New Lawsuit Calls for Equity in How California Funds School Repairs

A new lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court could change how California funds K-12 school facilities. Plaintiffs (students, parents and educators), claim the School Facility Program favors wealthy districts that can pass local bonds—leaving low-income communities with leaking portables and unsafe classrooms.  The case draws comparisons to Serrano v. Priest, arguing that “equal education” must include equal access to safe facilities. Plaintiffs seek a court order requiring the state to redesign its funding model.

If successful, the lawsuit could reshape how modernization dollars are matched and distributed, placing new emphasis on community need rather than property wealth. 

“It is district wealth, not student need, that too often dictates whether students have access to safe, functional facilities” said the lawsuit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court.

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