Social science in school finance court cases

Most states in the U.S. have experienced litigation concerning the constitutionality of their school finance systems. I examine the potential role of social science in affecting the outcomes of these cases. The text of the decisions of recent cases is examined to see to what extent social science appears to influence the courts. While the potential use of social science is large, its actual use is idiosyncratic. Where its use is apparent, however, it is difficult to confidently conclude that it affected the court’s decision. Other factors could have been determinative and social science might have been used only to buttress the court’s decision.