Stibbe represents over 200 primary school boards in proceedings about inadequate funding

Stibbe represents over 200 primary school boards in their administrative proceedings against the State Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education (the Secretary). The Secretary has incorrectly and unjustly decided to recover the implementing costs of a legislative act meaning to simplify the way primary schools receive funding from the annual funding of primary schools in 2022. Ultimately, the Secretary’s decision led to a significant deficit of approximately € 280 million for the school boards represented by Stibbe.

In 2024 the Central Netherlands District Court ruled in favour of the primary school boards, ruling that the Secretary has failed to comply with her statutory duty to allocate sufficient funds to school boards. Consequently, the court ordered the Secretary to adjust the relevant implementing regulation and to take new decisions in which it grants the school boards full funding for 2022. The case is currently under appeal before the highest administrative court, where Stibbe continues to act on behalf of the primary school boards.