It's a good question: the plan would still allow affluent districts to spend far more than the administration's minimum - a provision that could actually worsen New Jersey's spending disparities.

In part the spending disparity arises from a point of law.

Urban districts charge that spending disparities between rich and poor districts have actually increased since the current financing plan was introduced.

Therefore, the researchers devoted most of their labor to studying the spending disparities in public education.

He said that ending the spending disparity between rich and poor districts was no longer the "core" issue.

The court decision ruled out aid for wealthier districts, saying it tended to increase or maintain the spending disparity with their poorer neighbors.

The court also ordered Mrs. Whitman to end a spending disparity between the wealthiest and poorest districts.

A series of rulings by that state's Supreme Court have forced the state to end the once-significant spending disparity between its poorest and wealthiest school districts.

The Education Law Center contends that the reliance on property taxes has led to unconstitutional spending disparities and, consequently, unequal educational opportunities affluent and poor districts.

Last year, the Court ordered New Jersey to spend $248 million more on urban schools to end the spending disparity between the state's wealthiest and poorest school districts.