Predictions of death for educational malpractice may be premature. A shift in legal reasoning by the California Supreme Court and the Los Angeles School District's educational guarantee policy might influence future courts to look more favorably upon the claims of educationally impaired plaintiffs. (MLF)

Discusses recent school finance litigation and legislation in Ohio resulting in school finance reform with an emphasis on educational adequacy. Focuses on the politics of school finance reform. (Contains 41 references.) (PKP)

Reviews research on the extent, causes, and consequences of the unequal funding of public schools within and among states. Describes state legal and legislative efforts to improve funding equity. (Contains 41 references.) (PKP)

Describes and analyzes December 2000 Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that Cleveland school voucher program violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. (PKP)

Concentrates on discussion of a new wave of educational equity litigation involving state lawsuits in the late 1980s and the 1990s seeking the integration of economically segregated schools. Earlier waves include federal racial desegregation decisions beginning with "Brown v. Board of Education" in 1954 and financial equity decisions…

Examines the effects of 1992 Tennessee school-finance reform legislation to remedy unconstitutional inequalities in state funding of local school districts, particularly small, rural school districts. Finds that while legislation reduced fiscal inequity among school districts, differences in student mathematics and reading scores remained…

Florida's voucher program for students in the lowest-rated public schools is unconstitutional, the state supreme court ruled early January 2006 in a 5-2 decision that friends and foes of private school choice are scrutinizing for its potential impact on voucher debates nationwide. Chief Justice Barbara J. Pariente of the Florida Supreme Court…

Designed to facilitate effective planning by state courts for the future, this guidebook is the heart of the State Justice Institute's "Vision for the Courts" project. Its primary purpose is building state court capacity to draft clear, inspiring, and compelling descriptions of a "preferred future"--a future that its authors and proponents want to…

This article discusses some of the options and strategies available to school districts in defending dress codes which mandate uniforms. Three components are essential to a successful defense: the dress code must bear a reasonable relation to the school's pedagogical purpose, it must include alternative avenues of expression, and it must…

Intended to assist debaters and coaches who will be debating the 1983-84 national high school debate topic, this booklet combines discussion of general debate theory, and information specific to the topic: "What changes are most needed in the procedures used in the United States justice system?" The eight chapters of the booklet contain…

This chapter discusses litigation concerned with collective bargaining issues at the postsecondary level. The material is organized to follow the basic sequence of steps in the negotiation process, from the rights of organization to the issues of arbitration. Issues covered include determination of bargaining units, scope of bargaining, union…

To help individuals, groups, and organizations obtain federal government records on themselves and others, this guidebook interprets the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. The acts provide access to government data, personal records, and business information. The guidebook presents the texts of both acts, with…

A comparison of teacher dismissal cases in West Virginia and Pennsylvania concludes with recommendations for administrators: closely following procedureal protection provisions in termination proceedings; adhering to evaluation requirements in dismissals for incompetency; and evaluating teachers honestly. (MJL)

This is the 22nd in a series of yearly updates of judicial decision summaries for case law related to elementary and secondary education issues. One can use previous and future editions to track decisions on appeal or to see trends in case law. With few exceptions, the cases were selected from court decisions found in federal and regional…

This is the 21st in a series of yearly updates of judicial decision summaries for case law related to elementary and secondary education issues. One can use previous and future editions to track decisions on appeal or to see trends in case law. The cases included, with a few exceptions, were selected from court decisions found in federal and…