<p>Officials from some of Georgias poorest school districts agreed Friday to prepare a lawsuit seeking more state education money and a more equitable way to allocate those funds among all public school systems.</p><p>The Consortium for Adequate School Funding in Georgia has been lobbying Gov. Sonny Perdue and legislators to beef up education funding. It also wants to eliminate what it says is a widening disparity in state funding between wealthy and poorer school districts.</p><p>An estimated 100 superintendents and county school board representatives from 20 school districts in the consortium met Friday in Perry to discuss what steps to take next. Among those attending were officials from Brantley, Charlton, Clinch, Ware and Wayne counties in South Georgia.</p><p>The group voted unanimously to begin the research and collect the necessary data to document its case. It also agreed to seek an attorney to spearhead legal efforts.</p><p>However, the group also agreed to continue efforts to work with the governor and legislators to resolve the funding issue without having to go to court, said Brantley County School District Superintendent William Al Hunter, consortium president.</p><p>I think there is a good chance that a lawsuit can be averted, Hunter told The Florida Times-Union. But we will go ahead with it, if we have to. </p><p>Hunter said it would be easier and less costly for both sides if the state just increases the funding and improves the formula it uses to distribute it among school districts.</p><p>If we win the lawsuit, all the court will do is order the General Assembly to do the increased funding, which is what they could do now without having to be sued, Hunter said.</p>
