Challenge to New York State’s Charter School Funding Law

Represented the plaintiffs in Brown v. New York, and initially secured a winning ruling in New York State Supreme Court denying a motion to dismiss our lawsuit challenging New York State's method of funding public charter schools. Our clients, five “representative” families whose children attend charter schools in the state and a Charter School advocacy organization for its member New York charter schools (Northeast Charter Schools Network), argued that New York's practice of providing charter students with as little as three-fifths of what district students receive in the same community, violates the state Constitution and disproportionately affects children of color and lower incomes. While we ultimately lost on appeal, the ruling was particularly important as similar claims raised by charter school parents in four others states – North Carolina, New Jersey, Arizona and Texas – all failed to survive lower court defense motions to dismiss.