The Missouri Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of a 1993 law requiring failing school districts to pay for students to transfer to neighboring schools.
The arguments Tuesday before the high court focused on whether the St. Louis Public School District should have to pay for two specific children to attend class in the Clayton School District. But the decision could have implications for thousands of families — not only in St. Louis, but also in Kansas City and any other district that loses state accreditation.
The court is hearing an appeal of a May 2012 decision. In that decision a judge ruled that the school transfer law imposed an unfunded mandate on districts, which violates the state constitution and would be financially impossible to follow.