What landmark case highlighted disparities in funding between affluent and poor school districts?

The case that significantly highlighted the disparities in funding between affluent and poor school districts is Serrano v. Priest. This landmark decision, made by the California Supreme Court in 1971, addressed inequalities in the public school funding system in California. The court found that the reliance on property taxes for funding public education resulted in substantial disparities in funding between wealthier districts and those in poorer areas. It ruled that this system violated the equal protection clause of the California Constitution, emphasizing that every child should have access to a quality education regardless of the wealth of their home district.

In contrast, while Rodriguez v. San Antonio Independent School District also dealt with funding disparities, the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the funding system as constitutional, which is distinct from Serrano v. Priest's outcome. Brown v. Board of Education focused primarily on racial segregation in schools and did not specifically address funding issues, and Marbury v. Madison is foundational for establishing judicial review but does not pertain to educational funding. Thus, Serrano v. Priest is the most relevant case regarding funding disparities in education.