COLUMBUS — A coalition of educators asked the Ohio Supreme Court on Monday not to back down from a Sept. 6 decision that could order billions in new spending for schools.

        But if justices decide changes are in order, the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding asked the high court to reverse course and rule the state has failed to reduce the gap between rich and poor schools.

        The coalition's either-or argument is the latest twist in a school funding case where the line between winning and losing is increasingly blurry.

        The high court's 4-3 decision was meant as a victory for majority Republicans who crafted a $1.4 billion reform plan. The court declared the plan constitutional if lawmakers agreed to some specific changes.

        Those changes were more expensive than the justices expected. Lawmakers estimate it would cost $2.4 billion more over the next two years.

        Last week, Gov. Bob Taft asked the justices to reconsider an order that would include the state's wealthiest schools in the funding formula. The governor also asked the court to lift a mandate that increases school funding retroactively to July 1.

        The state's request follows statements from the justices who admit they underestimated the total cost. Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer said he originally thought the changes would cost between $300 million to $400 million a year.

        The coalition's 42-page memo argues the Supreme Court ignored a dozen other school funding issues, including improvements to a school construction program and a mandate to eliminate schools' over-reliance on property taxes.

        Coalition Director Bill Phillis said the court should reconsider its entire decision, not just the parts the state finds too expensive.

        Failing that, he said the court should ignore the state's request.

        Either way, the coalition comes out ahead.

        If the state is forced to spend an extra $2.4 billion, the total $3.8 billion increase would far surpass anything the state has proposed for school funding reform.

        This year, the schools coalition agreed to settle the lawsuit outright if House Republicans could pass a $3.2 billion plan. That plan was later rejected by the governor and Senate Republicans as too expensive.

        Mr. Phillis said the memo does not imply the coalition is willing to settle for a $3.8 billion increase.

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