Nearly every effort to reform American public education during the past half-century has involved the law. Partnerships and tensions between lawyers, educators, parents, and scholars have never been more central to the future shape and direction of our schools. This powerful book examines six of the most important and controversial school reform initiatives: school desegregation, school finance reform, special education, education of immigrant children, integration of youth services, and enforceable performance mandates. The contributors—leading authorities in the fields of education and law—examine these reform efforts from the perspectives of law, education, research, and practice. The authors trace the evolution of these reform strategies over time. They also explore ways in which lawyers, educators, scholars, and parents, through improved collaboration, and promising new approaches, can promote school reform and educational equity more effectively in the future.

Assuming no special background, this engaging and accessible book has been written for educators, lawyers, policymakers, parents, and all readers concerned with education in America.

Contributors to this volume:

Jay P. Heubert; Gary Orfield; Molly McUsic; Carola and Marcelo Suarez-Orozco; Peter Roos; Thomas Hehir; Sue Gamm; Martin Gerry; Paul Weckstein.

Afterword by: Martha Minow