The effects of judicial challenges and special interest group behavior on legislative adjustments to the Florida Education Finance Program

This study examined judicial and interest group behavior surrounding legislative adjustments to the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). The questions addressed in the study related to the following issues: (1) effects of judicial challenges to legislative adjustments to the FEFP; (2) effects of interest group interaction with judicial challenges to the formula; (3) effects of interest group involvement in changes to the FEFP; and (4) philosophical and policy implications toward future legislation regarding the FEFP.;The study involved content analysis utilizing government and legal documents and scholarly research to determine special interest group and judicial efficacy on legislative adjustments to the FEFP. The following observations were made: (1) The level of judicial impact on the Florida Legislature was limited in that from 1973–1996 the Florida courts upheld the finance formula; yet, the Legislature in taped hearings, did make reference to litigation while considering adjustments to the FEFP. (2) Interest group involvement in court litigation was present in that interested parties and organizations concerned about the implications of court rulings filed “friend of the court” briefs and sponsored litigation. (3) Interest group interaction in the Legislature revealed observations based on the theoretical models of “iron triangles,” “incremental policy making,” “policy activism,” “policy fixers,” and “policy experts.” The aforementioned observations revealed a process in which the Florida Legislature followed the fundamental principles of the finance formula while making adjustments related to the equity elements of the formula. However, when a fundamental change in policy was proposed, policy activism involving various citizen advocacy groups, ideological groups and organized labor dominated lobbying in the Legislature.;The 1990s involved a conservative shift in leadership in Florida government and thus changes in policy, including reforms ranging from proposals to changing the sparsity supplement portion of the FEFP to utilizing the formula to finance school choice and accountability. The support of charter schools and vouchers may represent an ideological shift the Legislature has taken toward public education. That being, a movement from public education promoting the public good to one promoting public schools as a commodity.