State News Roundup

Tennessee lawmakers can have until dune 30 of next year to devise a new method for funding education, the state court judge who ruled this summer that the state's existing school-finance system was unconstitutional said last week.

In setting the deadline, Chancellor C. Allen High said he would refrain from offering any guidance on how state officials should go about replacing the current system, which he said unfairly benefits wealthy districts and those with high levels of commercial activity. The judge cited the state constitution's separation of powers as keeping him from interfering with legislative matters.

The judge's decision was a disappointment for representatives of the 77 small school systems that had prevailed in the July ruling. The plaintiffs had asked Mr. High to offer guidelines...