This volume addresses issues surrounding the regulation and legalization of public education. The introduction, "The Fourth R: Reading, Writing, 'Rithmetic--and Rules" (David L. Kirp), is followed by essays organized in two parts. Part 1, "Regulation and Education," contains the following: "Before Legalism: The New Deal and American Education" (Paula S. Fass); "From Compliance to Learning: Implementing Legally-Induced Reform" (Paul Berman); "Regulating Business, Regulating Schools: The Problem of Regulatory Unreasonableness" (Robert A. Kagan); "The Culture of Policy: Aggregate versus Individualist Thinking about the Regulation of Education" (Ann Swidler); "Teachers' Regulation of the Classroom" (William K. Muir, Jr.); "Educational Paperwork" (Eugene Bardach); "Implementation and Intervention Strategies: The Case of 94-142" (Guy Benveniste); "Education and Federalism: Doctrinal, Functional and Strategic Views" (Richard Elmore); and "The Deregulation Critique of the Federal Role in Education" (William H. Clune). Part 2, "Legalization and Education," contains the following essays: "Toward a Social History of Law and Public Education" (David Tyack); "Limited Monarchy: The Rise and Fall of Student Rights" (Lawrence M. Friedman); "Organizational Factors Affecting Legalization in Education" (John W. Meyer); "Conflicts of Interest in Educational Reform Litigation" (Deborah L. Rhode); "Just Schools" (Doris Fine); "The Legalization of State Educational Policymaking in California" (Donald N. Jensen and Thomas M. Griffin); "The Allure of Legalization Reconsidered: The Case of Special Education" (David Neal and David L. Kirp); and "The New Federalism Goes to Court" (David L. Kirp and Donald N. Jensen). Notes follow each paper and an index is appended. (MLF)