Appendix F

STATES’ CONSTITUTIONS AND STATUTES RELATING TO EDUCATION

Alabama

Section 256: A liberal system of public schools throughout the state.

http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/alison/codeofalabama/constitution/1901/constitution1901_toc.htm

Alaska

Article VII, Section 1: A system of public schools open to all children of the State.

Arizona

Article XI, Section 1: A general and uniform public school system, which system shall include: 1. kindergarten schools; 2. common schools; 3. high schools; 4. normal schools; 5. industrial schools; 6. Universities.

https://www.azleg.gov/constitution/?article=11Arkansas

Article XIV, Section 1: A general, suitable and efficient system of free public schools; shall adopt all suitable means to secure to the people the advantages and opportunities of education.

https://advance.lexis.com/container?config=00JAA3ZTU0NTIzYy0zZDEyLTRhYmQtYmRmMS1iMWIxNDgxYWMxZTQKAFBvZENhdGFsb2cubRW4ifTiwi5vLw6cI1uX&crid=796266e0-72cd-425e-84fd-4a7efa2db8cb

California

Article 9, Section 5: A system of common schools.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codesTOCSelected.xhtml?tocCode=CONS&tocTitle=+California+Constitution+-+CONS

Colorado

Article IX, Section 2: A thorough and uniform system of free public schools throughout the state.

https://advance.lexis.com/container?config=0345494EJAA5ZjE0MDIyYy1kNzZkLTRkNzktYTkxMS04YmJhNjBlNWUwYzYKAFBvZENhdGFsb2e4CaPI4cak6laXLCWyLBO9&crid=64a4f20b-ae88-4e87-a7a6-ef7520bded5a

Connecticut

Article XIII, Section 1: Free public elementary and secondary schools in the state.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/Content/constitutions/CTConstitution.htm

Delaware

Article X, Section 1: A general and efficient system of free public schools, and may require by law that every child, not physically or mentally disabled, shall attend the public school, unless educated by other means.

https://delcode.delaware.gov/constitution/index.shtml

District of Columbia

Division VI, Title 38, Subchapter 2: Be responsible for the planning, coordination, and supervision of all public education and education-related activities under its jurisdiction, including development and support of programs to improve the delivery of education.

https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/

Florida

Article IX, Section 1: A uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a highquality education.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Constitution

Georgia

Article VII, Section 1: The provision of an adequate public education for the citizens shall be a primary obligation of the State of Georgia. Public education for the citizens prior to the college or postsecondary level shall be free and shall be provided.

https://sos.ga.gov/admin/files/Constitution_2013_Final_Printed.pdf

Hawaii

Article X, Section 1: A statewide system of public schools free from sectarian control, a state university, public libraries and such other educational institutions as may be deemed desirable,

including physical facilities therefor.

Idaho

Article IX, Section 1: A general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.

Illinois

Article X, Section 1: An efficient system of high-quality public educational institutions and services.

https://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con10.htm

Indiana

Article VIII, Section 1: A general and uniform system of Common Schools, wherein tuition shall be without charge, and equally open to all.

http://iga.in.gov/legislative/laws/const/

Iowa

Article IX, Section 12: The education of all the youths of the State, through a system of Common Schools.

http://publications.iowa.gov/135/1/history/7-7.htm

Kansas

Article VI, Section 1: Intellectual, educational, vocational and scientific improvement by establishing and maintaining public schools, educational institutions and related activities which

may be organized and changed in such manner as may be provided by

https://kslib.info/832/Article-6-Education

Kentucky

Section 183: An efficient system of common schools throughout the State.

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/constitution

Louisiana

Article VIII, Section 1: The legislature shall provide for the education of the people of the state

and shall establish and maintain a public educational system.

http://senate.legis.state.la.us/documents/constitution/

Maine

Article VIII, Section 1: The several towns to make suitable provision, at their own expense, for the support and maintenance of public schools.

https://www.maine.gov/legis/const/

Maryland

Article VIII, Section 1: A thorough and efficient System of Free Public Schools.

https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/43const/html/08art8.html

Massachusetts

Chapter V, Section 2: Cherish the interests of literature and the sciences, and all seminaries of them; especially the university at Cambridge, public schools and grammar schools in the towns.

