funds – to provide extra resources to schools to serve at-risk students. The program began with 16 districts in 2005, but has since expanded to all districts statewide.