Teachers College Record, Volume 109, Number 6, 2007 has published an article by Michael A. Rebell, Executive Director of the Campaign for Educational Equity, at TC.  The article, "Professional Rigor, Professinal Engagement and Judicial Review: A Proposal for Enhancing the Validity of Education Adequacy Studies," argues that, while the validity and the reliability of the current education adequacy study methodologies can be improved, these methodologies are vast improvements over the ad-hoc political deal-making processes of the past.

In recent years, state legislatures, state education departments, and advocacy groups in over 30 states have sponsored education adequacy studies, which aim to determine objectively the amount of funding needed to provide all students a meaningful opportunity for an adequate education. Not surprisingly, because of their growing influence on funding decisions, these studies have now become the subject of critical commentary and judicial scrutiny, and serious questions have arisen about the validity of the methodologies used in some of the studies.

This article recommends explicit articulation of the premises behind the adoption of particular outcome standards, more precise means for identifying the extent to which students with special needs require extra resources, specific mechanisms to minimize political bias and political manipulations, and the use of "quality education models" to integrate efficiency and accountability considerations within the basic cost analysis. In addition, more extensive public engagement and continuing judicial oversight will be necessary to ensure the credibility and the legitimacy of the ultimate judgments that result from these studies.

Nonetheless, Rebell maintains that the current education adequacy study methodologies are vast improvements over the ad-hoc political deal-making processes of the past.

A summary of the article can be found at on the TC Record web site at: http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=12743.  A full copy of Rebell's article can be found on this web site under Campaign Publications.

Published Friday, Oct. 20, 2006