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution

Michigan

Article VIII, Section 2: A system of free public elementary and secondary schools as defined by law.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(nwg3vgts2s3ppxlmzh4wohhl))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-Constitution-VIII

Minnesota

Article XIII, Section 1: A general and uniform system of public schools.

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/constitution/

Mississippi

Article 8, Section 201: Free public schools.

http://www.sos.state.ms.us/ed_pubs/constitution/constitution.asp

Missouri

Article IX, Section 1: Free public schools for the gratuitous instruction of all persons. http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes/ConstArticleIndexes/T09.html

Montana

Part X, Section 1: A system of education which will develop the full educational potential of

each person. Equality of educational opportunity is guaranteed to each person of the state … a

basic system of free quality public elementary and secondary school

https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/CONSTITUTION_X_X.htm

Nebraska

Article VII, Section 1: Free instruction in the common schools of this state.

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=VII-1

Nevada

Article 11, Section 2: A uniform system of common schools.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/

New Hampshire

Article 83: To cherish the interest of literature and the sciences, and all seminaries and public schools, to encourage private and public institutions, rewards, and immunities for the promotion of agriculture, arts, sciences, commerce, trades, manufactures, and natural history of the country.

https://www.nh.gov/constitution/lit.html

New Jersey

Article VIII Section IV: A thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State.

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/lawsconstitution/constitution.asp

New Mexico

Article XII Section 1: A uniform system of free public schools sufficient for the education of, and open to, all the children of school age in the state.

https://www.sos.state.nm.us/Public_Records_And_Publications/2013nmconst.pdf

New York

Article XI, Section 1: A system of free common schools, wherein all the children of this state may be educated.

https://www.dos.ny.gov/info/constitution.htm

North Carolina

Article IX, Section 2: A general and uniform system of free public schools.

https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Constitution/NCConstitution.htmll

North Dakota

Article VIII, Section 2: A uniform system of free public schools throughout the state, beginning with the primary and extending through all grades up to and including schools of higher education.

https://www.legis.nd.gov/constit/a08.pdf?20160114121656

Ohio

Article VI, Section 2: A thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the State.

https://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/upload/publications/election/constitution.pdf

Oklahoma

Article XIII, Section 1: Free public schools wherein all the children of the State may be educated.

http://oklegal.onenet.net/okcon/XIII.html

Oregon

Article VIII, Section 3: A uniform, and general system of Common schools.

https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/default.aspx

Pennsylvania

Article III, Section 14: A thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth.

Puerto Rico

Article II Section 5. Every person has the right to an education which shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

https://www.oslpr.org/

Rhode Island

Article XII, Section 1: Promote public schools and public libraries, and to adopt all means which it may deem necessary and proper to secure to the people the advances and opportunities of education and public library services.

http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/RiConstitution/C12.html

South Carolina

Article XI, Section 3: A system of free public schools open to all children in the State and shall establish, organize and support such other public institutions of learning, as may be desirable.

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/scconstitution/A11.pdf

South Dakota

Article VIII, Section 1: A general and uniform system of public schools wherein tuition shall be without charge, and equally open to all.

http://legis.sd.gov/Statutes/Constitution/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=0N-8

Tennessee

Article XI, Section 12: A system of free public schools.

https://www.tn.gov/sos/bluebook/11-12/TS5_TNFoundingDocs.pdf

Texas

Article VII, Section 1: An efficient system of public free schools.

https://capitol.texas.gov/

Utah

Article X, Section 1: The Legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of

the state’s education systems including a public education system, which shall be open to all children of the state. https://le.utah.gov/xcode/ArticleX/Article_X.html

Vermont

Article VIII, Section 1: A system of free public elementary and secondary schools for all children of school age throughout The Commonwealth, and shall seek to ensure that an educational program of high quality is established and continually maintained.

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/constitution/article8/

Washington

Article IX, Section 2: The legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public schools.

http://leg.wa.gov/_layouts/15/error.aspx

West Virginia

Article XII, Section 1: A thorough and efficient system of free schools.

https://www.wvlegislature.gov/

Wisconsin

Article X, Section 3: The establishment of district schools, which shall be as nearly uniform as

practicable; and such schools shall be free and without charge for tuition.

https://legis.wisconsin.gov/

Wyoming

Article 7, Section 1: A complete and uniform system of public instruction, embracing free elementary schools of every needed kind and grade.

https://www.wyoleg.gov/