On June 26, the New York Court of Appeals issued a landmark ruling in favor of Simpson Thacher client, Campaign for Fiscal Equity, that serves as a monumental victory for every child in the State of New York. The Court of Appeals ruled in Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. State of New York that every public school student is entitled to the opportunity for a meaningful high school education. The Court ordered the State to implement major education funding and accountability reforms to allow students in New York City schools to meet this constitutional standard.
The 4-1 decision by the New York Court of Appeals reverses a decision issued last year by the Appellate Division. The Court confirmed the obvious -- that New York City children are terribly shortchanged by the City's school system -- and instructed the State to make sure that every child in New York City is provided an opportunity for a meaningful high school education. Under the terms of the Court's order, the State has until July 30, 2004 to determine the actual costs of educating the City's kids (something the State has never even attempted before in a meaningful way) and to implement legislative reforms to the State education funding system that account for these costs. This decision should ultimately require the State to provide the resources necessary for the City's school children to receive a sound basic education. The decision will have a profound effect on our education system.
The Court's decision largely reinstates the January 2001 decision of Justice DeGrasse and is a complete rejection of the State's argument that the City's kids are entitled to no more than an eighth-grade education. Justice DeGrasse's decision came after a 7-month trial that featured more than 70 witnesses and over 4,300 exhibits that detailed the failures of the City's school system.
Simpson Thacher has been involved in this case for the better part of a decade on a pro bono basis. Indeed, this may be the largest pro bono effort ever by a New York City law firm. Among the many involved in this victory are Joe Wayland, Jonathan Youngwood, David Massengill, Bill Russell, Lynn Neuner, David Woll, Dan Tabak, Elaine Divelbliss, Nihara Choudhri, Jason Stone, Jill Goldberg, Liz Fuerstman and Evelyn Scaramella.